That's because a parent's protective instinct is strong. It transcends age, race, class and gender. And when something terrible happens to somebody else's kid, the rest of us can readily relate. One parent's living nightmare is another parent's greatest fear.
Which explains the compelling interest and concern over the case of 56-year-old Robert Maurice Fox of Moiliili. He is the convicted child molester who, after moving to Hawaii from Nevada five years ago, was recently arrested for parole violation and suspicion of sexually assaulting minors.
Just reading the allegations can make any mom or dad grimace. Court documents say Fox allegedly fondled a 9-year-old girl and showed her pictures on the Internet of a naked man masturbating, took a bunch of neighborhood keiki to the beach and then to his apartment to watch them shower, and fondled the genitals of a 4-year-old girl whom he was babysitting.
Nothing, of course, has yet been proven. But citizens are already clamoring for state compliance with a new federal law requiring community notification of convicted sex offenders. The theory goes that if local parents had known about Fox's sexual assault of an 8-year-old Las Vegas girl, they would not have allowed their kids to associate with him.
That is true. Lots of people would like to see that list of all 425 registered sex offenders currently residing in Hawaii. Parents want to be armed with all of the data that could absolutely, positively keep their offspring away from all of the shady characters in this state.
Unfortunately, that is not possible because:
About 25 percent of convicted sex offenders disappear, change their names or do not register at all.
Fear of public identification and subsequent harassment causes offenders to break off contact with their parole officers, therapists and the police, which may lead them to recommit their crime.
The vast majority of molesters are never confronted, arrested, tried or imprisoned, and are usually relatives, family friends or acquaintances of the victims, which makes prosecution that much more difficult.
There are too many sick individuals out there, molesters whom the authorities don't even know about yet, who need treatment and/or incarceration for preying on the young. So it's up to the parents of Hawaii to take matters into their own hands.
Drop in unannounced on babysitters. Try to avoid situations where only one adult supervises several children. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and intuition. And listen, really listen, to what kids are communicating.
It is very sad that a civilized society, when it comes to raising its young, must become so defensive in its outlook. But a community that closes its eyes to such a responsibility is - on the other hand - downright offensive.