Category: Criminal Activity

Within the past 24 hours horrific violence has been committed in both Kansas and in Arkansas. Yesterday, Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider, was gunned down in his church while his wife sang in the choir. This was not his first brush with violence. In 1993 Dr. Tiller was shot in both arms.

This morning one army recruiter was killed and another seriously wounded. The reason is not yet known. Information is sketchy.

Regardless of how one feels about the military, war, abortion or any other issue that somehow lands in the political arena, there is NO excuse or reason for violence. None whatsoever. Reading some of the blogs and newspaper reader comments sickens me. Some people are justifying the violence. They fail to see how their rhetoric can lead to unspeakable, horrifying actions.

Going into an army recruiting office or a church to harrass, wound or kill makes those who do so no better than the killers of Daniel Pearl. There can be no equivocation.

Moon-Howler

A new federal law will hopefully ensure that diplomatic immunity doesn’t turn in to diplomatic impunity, according to Ambassador-at-large Mark Lagon, director of the office to monitor and combat human trafficking at the State Department. The law attempts to crack down on foreign diplomats who bring workers into the United States and then treat them as slaves.

According to the DC Examiner,

The human trafficking bill gathered congressional support after the Government Accountability Office released a report in July citing 42 cases in which diplomats, most of whom live in the Washington area and New York City, abused their household workers. There are likely many more cases, the report said, but they remain unknown to law enforcement because workers often fear U.S. authorities and the power of their employers.

The report cited gaps in the State Department’s review of the visas given to diplomats’ household staff and noted a failure to track the workers once they’re in the U.S. The lack of oversight, the report said, makes it easy for diplomats to hide behind their immunity as they underpay, mistreat and enslave their employees.

But the new law requires a tracking system be put in place and greater cooperation between the departments of State and Justice. New visa review standards will be implemented, including a requirement that officials who give out the visas meet with workers to inform them of their rights.

Diplomatic immunity has long been a problem for many of us in this area. Too many people are granted immunity and many who have it take advantage of this extension of international ‘good will’ by refusing to take responsibility for their actions and for thumbing their nose at our laws. Countries who have violations in human trafficking will risk having visas revoked. The law will go into effect sometime after the Inauguration. The fact that a human trafficking bill is even necessary speaks ill of the world.

We are almost 10 years into the 21st century. Why should this even be necessary? What is wrong with some of these countries? Does the rest of the world feel human trafficking is an acceptable behavior? Pathetic.

Further reading

The Chief and the Police Department are now indicating that this is most likely a homicide case and are requesting anyone with information to call Prince William County Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700 or 1-866-411-TIPS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010902625.html

Adam Walsh, the 6 year old son of crime fighter John Walsh was murdered 27 years ago. John Walsh turned his grief into helping others, by going after child abductors and other criminals with a vengeance as the host of the TV show America’s Most Wanted.

Today, John Walsh got his final answer. The suspect, Ottis Toole, a known imprisoned pedophile, had given a death bed confession in 1997. Today the Hollywood, Florida police announced that they were closing their investigation and that Toole was the murderer, after sifting through confessions, recants, and more confessions. The Walsh family now has some justice and closure. John Walsh tonight, through his tears, told other parents never to give up.

John Walsh helped change the way America looks at missing children. He helped found the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 1984. He also helped get Adam’s Law enacted in 2006 which created strict requirements for registering sex offenders.

We have had some horrific things happen in Manassas and Prince William County. Our local police departments have been fabulous crime solvers. However, let’s face it; there are bad people out there. Just this past week or so, we have had a senior citizen sheriff deputy arrested for child pornography, a 13 year old and a developmentally delayed woman raped. This is the tip of the iceberg.

We have to continue to arrest, prosecute, sentence and incarcerate people to do evil things to other people. It does no good to single out people by ethnicity, age, immigration status, or other attributes. We need to watch our children very carefully and we need to remain vigilant and alert to protect those we love.

Above all, John Walsh has made us aware. Through his suffering and grief, he has saved many other children by his persistence. Child predators cannot continue to move freely through our society. They must be caught, brought to justice, and put where they can no longer prey upon others.

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