Marc wrote:
I'd like to hear somone that has had a friend, relative or, god forbid, child of their own go through something like abuse from a so-called 'eldfer' talk in this manner. The 18 year old? Dunno, prostitution is another subject entirely. 12 year olds that are press-ganged into this sort of shit? Anyone that takes advantage of that hasn't got a decent bone in their body, is of no use to this world, and as such shouldn't be residing here.
I think he should be offered a choice between slow death, or prison with one mandatory ass-raping per week. See how he feels about the whole situation then. They could pay him after the event of course.
Hmmm...I mean, I don't know if any of you read world news, but 12 year old prostitution is common place in MANY countries. I guess the issues in my mind are broader than this. That a 12 year old is allowed to prostitute herself as the only way of providing for her family which is all suffering from AIDS (this is now becoming the norm in many African nations) is obviously beyond terms such as 'legality', but if Gary Glitter traveled to said country to enjoy said unfortunate situation instead of the local clientel, then clearly a crime has been committed. I'm playing devil's advocate, but I also think some of you are being nearly crusade-like in wanting to kill a person that perhaps we'd be better locking up under the pretense of a mental illness.
That said, perhaps my issues with this are because while the RAPE and ABUSE of children is clearly despisable, I think those who are sharpening their knives over a convicted pervert should direct their attention toward the equally harmful (if not more harmful) act of child neglect committed by thoustands of American parents every day which is perfectly legal. The damage done to the psyche of children who are not emotionally nourished and prorperly reared & disciplined is not just the findings of psychological studies, but further supported by neurological evidence--and I would not be surprised if the long term results were far more damaging than those of childhood rape; certainly they would at least be equal.
I think it is very easy to become overwhelmed with emotions when we talk about rape of a child because it is intrusive and violent, where because the act of child negligence is not a sensational one, we do not call for the heads of parents who in all reality leave their children emotionally retarded, and stunted in developmental growth (if someone needs it, I think I can give a citation from the journal of Science that printed the study I have in mind.)
If I could well up the amount of hate you've managed for the physical abuse of children, I'd be calling for the death (or imprisonment) of thousands of parents in the USA alone. I suppose we might argue however that one can not be a criminal unless they know they are doing wrong, and since many 'abusive' parents do so unknowingly, often in part because they are themselves still minors, unwed and overworked, or themselves neglected as children, they themselves seem victims.
Gary Glitter clearly suffers from a psychological illness and should be removed from the public at large for his own safety and others; but if we must be heartless to not want his head on a stake, then I think we've all missed the larger picture of child abuse, and bought only into that which has been sensationalized.
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No good guys at all here.