SACRAMENTO —California has had its recent share of stalking cases, child molesting cases and kidnappings of children. Although California has better anti-stalking laws than any other state in the nation, due to its huge population it also seems to have the most pedophiles and obviously because of Hollywood and the entertainment industry, we have our share of stalkers who will do anything to be near the object of their obsessions or garner their 15 minutes of fame.

This week another such case in San Diego was propelled into national news. A beautiful teenager named Chelsea King was last seen jogging in a park in the region. Chelsea’s belongings, including her cell phone, were inside her BMW. Other personal items were found on a running trail in the woods. Although a registered sex-offender has been arrested, the young woman’s father Brent King and many others continued searching for the missing girl. On Tuesday, her body was found and further information was released about the suspect, who had been in prison earlier for molesting a young girl.

Each week we are faced with one major story after another about children and women being kidnapped, raped or murdered. Jaycee Duggard was kidnapped at the age of 11 by a man who was early paroled for brutally raping and kidnapping a woman. He was originally sentenced to 50 years but was released in eight years, without anyone in the system even notifying the victim of his previous crime. Duggard was repeatedly raped giving birth to her first child at the age of 13 and the second at the age of 15. Her tormentor has filed papers through his California public defense attorney to find out where Duggard and her two teen daughters are now living. What kind of attorney would file such paperwork on behalf of a man who is at the very least mentally ill and could be called evil by most human standards of civilized behavior?

Doris Day starred in a 1956 film called “Julie.” In the film, Day’s character became the victim of a stalker, who even committed murder to be near her. The film though chilling in 1956 is even more chilling today when you realize that our laws have barely changed since then and victims of stalkers still have to deal with the authorities who say it’s your word against another’s. That is what these predators depend on. Laws that protect them over the rights and safety of the object of their obsession. Unfortunately films and real-life often have different outcomes and surely most stalking victims don’t feel as though they have the justice they deserve in the end. To live their lives without having someone try to interfere or harass you is everyone’s civil right in America.

Every week across the nation we hear of more children and young women being raped and/or murdered. Almost in every instance the perpatrator is a repeat offender and/or on the sex-offender registry in their locale. Californians need to speak up, as do all Americans. Contact your local legislative representative and demand that convicted pedophiles and other violent crime offenders be placed in prison and left there so that the children are safe in our nation.

California lawmakers may feel that it saves money to release pedophiles and other violent offenders, but the safety of its citizens is the government’s most important duty. How many more young children and young women have to be murdered before we stand up as a state and as a nation and demand justice and security? Contact every elected official you can and make a difference.

Pray for our wonderful troops who are in Afghanistan and Iraq fighting for freedom and security. Also, remember their families here at home who need our help and support while their loved ones are so far from home.