Not Here

In Alabama, we pride ourselves in showing our Southern Christian hospitality. And if you aren't Southern (or Christian), you may even find yourself on the receiving end of that hospitality. It's our Christian duty, after all, to live as Christ commanded here:

Matthew 25:31-46

and here:

Matthew 6:14-15

Unless, of course, you happen to be gay, liberal, anti-war, atheist, poor, Muslim, a terrorist, or a sex offender. Those sex offenders don't deserve any kind of outreach or otherwise helping hand. In fact, they just don't deserve to live anywhere-- especially not here.

How dare Mr. and Mrs. Grier even suggest that they should found and run a needed ministry to former sex offenders! I mean, who cares if most of them end up right back in prison because they can't find anywhere to live after they've served their terms? They're reprehensible! Can you imagine what kind of a sick mind would produce an 18-year-old who would dare have sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend? Sickos!

But all is not lost. Not too long ago, they were driven out of town because the mission was too close to a daycare center. Of course, they're going to try it out somewhere else, but that's okay, because State Rep. Oliver Robinson, D-Birmingham, is doing his best to break it up. He's working on a law that will not allow more than one offender to live in a residential area. Considering that there are only so many residential areas in Alabama, and the number of offenders are growing, this is merely the first step in driving them out of Alabama entirely! Way to go, Rep. Robinson!

So where, then, will these people live and work, so that they can successfully assimilate into society and become contributing members to the community instead of permanent prison residents? Who cares?! Ms. Exie Thomas Bridge, a North East Lake Neighborhood Association presidential candidate and the very picture of Christian charity addressed a couple of the former offenders. They had come to her door to plead their case, and she addressed the situation as many of us good, Christian folks naturally would:

"They said ... `We've got to live somewhere,'" Bridge said. "Sure, they've got to live somewhere ... but not in my neighborhood."