Fighting for Christopher and all children across the United States

As we are in the begining stages of the fight for Christopher Barrios and the many countless others, we stand to protect children throughout the United States. To get laws passed and changed. To educate parents and caregivers, to change the pace for our childrens lives. We embark on new challenges and discoveries every day. This fight can be won. We must ban together as a unit and say, NO MORE!! We will make our childrens lives better and safer, throughout this great nation. Please join the fight and help save and protect our children.

Hi Everyone I put this topic up as a "refresher" so to speak. I ask that we come together to in our efforts to protect our beautiful children and ban together, as my friend Debbie put it. I wanted this to be a topic that we could use as a resource of what is being done and by who. Also to put our thoughts and heads together so that we can get much further in our fight for children across America. LET'S DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM!!!! Thank you so much, this little spot is to try to redirect things and set a new change of pace. Thanks again, Samantha

Hi Sam, this is great! I wanted to share this, I got it from the Jessica Lunsford Foundation: Date: April 18th, 2007

Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation
April newsletter
Foundation president urges media, public
to keep fighting for children after Couey’s trial
Yes, the news reports you’ve been hearing are correct: Mark Lunsford, president of the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, is considering running for office.
Lunsford is thinking about campaigning as a Republican for the Florida House of Representative seat vacated this week by state Rep. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.
If he decides to do it, Lunsford will run in a special election this summer. The region in which he would seek votes includes his hometown of Homosassa.
Lunsford is also working on leading a Parents’ Coalition March on Washington. The group, which he’s helping to form, would advocate bolstering the federal Adam Walsh Act.
Lunsford and his parents, Archie and Ruth, spent much of March in Miami at John Couey’s trial.
As almost everyone around the country knows, the jury found Couey guilty on all four counts, including first-degree murder, and recommended the death penalty.
The prosecutors did an excellent job presenting the state’s case against Couey. Filling the courtroom with physical evidence such as Couey’s bloodstained mattress, they painted a vivid, gruesome picture in the jurors’ minds.
Assistant State Attorney Peter Magrino delivered a simple – and simply impossible to refute – closing statement, which shut the door on any doubts that Couey kidnapped, raped and buried alive Jessie.
In the end, the prosecutors didn’t need Couey’s confession, which Circuit Judge Ric Howard never let the jury hear.
Howard is now considering whether to heed the jury’s capital punishment recommendation. He is expected to issue his sentencing in May.
Meanwhile, the media has taken a bit of a timeout from one of its most covered national stories of the year. But that doesn’t mean reporters have stopped calling Mark Lunsford on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, for quotes and information.
Lunsford has become an expert at working with the media. He has appeared on every important TV and radio news and talk show, including “O’Reilly,”“Oprah,”“Larry King Live” and the networks’“Evening News” programs. He looks his famous hosts’ square in the eyes (sometimes across monitors) and speaks his mind in eloquent yet down-to-earth phrases.
During his weeks in Miami, Lunsford faced the cameras on a continual basis. He never flinched, not even after the jury came back with its guilty verdict and it seemed every TV truck in Florida descended on the Courthouse.
The St. Petersburg Times’ reporters and photographers were by Lunsford’s side at nearly all times during the trial. They ran several stories in their newspaper and Web site.
“Lunsford stayed on message,” the Times said.“Reporters tried to extract some emotional reaction to testimony and he returned time and again to his theme that law enforcement needs better tools to wage war against those who would prey on children.
“Once this trial is over and the cameras are turned off, Lunsford has said repeatedly, the country cannot forget that there is much more work to be done.”
Lunsford is working on it. After the trial, he spoke at a 98Rock-sponsored event in St. Petersburg that taught children self-defense, and flew to Montana to advocate better legislative protection for children.

In April, Lunsford travels to Ohio, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and California with the same message: We must do a heck of a lot more to safeguard our children.

Lunsford remains on the frontlines of this war. And, with your help and support, he intends to win it.

Hi Sam, thank you!! I wanted to share this as well...came from the Jessica Lundsford site: Date: April 18th, 2007

Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation
April newsletter
Foundation president urges media, public
to keep fighting for children after Couey’s trial
Yes, the news reports you’ve been hearing are correct: Mark Lunsford, president of the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, is considering running for office.
Lunsford is thinking about campaigning as a Republican for the Florida House of Representative seat vacated this week by state Rep. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.
If he decides to do it, Lunsford will run in a special election this summer. The region in which he would seek votes includes his hometown of Homosassa.
Lunsford is also working on leading a Parents’ Coalition March on Washington. The group, which he’s helping to form, would advocate bolstering the federal Adam Walsh Act.
Lunsford and his parents, Archie and Ruth, spent much of March in Miami at John Couey’s trial.
As almost everyone around the country knows, the jury found Couey guilty on all four counts, including first-degree murder, and recommended the death penalty.
The prosecutors did an excellent job presenting the state’s case against Couey. Filling the courtroom with physical evidence such as Couey’s bloodstained mattress, they painted a vivid, gruesome picture in the jurors’ minds.
Assistant State Attorney Peter Magrino delivered a simple – and simply impossible to refute – closing statement, which shut the door on any doubts that Couey kidnapped, raped and buried alive Jessie.
In the end, the prosecutors didn’t need Couey’s confession, which Circuit Judge Ric Howard never let the jury hear.
Howard is now considering whether to heed the jury’s capital punishment recommendation. He is expected to issue his sentencing in May.
Meanwhile, the media has taken a bit of a timeout from one of its most covered national stories of the year. But that doesn’t mean reporters have stopped calling Mark Lunsford on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, for quotes and information.
Lunsford has become an expert at working with the media. He has appeared on every important TV and radio news and talk show, including “O’Reilly,”“Oprah,”“Larry King Live” and the networks’“Evening News” programs. He looks his famous hosts’ square in the eyes (sometimes across monitors) and speaks his mind in eloquent yet down-to-earth phrases.
During his weeks in Miami, Lunsford faced the cameras on a continual basis. He never flinched, not even after the jury came back with its guilty verdict and it seemed every TV truck in Florida descended on the Courthouse.
The St. Petersburg Times’ reporters and photographers were by Lunsford’s side at nearly all times during the trial. They ran several stories in their newspaper and Web site.
“Lunsford stayed on message,” the Times said.“Reporters tried to extract some emotional reaction to testimony and he returned time and again to his theme that law enforcement needs better tools to wage war against those who would prey on children.
“Once this trial is over and the cameras are turned off, Lunsford has said repeatedly, the country cannot forget that there is much more work to be done.”
Lunsford is working on it. After the trial, he spoke at a 98Rock-sponsored event in St. Petersburg that taught children self-defense, and flew to Montana to advocate better legislative protection for children.

In April, Lunsford travels to Ohio, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and California with the same message: We must do a heck of a lot more to safeguard our children.

Lunsford remains on the frontlines of this war. And, with your help and support, he intends to win it.

Thanks Sam, this is great. I found this on the Jessica Lunsford site & wanted to share
Date: April 18th, 2007

Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation
April newsletter
Foundation president urges media, public
to keep fighting for children after Couey’s trial
Yes, the news reports you’ve been hearing are correct: Mark Lunsford, president of the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, is considering running for office.
Lunsford is thinking about campaigning as a Republican for the Florida House of Representative seat vacated this week by state Rep. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.
If he decides to do it, Lunsford will run in a special election this summer. The region in which he would seek votes includes his hometown of Homosassa.
Lunsford is also working on leading a Parents’ Coalition March on Washington. The group, which he’s helping to form, would advocate bolstering the federal Adam Walsh Act.
Lunsford and his parents, Archie and Ruth, spent much of March in Miami at John Couey’s trial.
As almost everyone around the country knows, the jury found Couey guilty on all four counts, including first-degree murder, and recommended the death penalty.
The prosecutors did an excellent job presenting the state’s case against Couey. Filling the courtroom with physical evidence such as Couey’s bloodstained mattress, they painted a vivid, gruesome picture in the jurors’ minds.
Assistant State Attorney Peter Magrino delivered a simple – and simply impossible to refute – closing statement, which shut the door on any doubts that Couey kidnapped, raped and buried alive Jessie.
In the end, the prosecutors didn’t need Couey’s confession, which Circuit Judge Ric Howard never let the jury hear.
Howard is now considering whether to heed the jury’s capital punishment recommendation. He is expected to issue his sentencing in May.
Meanwhile, the media has taken a bit of a timeout from one of its most covered national stories of the year. But that doesn’t mean reporters have stopped calling Mark Lunsford on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, for quotes and information.
Lunsford has become an expert at working with the media. He has appeared on every important TV and radio news and talk show, including “O’Reilly,”“Oprah,”“Larry King Live” and the networks’“Evening News” programs. He looks his famous hosts’ square in the eyes (sometimes across monitors) and speaks his mind in eloquent yet down-to-earth phrases.
During his weeks in Miami, Lunsford faced the cameras on a continual basis. He never flinched, not even after the jury came back with its guilty verdict and it seemed every TV truck in Florida descended on the Courthouse.
The St. Petersburg Times’ reporters and photographers were by Lunsford’s side at nearly all times during the trial. They ran several stories in their newspaper and Web site.
“Lunsford stayed on message,” the Times said.“Reporters tried to extract some emotional reaction to testimony and he returned time and again to his theme that law enforcement needs better tools to wage war against those who would prey on children.
“Once this trial is over and the cameras are turned off, Lunsford has said repeatedly, the country cannot forget that there is much more work to be done.”
Lunsford is working on it. After the trial, he spoke at a 98Rock-sponsored event in St. Petersburg that taught children self-defense, and flew to Montana to advocate better legislative protection for children.

In April, Lunsford travels to Ohio, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and California with the same message: We must do a heck of a lot more to safeguard our children.

Lunsford remains on the frontlines of this war. And, with your help and support, he intends to win it.

I keep posting stuff, and it keeps getting deleted....

Ok, I'm not sure what's going on all I want to do is share what I found from Jessica Lunsford's site: Date: April 18th, 2007
Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation
April newsletter
Foundation president urges media, public
to keep fighting for children after Couey’s trial
Yes, the news reports you’ve been hearing are correct: Mark Lunsford, president of the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, is considering running for office.
Lunsford is thinking about campaigning as a Republican for the Florida House of Representative seat vacated this week by state Rep. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.
If he decides to do it, Lunsford will run in a special election this summer. The region in which he would seek votes includes his hometown of Homosassa.
Lunsford is also working on leading a Parents’ Coalition March on Washington. The group, which he’s helping to form, would advocate bolstering the federal Adam Walsh Act.
Lunsford and his parents, Archie and Ruth, spent much of March in Miami at John Couey’s trial.
As almost everyone around the country knows, the jury found Couey guilty on all four counts, including first-degree murder, and recommended the death penalty.
The prosecutors did an excellent job presenting the state’s case against Couey. Filling the courtroom with physical evidence such as Couey’s bloodstained mattress, they painted a vivid, gruesome picture in the jurors’ minds.
Assistant State Attorney Peter Magrino delivered a simple – and simply impossible to refute – closing statement, which shut the door on any doubts that Couey kidnapped, raped and buried alive Jessie.
In the end, the prosecutors didn’t need Couey’s confession, which Circuit Judge Ric Howard never let the jury hear.
Howard is now considering whether to heed the jury’s capital punishment recommendation. He is expected to issue his sentencing in May.
Meanwhile, the media has taken a bit of a timeout from one of its most covered national stories of the year. But that doesn’t mean reporters have stopped calling Mark Lunsford on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, for quotes and information.
Lunsford has become an expert at working with the media. He has appeared on every important TV and radio news and talk show, including “O’Reilly,”“Oprah,”“Larry King Live” and the networks’“Evening News” programs. He looks his famous hosts’ square in the eyes (sometimes across monitors) and speaks his mind in eloquent yet down-to-earth phrases.
During his weeks in Miami, Lunsford faced the cameras on a continual basis. He never flinched, not even after the jury came back with its guilty verdict and it seemed every TV truck in Florida descended on the Courthouse.
The St. Petersburg Times’ reporters and photographers were by Lunsford’s side at nearly all times during the trial. They ran several stories in their newspaper and Web site.
“Lunsford stayed on message,” the Times said.“Reporters tried to extract some emotional reaction to testimony and he returned time and again to his theme that law enforcement needs better tools to wage war against those who would prey on children.
“Once this trial is over and the cameras are turned off, Lunsford has said repeatedly, the country cannot forget that there is much more work to be done.”
Lunsford is working on it. After the trial, he spoke at a 98Rock-sponsored event in St. Petersburg that taught children self-defense, and flew to Montana to advocate better legislative protection for children.
In April, Lunsford travels to Ohio, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and California with the same message: We must do a heck of a lot more to safeguard our children.
Lunsford remains on the frontlines of this war. And, with your help and support, he intends to win it.

ok, I give up...its late and I'm going to bed :) now they all show up

Great Idea,samantha

Thanks Ladies! This is great, now I only have to come to one forum to get the latest. Just wanted you all to know I am still here and I am still paying attention. Willing to help out in anyway that I can. I have been talking to some of my neighbors about what can be done in our community to help with the cause and have had a lot of great ideas. Forgive me if I am not as knowledgable as the rest of you on the law and what the legit way of doing things are, until this Christopher story came out, while I always said a little prayer I never really put my whole heart into any thing like this before. I would love to now. I am a single mother of two children, and I do well in keeping my children safe, but everytime I hear of someone else's kids being taken and hurt, murdered....I try to imagine how it would feel if it were one of mine, and it hurts just to think of it. Sam, Deb, Lisa....all of you please keep up the good work, know that you do have fans on here that are keeping up with you and all the updated information you have to share. God bless you all, and holler at me if I can do ANYTHING to help with this.

Sure....I was working with Autumn from Springintosafety.org and she gave me some great information about having an Escape School Presentation in my community. It's offered by Dignity Memorial Services, go to www.escapeschool.com to get more information. It's a great way to help protect the children of your community...giving them information and practice to fight back and keep safe. Also, visit springintosafety.org for ideas from them. My wish is to never have another child go thru what Christopher Barrios or Jessica Lunsford suffered.

Also...another great site to visit is..http://www.stopchildpredat ors.org/ You can find information about your state's legislation on child predator laws and more ways to help get those laws changed.

Point me in the right direction. I am in the clerical field, and if my skills can be utilized I will be happy to help. Just count me in as at least one representative from the Savannah area. I love being a part of something GREAT!

Hi Samantha, Hey ck your email-I sent ya a little something as I Was so sorry to hear you were sick. I hope you are feeling better. I admire the fact that even though you were had the "ick bug" you still pressed foward-Now thats true DEDICATION! I love your spirit, you are such an inspiration! I also think this seperate thread is a great idea. Maybe now we can all be a little more focused on whats going on and working together. I just want you to know I am behind you all the way. Whatever you need me to do I am here. I am going to try to give you a call this weekend and update you on a few things. I really want to keep focused here and I think this is an excellent way to do it. Let me know if you need anything. I'm slowly getting back on track here-but its been a long emotional week. Your posts along with Lisa Gray and Straight from Savannah are whats kept me going this week. Hooray for all of you!You all are always there and so passionate. I know this sounds crazy-but I would be lost without you gals. I will be getting in touch with you all soon. Even with all thats been going on here this week, I found SO MUCH comfort from you ladies. Just reading your posts keeps me going. Sam, Lisa, Dana- Keep up the good work. I admire you all! THANK YOU LADIES!
Debbie

I found some really good information on Oprah's site:

first, here's a link to the o group I started - not much there right nnow but. try this: http://boards.oprah.com/WebX/.f157fea

Also from the oprah site I found this: it's from Bill O'Reilly from an interview of inside the abducted childs mind: Bill takes a moment to respond to Senator Sears's statement. "I say Mr. Sears is seriously misguided. The legislature in Vermont voted down Jessica's Law. Forty-one states now have a variation of that law. Vermont refuses to pass it," Bill says. "They say they have tough laws against sexual offenders. That's true. Every state does. But they're not mandatory. That means the judge has discretion just like these two judges.… They can bust it down."

Bill feels this country hasn't confronted the issue of child sexual assault head-on because "nobody wants to think about it. It's too grisly."

There are two ways to fight this, Bill says. The first is by law. "Anybody doing this kind of stuff, it's life in prison. Period. That's it," he says.

The second is for parents to educate their children at home. "Every father has got to convince their child that they are their champion. That they are their personal defender. No matter what happens to the child, no matter what situation it is, that father will rescue the child, will make the child safe," Bill says. "And the child has to be conditioned to fight as hard as a child can fight when any adult approaches in any situation. It has to be brought home in every living room."
You can start protecting your children today by simply writing a letter urging your congressman and governor to fully fund something called the Adam Walsh Act, named for the slain son of America's Most Wanted host John Walsh. "There is nothing that's a higher priority for America's moms and dads," Ernie says. "This is homeland security."

The legislation, just passed in Congress, makes it a federal felony when a convicted sex offender fails to register. It also creates a national website and database of these offenders, and charges marshals with tracking offenders. The Adam Walsh Act also makes it mandatory for each state to have consistent and uniform laws.
"This is the year to take a stand for your children. For your sister's children. For your neighbor's children, who are all our children," Oprah says.

This is the year to take a stand for our children and make your voice heard! Send a letter to your senators and governor, and tell them you want the laws for convicted child molesters changed now!

The letter is written, all you have to do is print and send. Don't have access to a printer? E-mail them instead!
follow this link:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200702/to ...
takes you to Oprah's site, you can download a letter to write your Representatives, Congress and gives you a sample letter to use