Editor’s note: This letter is signed by Alaska Native women from all over the state who believe Alaska Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney’s ruling to weaken Alaska’s sexual predator registry puts children and families at risk. Alaskans have the opportunity to vote Justice Carney off the high court on Nov. 3.

Who is looking out for the rights of our children?
We are writing to encourage you to vote no on Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney. She’s on the ballot for all Alaskans to vote on.

Carney and some of her colleagues believe it’s up to them and the courts to decide if a pedophile will be taken off the sex offender registry site. We disagree with that. This is a site we need. We all have dealt with kids who have been molested. Most of the time, sexual abuse will often lead to mental and physical issues, often ending in suicide. It causes childhood trauma that will haunt and break an innocent child for life. 

We are the voice for the children who have none! Most of the time, when sex offenders are released back into public, they pick up where they left off. It’s a revolving door. 

Our children deserve better. Now, more than ever, they are being preyed on, younger and younger. It has become a multi-million-dollar operation of child sex trafficking and child pornography. This is growing at an alarming rate.

Maybe when we remove her from the court people will get the idea we mean business.

How can we allow the judges and courts to make the decision to take sex offenders off the registry when they don’t live in our world? They see and hear only what is put in front of them by the predator and then let them secretly go back into our villages and communities. They don’t live it. Of course, the offenders will look like they’ve done what is needed and have changed and will be law abiding citizens. But we know first-hand that pedophiles will continue the abuse. They just become sneakier and find other ways to get to the children. They build up trust and people often forget. 

The sex registry site is a tool that can warn and protect our children, families and communities. What we should do is pass a law so that the sex offender registry is on the door of every school and post office to make sure the public is aware of pedophiles instead of tucked away and only used when your world has been shattered and you need it. 

We, as parents and responsible citizens, should be educating the public about this sex registry site. Our children need us. What about their rights? We should be doing everything within our power to protect our babies. We should be telling all the kids, no matter what, we will do anything to protect you!

Molesting is an epidemic in our state. Predators are lurking and preying on our babies. From schools, neighbors, camps, family, friends, churches and unfortunately within our own  homes.

Now, more than ever, our children need us to do the right thing and protect them. They are our priority – they are our future. We will do everything we can to stand up and be a voice for the children who have none. Today, that voice says…THIS IS NOT RIGHT! 

We cannot be silent when our children’s safety is at stake. We urge you to vote “no” on Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney. Maybe when we remove her from the court people will get the idea we mean business. Please help us to keep our villages, homes and children safe.

Signers:

• Cynthia Erickson

• Kelly Hoffman

• Keeley Goward

• Carol Kaveolook

• Tia Peter

• Kailey Jo Erickson

• Sabrenia Jervsjo

• Mary Ann Flink

• Ginger DeLima

• Martha Wright

• Dian Gurtler

• Deanna Houlton

• Monique Duncan

• Eleanor R. Wholecheese

• Kelly Nash

• Margaret Stone

• Patty Monaghan Gentry

• Kobi Purdy

• Charmaine Vent Pattison

• Nina Brown Batey

• Ruby Cruger

• Ryan Jervsjo

• Catherine Thurmond

• Leda Cruger

• Karen Watson

• Jaci Javiden

• Patricia Silva