Ed Doyle Calamari! Yeah it's delicious I will admit, but is it what is on my mind at all times? Do I look at my children and my nieces and nephews and say to them "Not Now kids, Uncle Ed is more concerned with a nice heaping plate of Calamari?" Not in the least! It seems however that many of our law makers in the state of Rhode Island are in fact that concerned, that focused, that over whelmed by the idea of making calamari the state's official appetizer that all else including the safety of our children fall to the rear behind the squabbles of squidom. There is a bill that has been put off and put on the shelf and received little attention called the Child Safe Zone Act. (This act would create child safe zones where sex offenders whose victim was a minor are prohibited from being employed. This act also prohibits a sex offender whose victim was a minor from owning or operating a entity that is a child safe zone.) It's sponsors are Senators Stephen R. Archambault Adam J. Satchell Catherine Cool Rumsey Leonidas P. Raptakis and Frank S. Lombardi. The history of this most important bill was that after fighting so hard for this to be heard from people like Carolyn Medeiros it was introduced on March 6th, scheduled for hearing on March 28th, it was shelved on April 1st and was scheduled for consideration again on June 6th for tonight June 10th. The Calamari Bill is actually scheduled for a vote this Wednesday June 11th. It absolutely amazes me that not only have we got such serious things wrong with this state, but that a bill that will protect our children from the possible molestation and rape from a sex offender that now works as a janitor in your child's school, library, city pool, health office or whatever the facility is that caters to and for children takes a back seat to a pile of squid! To me this is a clear cut example of lawmakers that are in office for their own agenda! They are there to gain votes for the next election by putting anything sensible that clearly protects and benefits the families of Rhode Island on the back burner regardless of the consequences. I say if this bill is not voted on and Calamari IS voted on we all need to enter the state house with photos of our children with stinking squid hanging off us to see if THAT smell gets their attention because the smell of rotten politics and poor leadership has certainly gotten ours. The Child Safe Zone Act, The Master Lever, The Murder Bill Package, The 38 Studios repayment, all issues that can make our state better and move forward if passed or put even a greater hurt on the hard working families of Rhode Island if shelved or voted down all take a back seat to Calamari and whatever gains the most media attention and votes. Ahhh Rhode Island I think I see the Independent Man on the dome of the state house with his luggage by his side saying. "Th th th That's all folks! I'm Outta here! |
WBOB
|