James,

I’m not naive enough to believe he was hacked. Sure, anything is possible but I really doubt it.

RSOL made a good point on another blog which is even the best of us have character flaws. JFK, MLK and many others could be added to that list. We need to still give Galen the presumption of innocence that we would all want ourselves but I have a hard time giving him much sympathy at the moment if he is indeed guilty. Establishing himself as an advocate meant that anything he did outside the bounds of what was proper and decent, not to mention law abiding, was going to reflect extremely negatively on us. You can see it on the comments to the slate article. People are having a field day with this. IF (and I say if purposefully) Galen engaged in this behavior, it’s truly a shame because he put instant gratification above the long term goals of an entire movement. I hope in due time, he becomes a part of the movement again. If we can forgive Bill Clinton (a president) surely with time we can forgive Galen.

I’ll tell you what worried me about him, to a small degree. His Ted Talk. He romanticized his relationship with the 14 year old that he had as a 19 year old. There was not a hint of contrition whatsoever. That struck me in a very uncomfortable way and for a moment made me think he hadn’t quite understood why it was wrong as a 19 year old to engage in sexual conduct with a 14 year old. Of course, I didn’t want to believe that at the time but I now see where unfortunately my intuition was correct. To reflect upon that relationship in any kind of sentimental way seemed entirely inappropriate.

As I said, Galen is one person. We are 850,000. Let’s try our best not to be defined by this. As Derek Logue said, our advocates as a whole have a pretty good track record. Our batting average is very high when it comes to not reoffending.

Galen. What a disappointment. Extreme anger…that’s my reaction. But yeah, i don’t trust everything that’s presented in the news….but still, there’s so many aspects of the story that, if true, show terrible judgement (at best). Damn, damn, damn.

How to react to this?

I understand that let down feeling. This too will pass though and everything will get back on track until the next controversial incident arises. Also like you said, he might not be guilty. We have many enemies who will go great lengths to bring us down.

I agree, Fred, assuming these people are actually guilty. What bothers me about Galen’s case, in particular, is that I personally really looked up to him. He was doing extremely important work. As an advocate, he was one of the most known among all RSO’s in the entire country. He worked tirelessly on our behalf and I guess I’m left wondering if all his advocacy meant anything if he was allegedly grooming a teenager at the same time he was advocating against the registry. I guess I feel let down by what he did, more than anything. But I also hope that this doesn’t cast our entire population in a negative light.

I didn’t see that one, but just a couple hours ago I was reading an article on a local website about a Registered Sex Offender being sentenced to 35 years in prison for a new sex offense. I feel tremendously frustrated when I come across those articles as they are really hurting our cause. There are approximately 850,000 RSOs nationwide, but these few cases of recidivism are the ones people are hearing about and the media has a way of making it sound like it is a lot worse than it is.

I do not defend these people and I consider them traitors to our cause as they are only making things worse for the rest of us with their lack of self control.

He is still presumed innocent until proven guilty so I am trying not to rush to judgment. But let’s also remember that the act of one person (however prominent he is in our community) cannot define us as a whole, even if he is guilty.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2016/04/galen_baughman_seemed_like_an_ideal_spokesman_for_sex_offenders_civil_rights.html

Fred –

Mr. Hastert will still pay for his misgivings even if he does not have to register.

The judge had the latitude to add a no contact order, which any judge can do with any sentence when there is a personal victim involved, and attending a SOTP, much like sentencing someone to attend an approved alcohol or narcotics recovery program as part of the sentencing even though that is not written into law. Sentencing him to register when no sex offense was tried in court would have been immediately appealed and probably tossed upon appeal.

This is just the process here and what could be done within the sentencing guidelines and the law — don’t like it, then work to change it — just like those who want to do erase the registry and are now talking about doing with the statute of limitations. I don’t give two hoots about Mr. Hastert either. He was a person in trusted position as a education professional, which he abused, and a Congressman, second in line to the Presidency no less where he was a hypocrite. As I said, he will pay for his misgivings, as will everyone will involved, because as the AUSA said “No winners here”

Paul – no one is excusing his behavior. He was wrong obviously and will pay for it.

However, people are sticking up for the process in place today, e.g. statutue of limitations and sentencing guidelines within the law the judge had to abide by with some latitude to add extra. Mr. Hastert got what he could get. If people don’t like it, then work to change it, as is being done with the efforts to do away with the registry and now possibly with statute of limitations on matters similar to this also.