Susan Bailey: Sex offenders should lose civil rights

In response to the Oct. 21 news article “Sex offenders barred from the State Fair”: I applaud Gov. Pat McCrory for signing the bill that keeps sex offenders away from children. Sen. Buck Newton said, “I don’t remember anyone voting against it.”

I truly believe that once someone is labeled as a sex offender they have given up civil rights as far as being around children. These are not people that can be trusted around our children. I am not a victim of childhood sexual abuse, but my husband is.

My husband and I answer a national hotline for those sexually abused. We know about the suicides and the aftereffects of such trauma on a child.

We should feel it is not worth predators walking around the fair even if there is a 1 percent chance of destroying someone’s life. We have to start realizing our children are very much more important than someone’s civil rights. Once someone offends a child they have no rights.

Sex offenders should feel deeply sorry, remorseful and realize that they permanently affect the lives of the children sexually abused, tremendously and the offender must to live with his consequences. His victims do, every minute, every hour, every day, forever.

This story was originally published October 27, 2016 at 9:24 AM with the headline "Susan Bailey: Sex offenders should lose civil rights."