Tulsa May Ban Sex Offenders from Halloween … and Christmas (Nanny of the Month, 10-13)
This month's slate of the nation's most scarifying scolds includes college administrators who want coeds to keep sexy costumes off campus (especially geishas or "squaws"), and the most frightful control freaks of all–two Tulsa city councilmembers who are bent on banning registered sex offenders from passing out candy and decorating their homes at Halloween? In fact, they're mulling a similar kind of ban for all holidays.
What's the motivation for the proposed ordinance? The children, of course.
Never mind that there's not much in the way of actual evidence that trick-or-treating (where plenty of parents are out and about) is a tradition that puts children at heightened risk of being victimized. Never mind that spending just a few minutes on an online sex offender registry could provide parents with enough information to steer their children away from any sex-offender homes. And never mind that children's lives are often ruined by being placed on sex offender registries for minor offenses like streaking and public urination.
After all, what's most important is getting in front of a microphone and telling voters you're doing it for the children.
Just over one minute.
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Nanny of the Month is written and produced by Ted Balaker (@tedbalaker). Motion graphics and research by Matt Edwards (@MattChrisEd). Opening graphics by Meredith Bragg.
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