child molesters

mjw_byrne

Wallowing in righteous anger is oh-so-satisfying, but it achieves absolutely nothing. The fact that society condones your lynch-mob style "hunt them down and kill them" attitude doesn't make it any less backward.

lumpy

Society condones that attitude because it understands the gravity of the offense. The scars from abuse last a lifetime and have far reaching consequences. The abhorrence is justified because children can't protect themselves. Any person who inflicts such trauma ruins lives. When you're 6 years old, you don't have the ability to cope and usually blame yourself for what happened - not the molester.

You may not like the "hunt them down and kill them attitude" but it's hardwired in humans to protect their children. It may be backward, but it's the way it is. Have kids and you'll see.

mjw_byrne

Society also by and large condoned the stupid illegal war of profit on Iraq. What society does and does not condone has bugger all to do with what is right and wrong.

All this is true of a victim of a drunk driver - they can easily be scarred for lifetime (or maimed, paralysed or killed of course), no-one can protect themselves against a 4x4 doing 60mph and again, anyone who inflicts such trauma ruins lives.

Yes, and the "I must have sex with her right now" attitude is hardwired into most guys, by the same evolutionary process that makes us want to protect our kids - but guess what, giving in to the urge and raping someone is a BAD thing. Civilised people restrain their animal instincts, and this applies equally to sex and to violence.

lumpy

Who said we are civilized? Where in this world of ours do you find civilized people?



I understand you find it bizarre. It has to do with the innocence of a child.

Regardless, they are loathed much more by society. Perhaps the question you should ask yourself is why you aren't horrified by them like the rest of society?

And I'm curious why you seem to downplay child molestation? In most peoples minds, child molestation is not in the same league as murderers, rapists and drunk drivers - it's much worse. What makes you different?

adapa

mjw-byrne,
With due respect, you're arguing this from a logical perspective & this is an emotional reaction parents are having. Unfortunately, a person without a child can not understand the protectiveness all parents feel towards children.

My husband had kids from previous relationship & couldn't watch TV shows involving kids being hurt, medical shows for example. I didn't understand his depth of feelings until I had our son.

The only way I can describe the parent/child bond is by saying it's a complete, unconditional love for a creature (child) who has blind faith in you. My son's 5 & perhaps that'll change but for now it stands.

I'll close by repeating something I heard, "A child never knows how much their parent's love them until he/she has had a child themselves."

mjw_byrne

Well I can't speak for anyone else but I'm a civilised person.

I am horrified by them (never said I wasn't) but I don't have an urge to lynch them or run media campaigns encouraging others to do so.

I just think that child molesting doesn't justify the huge amount of media attention and public outrage that it gets. It's unquestionably a bad thing but let's put it this way, I would be more worried about an arsonist living in my road than a paedophile. Yes, even if I had kids - because my kids being molested is one thing but my kids and wife and myself being incinerated in our own house is worse. A molested child at least has a chance of recovering and having a happy life - the same can't be said of a murder victim or someone who's been paralysed by a drunk driver. So why are people SO much more scared and angered by paedophiles than by more "conventional" criminals?

mjw_byrne

Yes, but a drunk driver or arsonist can do just as much harm (in fact possibly much more) to someone's kids as a paedophile can. The parent-child bond is a common factor here, it's not like drunk drivers or arsonists can't hurt children. So why are people so so terrified of paedophiles living in their street, but comparatively nonchalant about all the other ex-offenders out there?

adapa

Because the pedophiles are intentionally going after children. Drunk drivers are not trying to run into kids nor are arsonist trying to burn kids.

mjw_byrne

So you're saying kids are at overall more risk from paedophiles than from drunk drivers or arsonists because they are specifically targeted? Sounds reasonable in explaining why people are so much more nervous of them. I still reckon all three classes of criminal are as bad as each other though. They all wreck lives, they're all cowards and they are all perfectly well aware of how much damage they can do.

adapa

Check out the recidivism rate for all three crimes. I think you'll find the child molester is way more likely to commit another crime.
"Nervous" doesn't even begin to describe the near panic I would feel if there was a child molester living down the block. I could never feel comfortable if my son was out of sight knowing there was someone who was most likely targeting him living so close.
In the case of a DDriver living down the block I'd tell my son not to play in the front yard and not to ride his bike in the neighborhood. But that wouldn't work with the pedophile because he'd sneak around to the back yard.

stevebaby

Speaking from my professional experience,the vast majority of child molestation is instigated by relatives of the child (stepfathers uncles fathers and brothers). The offences usually occur in the child's home.
I'm always a bit wary of people who protest too loudly about this issue. Some of them turn out to be paedophiles themselves trying to deflect attention away from their own predilictions ( whether they act them out or not). A local politician recently publicly called for the death penalty for child offences and received publicity which led to some rather nasty skeletons being unearthed. He is now serving a sentence,and rightly so.
As the Bard would have it,"Methinks he doth protest too much...."
I agree its a nasty offence,but a lot of damage is done by the adults involved by their response to what is already a bad situation. It must be remembered that their is a wide range of degrees of severity,depending on such things as the relative ages,other physical abuse,coercion etc.,and every case is different.

stevebaby

Speaking from my professional experience,the vast majority of child molestation is instigated by relatives of the child (stepfathers uncles fathers and brothers). The offences usually occur in the child's home.
I'm always a bit wary of people who protest too loudly about this issue. Some of them turn out to be paedophiles themselves trying to deflect attention away from their own predilictions ( whether they act them out or not). A local politician recently publicly called for the death penalty for child offences and received publicity which led to some rather nasty skeletons being unearthed. He is now serving a sentence,and rightly so.
As the Bard would have it,"Methinks he doth protest too much...."
I agree its a nasty offence,but a lot of damage is done by the adults involved by their response to what is already a bad situation. It must be remembered that there is a wide range of degrees of severity,depending on such things as the relative ages,other physical abuse,coercion etc.,and every case is different.

MountainPro

no disrespect to you, but if a paedo came within an foot of my children he would know about it. I dont give a fuck if it is backwards.

Lynch-mobs have thier usefulness. When the police, social work and justice system fail in these cases, as the regularly do, its time to get the baseball bats.

You have to look after No1 in this life, no one else will do it.

__________________
HARD
.

MountainPro

Perhaps we should all just shut up and never discuss it? That will help the children?

Its always better to bring these things into the open instead of sheltering them.

__________________
HARD
.