Why Don’t You Have A Seat Over There?
Afishionados,
I’ve seen Dateline MSNBC’s To Catch a Predator many times, and I can’t help but notice that most of the predators caught share one common theme: they’re all very religious (or at least claim to be). Church volunteers, Jesus Freaks… you name it, they’ve probably been caught. I wonder if it’s just the way that MSNBC edits the show (cut out some of the predators that aren’t religious?) or is it really this common?
(For the record, I am not saying that all religious people are inherently predators. There ARE good religious people out there. Just not on MSNBC’s To Catch a Predator :-D).
Also, why are these underage teens always presumed to be 100% innocent? I’m certainly not siding with the predators, but at even at 13, 14, 15 years of age, etc., I find it difficult to believe that these teens don’t have any concept that chatting with people online and asking them over for sex is “bad” or “wrong”. And this opens up a whole other can of worms, too. Is it bad parenting? IS the teen, in fact, that innocent just because they’re underage? I’m a believer in the notion that the Internet is NOT a babysitter, and you shouldn’t let your children online without supervision.
Anyone else have opinions or thoughts on this?
July 28th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Yeah.
Id like t see evry one o them teenage girls bent ovr th knee & givn a dangd good hiding.
…
… Ummm … Hang on …
…
… I think Mr Hansens at my doorski.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:27 am
This is nothing more than exploitation for the sake of ratings. However, public shame and humiliation might be a good horniness deterrent for other would-be child predators.
The girls are morally culpable for their sluttiness but not legally so. These guys know perfectly well that the law is against them and I’m sure some of these teenage whores live for the thrill of bringing down a man.
July 31st, 2007 at 11:29 am
What Elasticwaistbandlady said.
I try to remember - pretty much the only reason TV networks try for anything resembling good (or at least popular) programming is so viewers will watch the commercials. Nothing inherently wrong with that; it’s the nature of the business I guess.
As for innocence vs. bad parenting vs. ??? - I’m pretty sure the root problem is Pokemon.
July 31st, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I’m on the bus with elasticwaistbandlady too.
Sure a 13 to 15 year old knows what they are doing is wrong but the over-18 year old knows what they are doing could get their ass in jail.
August 7th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Religious Perverts are much better TV than Trailer trash perverts. Take it from someone who used to work in the news business.
As for “do the kids know better?” the answer is with the parents. WHO lets their kids run free on the internet without supervision?
Not I.
I don’t even let the misses roam free on the net without me watching