Here's An Idea: Let's Not Let Violent Offenders Out Of Prison

Here's An Idea: Let's Not Let Violent Offenders Out Of Prison

Innocent lives are more important than violent criminals' second chances
Sara Petty
Sara Petty Feb 21, 2017
61
views

Recently, a beautiful, young OSU student was taken from this earth in a disgusting, violent way. Reagan Tokes was about to graduate from The Ohio State University with a degree in psychology, and a horrible man took her life, her light, and her future away from her and the world.

In July, University of Toledo student Sierah Joughin was kidnapped on a bike ride and killed. With her entire life ahead of her, her life was also stolen too soon. Another young woman's life was stripped from her by another horrible man.

These men are horrible. That is one very obvious thing that they have in common. They are selfish, violent, disgusting men who stripped women of their lives and stripped their families, their friends, and their communities of their lives as they know it.

But they have something else in common as well, something that makes these stories scarier and more heartbreaking. James Worley, who murdered Seirah Joughin, had been arrested in 1990 for kidnapping a woman on a bike. He did less than 4 years. Brian Golsby, who murdered Reagan Tokes, had been let out of prison in November 2016 for attempted rape and kidnapping.

The question is, how on earth was this allowed to happen? A man who was in jail for kidnapping a woman on a bike kidnapped a woman on a bike. A man who was in jail for attempting to rape and kidnap a woman kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered a woman. How did this happen?

In what world were these men allowed to be out of prison? How did our legal system fail us, fail the Tokes and Joughin families so bad? Frankly, I don't give a shit if they had good behavior while they were in prison. Frankly, I don't give a shit of they were the nicest damn inmate that has ever existed in the history of our American prison system. They were both in jail for violent crimes. And just because the woman escaped from Worley or because Golsby's rape and kidnapping were "attempted" does not mean that they are less dangerous. The intent is what counts, the intent is what matters.

Maybe thousands of men and women are let out of prison after their sentenced time for violent crimes and never offend again. Kidnappers, rapists and even possibly some murderers are walking around us, having done their time and will never offend again. They are rehabilitated and ready to be contributing members of society. But here's the thing: I don't care.

I don't care if leaving violent offenders in prison for their entire life strips them of their right to "try again". If you raped or kidnapped or killed someone, you don't get to try again. I don't care that there are violent offenders out in the world who are living better lives. Because if there was a rule prohibiting violent offenders from being back on the streets, Reagan Tokes and Seirah Joughin would still be alive. I'm always going to root for two beautiful, innocent women more than a rehabilitated sexual offender. I'd rather them get to live than an ex-kidnapper get the chance to try again.

Worley committed his crime in 1990, 26 years before he took the life of Seirah Joughin, before she was even born. And Golsby was let out of prison just about 4 months before he took the life of Reagan Tokes. 26 years. 4 months. There is no principle to determine whether or not or when an ex-offender will offend again. A violent crime is not a mistake, it is not something you deserve a second chance after. Because when you're in prison for trying to kidnap, rape, murder somebody, you matter less.

All of them, all ex-violent offenders can sit in prison for the rest of their lives if it means not letting the Worley's and the Golsby's offend again. All ex-violent offenders can sit in prison for the rest of their lives if it means no one going through what the Joughin's and the Tokes' are going through. Because the lives of innocent victims matter more than your ability to have a second chance.

To the Tokes and Joughin families, I have been and will be so sorry for your loss, for the pain these men have brought to you and your families, and I pray for comfort and healing to come sooner rather than later. These women were lights to their families, friends, and communities, and someone like those two disgusting men should not have been able to make those lights stop shining.

You can donate to the Tokes family's GoFundMe here and donate to "Keeping Our Girls Safe", Seirah's boyfriend Josh's non-profit organization "to increase women's safety awareness, educate women on personal self defense, and possibly fund scholarships in the future in Sierah's and Josh's name," here.

Cover Image Credit: DailyMail
Sara Petty
Sara Petty Feb 21, 2017
At Bowling Green State University

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6 Things You Should Know About The Woman Who Can't Stand Modern Feminism

Yes, she wants to be heard too.

Madeline Gazaway
Madeline Gazaway Oct 29, 2018
84652
views

2018 is sort of a trap for this woman. She believes in women with all of the fire inside of her, but it is hard for her to offer support when people are making fools of themselves and disguising it as feminism.

The fact of the matter is that women possess qualities that men don't and men possess qualities that women don't. That is natural. Plus, no one sees men parading the streets in penis costumes complaining that they don't get to carry their own fetus for nine months.

1. She really loves and values women.

She is incredibly proud to be a woman.

She knows the amount of power than a woman's presence alone can hold. She sees when a woman walks into a room and makes the whole place light up. She begs that you won't make her feel like a "lady hater" because she doesn't want to follow a trend that she doesn't agree with.

2. She wants equality, too

She has seen the fundamental issues in the corporate world, where women and men are not receiving equal pay.

She doesn't cheer on the businesses that don't see women and men as equivalents. But she does recognize that if she works her butt off, she can be as successful as she wants to.

3. She wears a bra.

While she knows the "I don't have to wear a bra for society" trend isn't a new one, but she doesn't quite get it. Like maybe she wants to wear a bra because it makes her feel better. Maybe she wears a bra because it is the normal things to do... And that's OK.

Maybe she wants to put wear a lacy bra and pretty makeup to feel girly on .a date night. She is confused by the women who claim to be "fighting for women," because sometimes they make her feel bad for expressing her ladyhood in a different way than them.

4. She hates creeps just as much as you do. .

Just because she isn't a feminist does not mean that she is cool with the gruesome reality that 1 in 5 women are sexually abused.

In fact, this makes her stomach turn inside out to think about. She knows and loves people who have been through such a tragedy and wants to put the terrible, creepy, sexually charged criminals behind bars just as bad as the next woman.

Remember that just because she isn't a feminist doesn't mean she thinks awful men can do whatever they want.

5. There is a reason she is ashamed of 2018's version of feminism.

She looks at women in history who have made a difference and is miserably blown away by modern feminism's performance.

Not only have women in the past won themselves the right to vote, but also the right to buy birth control and have credit cards in their names and EVEN saw marital rape become a criminal offense.

None of them dressed in vagina costumes to win anyone over though... Crazy, right?

6. She isn't going to dress in a lady parts costume to prove a point.

This leaves her speechless. It is like the women around her have absolutely lost their minds and their agendas, only lessening their own credibility.

"Mom, what are those ladies on TV dressed up as?"

"Ummm... it looks to me like they are pink taco's honey."

She loves who she is and she cherished what makes her different from the men around her. She doesn't want to compromise who she is as a woman just so she can be "equal with men."

Madeline Gazaway
Madeline Gazaway Oct 29, 2018

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Patriotism Is More Than Putting The American Flag On Everything

Because honestly, people in other countries don't wear their flags like we do - and they still love where they live.

Taylor Newswander
Taylor Newswander Nov 15, 2018
241
views

Patriotism is "the feeling of loving your country more than any others and being proud of it," according to the Cambridge dictionary. Nowhere in that definition does it mention painting flags on vehicles or wearing them on our clothes is a requirement. It's not even recommended. Yet somewhere along the way, America got in its head that if you don't wear flags on your clothing at least 24 times a year, you must be committing treason or a terrorist or something.

Now I am obviously exaggerating! However, there are so many other ways to be patriotic, and it is time for 'Merica to understand that.

In order to love your country more than any others and be proud of it- AKA being patriotic- help make your country a place you should be proud of. Support things that not only benefit yourself but your children (or children in general if you don't have any of your own).

Maybe this means voting for higher taxes on yourself to improve the quality of life for others. Higher income taxes actually benefit the upper class because of write-offs, while higher sales taxes benefit the middle and lower classes. Why? Rich people buy more stuff and can't write it all off.

I know, I know, I know. This country was founded on the hatred of taxes. "Taxes are stealing." The whole bit. But taxes are a required part of life, so start thinking about how to best use them.

Universal healthcare is paid for through tax dollars. I get it- "that's socialist and we aren't a socialist country" or whatever your argument is, but hear me out... We are supposedly guaranteed the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... People cannot choose if they will be healthy or not. Not having universal healthcare means not everyone is insured and can go to the doctor, which means as a country we are telling people who cannot afford those things that their lives are somehow worth less... Is that not a denial of the unalienable rights we bragged about at our country's founding?

Oh, sorry, was that off topic? In order to have patriotism, we have to have something to be proud of... If we have a country full of sick people who can't get better, should we really be proud of that?

Should we really be proud of a country who seeks to destroy our environment for finite resources instead of looking to renewable energy sources to create cleaner power- and more jobs? Should we be proud of a country that thinks of diplomacy like a business? Should we be proud of a country where diversity is avoided, and we judge those different than ourselves despite claiming to be a melting pot?

Guess what? I'm not proud. I'm tired of living in a country that claims to be the best when it is only really number one at defense spending, arms exports, natural gas output, number of people incarcerated per capita, number of fast food restaurants, number of mass shootings per year, and highest medical costs.

I'm proud of those who have fought for our freedoms, be it at war or for civil rights at home, but I am not proud of what we've done with it all. I couldn't care less about how great our country was or can be. What I care about is living in a place where we take care of one another and want everyone to succeed, not just a handful of individuals at the expense of others. Life isn't a race- someone else's success or failure should not determine if you get the health care you need.

Paint your flags all over and ignore this if you like. Call me unpatriotic- I can handle it. If the state of America right now does not bother you, go on with your inaction. But patriotism has less to do with wearing flag bathing suits, and far more to do with being a contributing member of a society that does not stand for injustices. And right now, America, there are a lot of injustices.

I am patriotic; I am proud of the accomplishments in our past. But unless we start making advances and investments in a country and society that deserves pride... I'm ashamed to think of what is to come.

Taylor Newswander
Taylor Newswander Nov 15, 2018
At Illinois State University

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