Cancer, drugs and sex crimes

Cancer, drugs and sex crimes

That’s My Opinion

By Bob Robinson

“You’re hot.”

I heard that twice… the scary part was that one of those comments was from a guy.

“You looked cute Saturday morning...”

That was from someone who should have known better. He was in my face, as he had been several times in the past. I had to ask him what it was that made my mug so appealing. That was his answer.

A buddy of mine who had given me a ride earlier that morning relegated me to the bed of his pickup… “you ain’t getting in the cab with me looking like that,” he said.

Later he called me a “pervert” and grinned. I told him thanks. And grinned.

One of my friends now has a new name for me… Roberta.

However, the highlight came as the 12 of us were being introduced in front of the city building…

“And here’s Bob Robinson, candidate for Darke County Commissioner…”

“Uh… not any more! I turned that over to Mike!”

It was all in good fun, but also for an important cause. Breast Cancer Awareness. I was promised the money would stay in Darke County to help survivors, as well as those currently dealing with that devastating disease.

I’ve also been a Blackjack Dealer the last couple of years for the Darke County Cancer Association’s Monte Carlo Night at the VFW.

The first time I was asked, I said, “you know I’m a lifelong smoker, don’t you?”

I thought it was rather ironic, but she didn’t care.

So I started “dealing” for them. I’ve never won at Blackjack in my life, but as a dealer I couldn’t seem to lose. I had to bribe the players with a bonus if they could beat me three times in a row before I could get anyone to come back to my table.

On a more serious note, there seems to be no solution on the horizon in the John Graham-C4C controversy.

I had an unexpected opportunity to talk with Mike Burns, a Sergeant with the Darke County Sheriff’s Department. I had invited him to Greenville Kiwanis to talk about the DARE program that had to be dropped when limited resources were shifted elsewhere in the county budget.

When he mentioned he was now investigating sex crimes, my ears perked up and I started asking questions. Both stories are on my blog, http://opinionsbybob.blogspot.com.

I’ve written more than once that Graham and the C4C group need to sit down and talk. I was delighted that Sgt. Burns said pretty much the same thing, only with more authority.

“There’s a right way to make it fit,” he said about Graham’s program. “But that won’t happen without the community behind you.”

Instead, it only seems the two are growing further apart. Is it simple stubbornness? This is far too important an issue to let disagreements get in the way of solutions.

When Graham spoke at the Darke County Republican Men’s Club, he “outed” me again. I brought a Tier 3 sex offender into my home because it was zero degrees outside and she had nowhere to sleep that night. I didn’t realize at the time that she was a felon, much less what her crime was. I only knew she was a kid who needed a place to sleep.

Graham told the group that he warned me about her. Which he did. He said he told me I was taking a big risk. Which he did. But I tried to help her, anyway.

His point? I made a decision on an individual basis. A “human being” as opposed to a “criminal.”

Then he said that is what he does.

You can believe him or not. That is your choice. Graham has also told me that the vast majority of sex crimes occurred “within the family,” not with strangers on the prowl. Burns said the same thing.

I still believe that having a large group of sex offenders in a small geographical area increases risk exponentially; I still believe that bringing felons in from the outside is not the best solution… and I still believe the two entities should talk!

I understand Graham was extended an invitation by C4C to its Town Hall meeting, which he declined. Maybe due to the circumstances, I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him. But if an invitation was extended, then the group opened the door! He needs to suggest an alternate door they can both walk through.

One final thought.

I asked Sgt. Burns to discuss the DARE program because the drug problem is an epidemic in Darke County. The only thing happening today is “reactive.” Arrests after the fact. We need to bring back “proactive.” Teaching kids to value themselves and stay away from the pitfalls that will destroy their lives.

Cancer, drugs and sex crimes.

They are the banes of our society, especially here in Darke County. We need to – must – deal with them before they destroy us.

That’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive a daily notification of his comments, opinions and reports, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.