To Catch A Predator Is Wrong

[Zebra1552]

You say "sleazy" as if humiliating pedophiles were a bad thing.

Some people are merciful to pedos. I'm not one of them.

I'm sorry, but humiliating ANYONE is a bad thing. You by your icon indicate that you are a Christian. Romans 12 tells us to live at peace with everyone if it depends on us. Christ said to love others as we love ourselves. Do unto others. Would you want to be humiliated for breaking the law on television in front of millions of people? Of course you wouldn't. It isn't loving, and it isn't respectful. I don't care what they did. You don't treat people like they're a pile of manure, no matter what their crimes. That goes for everyone. Dahmer, Hitler, Stalin, whatever. You remember that whole waterboarding incident?

 

[Jro]

I might be playing Devil's advocate here, as I'm not entirely committed to this position, but what if I were to argue that the purpose of To Catch a Predator isn't to entertain, but to serve as a warning to parents and children about the reality of sex predators, the fact that they're in our neighborhoods and these are their faces. Although some people might misuse the show as entertainment, it's actually performing a good in the society that outweighs the individual concerns of the pedophiles.

 

[Zebra1552]

I might be playing Devil's advocate here, as I'm not entirely committed to this position, but what if I were to argue that the purpose of To Catch a Predator isn't to entertain, but to serve as a warning to parents and children about the reality of sex predators, the fact that they're in our neighborhoods and these are their faces. Although some people might misuse the show as entertainment, it's actually performing a good in the society that outweighs the individual concerns of the pedophiles.

Making people scared of anyone they don't know isn't a public service. It's idiotic.

 

[bricklayer]

Public humiliation is a tried and true public sanction.

I think that more public humiliation should be employed, especially in cases of such a nature.

 

[Macx]

Making people scared of anyone they don't know isn't a public service. It's idiotic.

Not acknowledging the truth that some people are predators isn't wisdom.

In this case, the predators sign on to be caught . . . they put themselves in that position, same as someone who goes running through a shopping mall nude has no right to expect pictures of it won't end up all over the .net . . . if you let it all hang out. . . it is all hung out.

 

[A Is A]

Pardon me if my heart doesn't go out to sick bastards who want to molest kids.

 

[Gishin]

Oh yes you can. That's not defense to statutory rape. Not in the US.

It really should be. I'll have to search for the story but there was a 14 or 15 year old who was very well developed who would go out to bars with a fake ID and pick up men. She would lie about her age the entire time until her parents found out, and they would call the police and the man becomes a registered sex offender and social pariah.

The girl repeated this 2 more times.

 

[Jro]

Making people scared of anyone they don't know isn't a public service. It's idiotic.

It's a very real danger that parents should be aware of. There are scary people out there who know how to manipulate children. The internet is one very easy way for them to get access to children. That's something parents should be made aware of.

Pardon me if my heart doesn't go out to sick bastards who want to molest kids.

They're still people, many of whom were abused themselves. Not saying that it excuses it, just that many of them are very damaged individuals.

 

[A Is A]

They still chose to go out and molest kids. They chose to. And this is the result.

 

[Jro]

They still chose to go out and molest kids. They chose to. And this is the result.

How much do you excuse for mental illness like PTSD? I think they're sad, sick and disgusting individuals, but I have trouble really hating them.

Let me put it this way; do I think they should go to jail for life? Sure. Do I think they deserve a death sentence? I couldn't pull the switch.

 

[A Is A]

They still made a choice. I'm sure there are countless pedophiles who contain their urges and are productive members of society.

 

[Zebra1552]

Not acknowledging the truth that some people are predators isn't wisdom.

Nor is scaring people into distrusting everyone wisdom. I'm a guy, and I work with kids. Do you have any idea how hard it is to work with kids as a guy because of the jerks out there that take advantage? Add that to people who see a boogeyman under every rock and it's a full-fledged battle. There are better ways to guard against real threats.

In this case, the predators sign on to be caught . . . they put themselves in that position, same as someone who goes running through a shopping mall nude has no right to expect pictures of it won't end up all over the .net . . . if you let it all hang out. . . it is all hung out.

No, they don't. They don't consent to being humiliated in front of millions. Nor would they. Nor should they.

It's a very real danger that parents should be aware of. There are scary people out there who know how to manipulate children. The internet is one very easy way for them to get access to children. That's something parents should be made aware of.

They can be made aware in ways that don't demonize other people and in ways that don't promote a basic distrust in other people.

They're still people, many of whom were abused themselves. Not saying that it excuses it, just that many of them are very damaged individuals.

Then they deserve our mercy and understanding, not our rage and degradation.

Public humiliation is a tried and true public sanction.

I think that more public humiliation should be employed, especially in cases of such a nature.

Remember that the next time you get a ticket. Keep a camera in your car, record it, and put it on youtube for us to watch. Then we'll see if you'll be saying the same thing.

 

[Zebra1552]

They still made a choice. I'm sure there are countless pedophiles who contain their urges and are productive members of society.

There probably are. So why demonize it in such a way as to make people afraid of anyone who likes kids, sexually or not?

 

[Macx]

Then they deserve our mercy and understanding, not our rage and degradation.

Where is the mercy and understanding for the victims?

If TCAP makes one guy decide to stick to masturbating to kids clothing ads, if TCAP makes one parent get off their computer & check to see what their kid is doing on their . . . one less victim is enough justification. The threat of prison isn't enough, these guys don't think they are going to get caught. With TCAP out there, predators are aware that any kid on the internet could be TCAP & that HAS to give some of them pause.

I know it looks like I am saying the ends justify the means, but I just don't see the means as that bad.

 

[Gishin]

Found it! This is near where I grew up. And it was her myspace page, not an ID that gave the wrong age, and apparently they met on the street, not in a bar. The rest of the story is pretty straight though.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial]ORANGE COUNTy, Fla. -- A 13-year-old girl's sexual shenanigans have put a second man behind bars. Morris Williams, 22, told the judge he thought the girl was 18-years-old, but he found out Tuesday that ignorance is not a defense.
Morris Williams' mother wailed as he went off to jail. The judge asked for media not to show 13-year-old Alisha Dean's face in court, but her pictures are all over her MySpace page and they portray a sexy, 19-year-old divorced woman.
"She told me she had just turned 18," Williams said.
Williams said Dean picked him up on the street and after a few conversations they had sex. When he heard she was not 18, he went to her father.
"He was like 'well, she's 13,'" Williams said of a conversation with Dean's father.

Williams said he never did it again, but Dean has done it before with 24-year-old Darwin Mills. Mills was sentenced to five years in prison.
Dean's father wanted Williams to join Mills there.
"One of the reasons for the law is the fact that minors have poor judgment," said Jerry Dean, the girl's father.


Williams' father believes the jail sentence sends the wrong message to Alisha.
"I guess we just sit back and count how many after this," Henry Smith asked after his step-son was sentenced to jail.
Dean's family admits Alisha still stays out late and has yet to delete her misleading MySpace page.
Williams will serve six years probation with the first year in jail. The other five years he will have to wear an ankle monitor. His attorney says he will come back to court to ask again for a shorter sentence. [/FONT]

Man Sentenced To Prison After Girl's MySpace Page Lies About Age - News Story - WFTV Orlando

 

[Zebra1552]

Where is the mercy and understanding for the victims?

Is that a rhetorical question? Where isn't it?

If TCAP makes one guy decide to stick to masturbating to kids clothing ads, if TCAP makes one parent get off their computer & check to see what their kid is doing on their . . . one less victim is enough justification.

Even if it also causes trouble for all male teachers or childcare workers? I don't think so. You don't prevent trouble by simultaneously preventing assistance. Do you really think it's a coincidence that teaching is a female-dominated field and boys are outpaced by girls?

The threat of prison isn't enough, these guys don't think they are going to get caught.

No criminal thinks they're going to get caught or there wouldn't BE criminals.

With TCAP out there, predators are aware that any kid on the internet could be TCAP & that HAS to give some of them pause.

What, 5%? 10% You can't know that.

I know it looks like I am saying the ends justify the means, but I just don't see the means as that bad.

Then let's subject you to the same sort of treatment for lying to your parents. See if you like it. Do you think that's fair? Of course you don't. What makes their crime any worse than anyone else's? Why should they be given especially worse treatment? I daresay that under the right conditions you or anyone else you know could become the predator on that show. Just because they did something horrible doesn't give you or anyone else the right to treat them horribly.

 

[A Is A]

One case of abuse does not excuse nor discount the actions of these men.

 

[Zebra1552]

One case of abuse does not excuse nor discount the actions of these men.

Who has said that it does? Quote them.

 

[William_0]

I'm a little concerned by your responses, Jaws. I'm almost certain that a vast majority of Americans would agree that TCAP's actions are justified. That alone is enough to condone their actions. I think you're the one that needs to be re-evaluated, not TCAP.

 

[Zebra1552]

I'm a little concerned by your responses, Jaws. I'm almost certain that a vast majority of Americans would agree that TCAP's actions are justified. That alone is enough to condone their actions.

Appeal to popularity isn't enough to excuse anything. This is a moral issue, not a political one.

I think you're the one that needs to be re-evaluated, not TCAP.

Stick to the issue. The issue is whether TCAP is wrong in how they treat the criminals. I think it is, and I have stated my reasons. Care to address them?