NerblyBear wrote:

Dr. Venkman wrote:

NerblyBear wrote:As though this particular type of criminal were worse than other types of criminals.

How can you not see that it is much worse? Raping a kid is miles and miles worse than pretty much anything.

Well, maybe so.

I'm not trying to say anything other than, "Let's treat them like people who've screwed up." Not like monsters.

Anyone who chooses to stick their dick in a baby is a monster.

If someone commits a monstrous act I tend to think of them as a monster.

Why will nobody answer my question from earlier? What's the difference between the two things? Why is one ok and one not ok for the cops to act on?

Marsupialized wrote:Say every single day I go on craigslist and post an ad offering money for someone to kill someone for me.
Every day I post this ad, over and over.

One day a cop answers it pretending to be a hitman. I meet him and give him money. They arrest me.

Would you people feel I was wrongly arrested?

Explain to me the difference. Please, seriously.

You gave him the money, ie. "paid" him for the "hit". You fulfilled your end of a contract hit, thereby conspiring to commit murder.

In many cases, these people never did anything like that. All they have to do is discuss sex with somebody online who claims to be underage, then go somewhere to meet them, usually in a public place like a diner or something. They never engage in sex because there is no child in the first place. There was an adult, talking sex with them online in a way that children generally do not do. All they have to do is walk in the diner or drive into the parking lot and they get swarmed by cops with guns drawn and arrested. You can't tell me that's the same thing.

Remember back in the 1980s, when all those parents got arrested on child abuse charges on the sole evidence of their kids' (or somebody else's kids') testimony? Back then, it never occurred to anybody that the kids may have lied?

This whole nationwide obsession with 'Internet predation' appears to be created and fueled by media hype. "OMFG PERVERTS ARE FUCKING OUR CHILDREN!!!" I'm curious how many cases of this 'Internet predation child rape' actually occurred before all these sting operations. If the numbers prove that Internet predators are a significant threat to childrens' safety (outside a few very highly-publicized cases) then I'll agree that this highly dubious practice might be worthwhile.

Even if you just went to meet the hitman to discuss it but didn't exchange money you'd still get arrested just the same. Taking that step towards committing the crime makes it an attempt. Attempted murder is illegal just like attempted child fucking is illegal.

Marsupialized wrote:
If there were a specific stretch of highway that drunk drivers routinely and openly drove on, I am talking hanging out the window screaming 'I'm druuuuunk' and hurling beer bottles at other cars and this happened every fucking night in the same spot I would fucking assume the cops would catch on eventually.....

Cheers for this, made me laugh.

But you'd have to meet him and discuss it. You wouldn't have to discuss anything with the supposed child. All you'd have to do is be at the same diner at the arranged time.

Besides, I assume you'd agree that murder is a much more serious offense than propositioning a teenager for sex?

Colonel Panic wrote:But you'd have to meet him and discuss it. You wouldn't have to discuss anything with the supposed child. All you'd have to do is be at the same diner at the arranged time.

Besides, I assume you'd agree that murder is a much more serious offense than propositioning a teenager for sex?

I think, in order to get the police interested or to get a charge that'll stick, the people have to be specific with what their intentions are prior to trying to meet them.

The Code is Almighty wrote:

Colonel Panic wrote:But you'd have to meet him and discuss it. You wouldn't have to discuss anything with the supposed child. All you'd have to do is be at the same diner at the arranged time.

Besides, I assume you'd agree that murder is a much more serious offense than propositioning a teenager for sex?

I think, in order to get the police interested or to get a charge that'll stick, the people have to be specific with what their intentions are prior to trying to meet them.

Ok, These dudes say I am bringing booze condoms and I'm gonna fuck you to what they think is a kid.
They show up with booze and condoms.
If I meet some woman online and email what I thought was this woman and tell her I am coming to your house, I am bringing a gun and I'm going to shoot you then I get in the car and drive there with a gun and when I get out of the car I find out it was a cop pretending to be a woman the whole time they should let me go?

Marsupialized wrote:it looks like I said all that the way you quoted that stuff

sorry about that. rookie mistake in a rush on my way to work this morning.
i've been skimming over the thread agreeing with marsupialized, ignoring big dave, and disagreeing with nerbly bear.
it's a sleazy show, but chris hanson is more forgivable than the predators.

Colonel Panic wrote:Besides, sex is not the same thing as murder.

You're right. Sex with a child is a million times worse than killing someone.

It takes a lot more to cross that line. You could kill someone in a crime of passion, in a drug deal, or be at the wrong place at the wrong time. These things, while reprehensible, have a system of flawed logic attatched to them. Things escalate, there are drugs, money, adultery, or whatever involved. You could see how they have arrived at this place and I feel great sympathy for the kid who is sixteen, tried as an adult, and spends the remainder of his/her life in prison for one stupid decision. But these child molesters are on a moral par with that of a serial killer. There is no "reason" for the act, save pure selfishness and disregard for the child involved. There is a choice involved that is tantamount to "lying in wait" which is beyond the scope of a "normal" crime; even murder.

It is an unforgivable crime in my eyes. I'm sad that I feel this way. But if there's a line to draw, for me, this is it.

Whatever rights as a member of society a person may have had, went out the window when they CHOSE to cross the line and rape an innocent kid.