There was a flyer in my door this weekend that informed us that we have a halfway house for convicted felons that moved very silently into our neighborhood recently. We were given a list of emails addresses and phone numbers so we would contact city officials and the business who leased the house.
I contacted the person who has started this business by email. He is no stranger to our community and I have butted heads with him before. This is religious-based organization trying to help convicted felons get back on their feet when they are released from prison. We worship the same God but that is about all he and I have ever agreed on. He complemented me on the tone of my email - I admit I was careful - and asked me to introduce myself to him at the EasierToAskForgivenessThanPermission meeting next Monday night.
It finally hit the front page of the local paper this morning. This is one of the smaller houses in the neighborhood - probably 1200 sf and there are 11 participants and 1 house monitor living there. Within 50 ft of the the front yard, there are 3 bus stops and the neighbor park which you could throw a walnut to from their front yard. With so many empty properties available, why they chose to pick a family one is beyond me. I agree that these folks deserve a second chance. It is not fair to the neighbors and it is not fair to the people who are trying to start a new life.
This world is a scary place and sometimes it seems we shoot ourselves in the foot and then ask why it hurts. It sounds like it may be personal for this man too. The paper said his son had been in prison on drug charges. I understand what he is trying to do but to the lady next door with kids who is terrified to let her kids go outside or to the park to play, who has the greater right ?
Interestingly enough, this issue came up last week in neighborhood close by where they had a community meeting for a pending halfway house and the pressure was so great that the man leading the charge backed off during the meeting. We are all going to have to come to some kind of agreement where both sides can feel safe, I don't' see this issue as going away any time soon.
I will be there Monday night - whether I introduce myself to Mr D or not is yet to be decided. The thing that really bother me is the sneakiness of the whole deal - if they thought this was a good thing, why not invite us all in for cookies and hot cider to see their program in action? I know why, you know why and they know why. Easier to ask forgiveness than permission is no way to do business, God's or anybody else's...
