While doing some research I happened upon this thought for the month of March ....the website I found this on has a well documented index of ridiculous cases being brought against people that caused them to become registered sex offenders ...including the 15 yr old girl who faces 20 yrs on the list for taking semi nude pictures of herself with her cell phone and then sending them to her boyfriend ... essentially tattooing her as a sex offender for taking pictures of herself. How is it possible to become a sex offender from viewing your own body? The next thing we will see is uniform registering of all teens for looking at themselves while naked which will be done of course to protect them from themselves. Here aresome other incredible examples of the lunacy that has been substituted for rational thought by some prosecutors in our various states complete with links to the actual stories.... the link to this website by the way is right here:

http://www.oncefallen.com/youmightbersoif.html

One of the prevailing myths in society is that everyone on registries are all violent rapists or pedophiles. However, landing on a sex offender registry (or even the prospect of landing on the registry) is a very real threat. Over the years, I have collected some very outlandish cases which have either landed someone on the registry or have at least made them potentially subject to placement on the registry. Some are sad, some are ludicrous, and others leave you questioning the laws. However, it is important to keep in mind how easily one can be caught up in the registries. Think about that next time you look at a sex offender registry.

Thus, in the tradition of another popular comedy skit, I present to you the following cases as

“You might be a sex offender if…:” [Laugh Track NOT Included]

• You might be a sex offender if… you ever paid for a prostitute in New York [unless, of course, your name is New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer] http://www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/nsor/sortab1.htm -- Penal Code 230.4-6

• You might be a sex offender if… you use a stolen credit card to hire a stripper in New York• http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2007/12/13/was-legal-news-1/


• You might be a sex offender if… You had sex with a teenager while you were a teen yourself [unless you happen to be Mark Lunsford's son
]• www.rickyslife.com http://
sadlynormal.wordpress.com/2006/12/06/ut-teen-both-a-perpetrator-and-victim-of-sex- offense-presents-legal-puzzle/ (Pamela Mason, “Utah teen both a perpetrator and victim presents legal puzzle.” Salt Lake City Tribune, Dec. 12, 2006)

• You might be a sex offender if… you ever got drunk at a party and videotaped yourself having sex with your teenage girlfriend• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10972703



• You might be a sex offender if… you have ever given your kids too much information when giving “the birds and the bees” speech• http://www.courttv.com/news/2007/1112/smalley_ctv.html (Mallory Simon, “Woman prosecuted for giving her children too much information about sex.” Court TV, November 12, 2007)

• You might be a sex offender if… a topless woman has ever talked you into "unwrapping your whopper" in a public park• http://current.com/items/88801861_cops_use_topless_woman_to_lure_men_in_police_sting (original story taken down: Marcus Baram, “Topless Woman Lured Perverts in Sex Sting.” ABC News.com)

• You might be a sex offender if… anyone has ever accused you of a sex crime in Ohio -- thanks to a “civil” registry, you don’t even need a criminal conviction, only a civil conviction [like O.J.]• http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/109:5-4 - Ohio Chapter 109:5-4

You might be a sex offender if… you ever participated in “slap butt day” in school
• http://www.590klbj.com/JeffWard/Story.aspx?ID=71743

You might be a sex offender if… you allow your teenage daughter to have sex or don’t do enough to stop her from getting knocked up• http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/2007/11/ga-editorial-registry-without-reason.html

• You might be a sex offender if… you touched the knees of another man over 60 years ago• http://www.reason.com/news/show/30272.html

• You might be a sex offender if… you have ever taken a picture of your child playing in the bathtub, or if you have bathed a baby in your tub• http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/01/31/kincaid/index.html (James Kinkaid, “Is this child pornography?” salon.com, Jan. 30, 2000)

• You might be a sex offender if… you’ve ever simulated sex on the sidewalk• (“Man simulated sex act on pavement,” BBC News, Nov. 5, 2007)

• You might be a sex offender if… you had sex with a picnic table (note: why was the person who videotaped this person NOT charged with creating obscene material? Hm...)
• http://www.nbc24.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=150083

• You might be a sex offender if… you are a teen and you take pictures of yourself and send it to other teens
• http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=5995084&page=1 ttp://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=5995084&page=1> : Scott Michaels, “Teen Charged With Sending Nude Pics of Herself.” ABC News, Oct. 10, 2008
• http://sexoffenderresearch.blogspot.com/search/label/Sexting



• You might be a sex offender if... you have ever chatted with a teen online, even if you never planned to meet them [unless, of course, you're a senator and/or John Walsh's friend
]www.changingthelaw.com

• You might be a sex offender if... you have oral sex with an intoxicated partner
• www.meganslaw.ca.gov/registration/offenses.aspx?lang=ENGLISH -- California Code 288A (I)

• You might be sex offender if... you look at a child too long in Maine
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS/804060343/- 1/NEWS01 -- Maine's "Visual Sexual Aggression" law

• You might be a sex offender if... you are caught urinating in public multiple times [courtesy of a blogger at Reddit]• http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/14238442/detail.htm
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• You might be a sex offender if... you grab the arm of a 14 year old girl to chastise her for stepping in front of your moving car (assist to Ian for this gem)
• http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45104



• You might be a sex offender if... you flirt with a girl in Egypt• http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24684272-912,00.html?from=public_rs

• You might be a sex offender if... you had sex with a bicycle, bringing new meaning to the brand name "HUFFY" [thanks to Colin for the link]
• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/26/bike_incident/ or
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7098116.stm



• You might be a sex offender if... you are a school teacher at a school that forgot to pay for anti-virus software [ironically enough, she'd have faced less time for sleeping with one of her students]•
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/11/proof-porn-pop.html?cid=140574368#comment- 140574368



The Following is not an actual case, but the author poses a REALLY good point here:
• You might be CONFUSED FOR a sex offender if... you leave your lights off and don't pass out candy at Halloween!• http://freestudents.blogspot.com/2008/10/we-are-all-sex-offenders-now-happy.html -- One can’t ignore the damn holiday without possibly getting accused of being an offender. For years I’ve safely ignored the holiday. Now, what will the neighbors think? Will they assume that the light is off because a sex offender lives here?