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Be wary of predators
Parents can't have easy jobs keeping up with children. The young tykes are full of energy, often running here and there, making it difficult for moms and dads to monitor their every move. But in following the cops and courts beats as a journalist the last few years, it seems to me that it is all the more important, these days especially, for parents to do all they can to watch their children. The reason is simple: If parents are not watching their kids, someone else just may be. And that someone may be up to no good. In this day and age, people are doing more and more despicable acts. They are desecrating graves to make a quick buck; they're assaulting men and women alike, perhaps for money, drugs or out of vengeance; and there are more and more reports of drug sales and use. While all those acts are bad enough, the ones that hit home are those involving children. There are people out there looking to take advantage of children and their innocence. Too many times, there are cases in courtrooms here and across the country of men and women taking advantage of children in sexual ways. In short, that's sick, and it's disgusting. To violate another human being is bad enough. It's all the worse when that human being is a young, defenseless child. There are incidents of sexual predators taking indecent liberties with children, using them for their own sexual gratification. Reports of men and women engaging in cyber chatter of a sexual nature with children are in the news almost every day, and there are people dealing with child pornography through distribution of video tapes, DVDs and Internet Web sites. I'm sorry, but those acts are just wrong and need to be punished to the greatest degree possible. I can't imagine what it would be like to be the parent of a child violated in such a way. I feel safe in saying my reaction would not be a pleasant one. And how about these children who are preyed upon by adults? They often are scarred for life - physically, mentally and emotionally - by the repulsive acts of people they often trust and look to for guidance and protection, just as adults going through similar circumstances would be. No child, or adult for that matter, deserves to be violated by predators in such a manner. Some people will say it's a sickness, some form of mental disorder that these type of predators can not help. Others will say it's a conscious decision they make to treat children in such a way. Whatever the reason, it needs to be addressed and stopped. Parents do have a way to monitor the type of people around their children. The N.C. Attorney General's Office has tools on its Web site that can alert parents of sex offenders who live in their neighborhoods or near the schools of their children. There are maps that can pinpoint the homes of sex offenders, who are required by state law to register with the Sheriff's Office of the county in which they are residing within 10 days of their release from a correctional facility or immediately upon conviction if no active sentence is imposed. These are tools that have been provided and should be taken advantage of by parents and any other citizens who may be worried about sex offenders living around them. It's imperative as parents and caregivers that we keep a watchful eye on our children. We need to be looking after them to make sure some predator is not on the prowl looking to abuse them in any way. Nathan Key Managing Editor nathankey@newstopic.net
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