Avoiding Kids: How Men Cope With Being Cast as Predators

Wall Street Journal ^ | September 6, 2007 | JEFF ZASLOW

[decimon]

These days, if Rian Romoli accidentally bumps into a child, he quickly raises his hands above his shoulders. "I don't want to give even the slightest indication that any inadvertent touching occurred," says Mr. Romoli, an economist in La Cañada Flintridge, Calif.

Ted Wallis, a doctor in Austin, Texas, recently came upon a lost child in tears in a mall. His first instinct was to help, but he feared people might consider him a predator. He walked away. "Being male," he explains, "I am guilty until proven innocent."

In San Diego, retiree Ralph Castro says he won't allow himself to be alone with a child -- even in an elevator.

Cont...

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

This is a result of the MSM spreading fear (because it sells) and they and feminism have done this. It is a shame.

At first, being a man, I was offended by this. But I've thought about it for a couple days. Not all men are child molesters, but I'm willing to bet that 95% of child molesters are men. We here, myself included, are constantly calling for profiling of Arab/Muslim men on the grounds that they may be terrorists. Not all Arabs/Muslims are terrorists, but I'd be willing to bet that 95% of terrorists are Arab/Muslim men. I want them to be profiled. When they are, I want them to say "I resent this treatment, but I understand it." This is how I feel now when I read this type of article. I resent it, but I understand it.

[devane617]

...I have one only.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I guess your parents didn’t get out much. We only got out for a relatives wedding or anniversary dinner. Nothing excessive. I was a stay at home Mom and proud of it!

[decimon]

while the men still have the statistical upperhand, it is true the ladies are showing an upswing in the “hot teacher” phenomenon. which I’ve noticed among some male freepers is a subject to debate whether she is “guilty” or not based on her hotness.

Guilty!

But I assure you it's all in fun.

[Scotswife]

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/PUBLICATIONS/factsheet/fsabuse1.htm

[Scotswife]

“Ahhh so men are evil. Thank you for clarifying the issue.”

Not my point at all.
Why are you guys mad that the media is reporting the truth?

Why aren’t you mad about the scuzzbags that created this problem in the first place?

[SampleMan]

which I’ve noticed among some male freepers is a subject to debate whether she is “guilty” or not based on her hotness.

You do understand that is a running joke based on the historical propensity of "hot" teachers to get away with it?

[capitalist229]

I would go so far as to assert that the paranoia has negatively affected father daughter relationships, fathers keeping their distance lest affection be misinterpreted.

BUMP

[SampleMan]

One thing that's funny is that the FReepers who are giving you grief for holding this view seem to be the same ones applying the exact same criteria to Muslims with regard to terrorism. ;)

I'm unaware of polls that show a large proportion of men think rape and domestic abuse are OK. Can you give me that link please?

[decimon]

Why aren’t you mad about the scuzzbags that created this problem in the first place?

We are. We're angry with the scuzzbags who molest children and we're angry with the scuzzbags who make all men suspect for pedophilia.

[LibWhacker]

But wouldn’t it make them more frigid?

[decimon]

I would go so far as to assert that the paranoia has negatively affected father daughter relationships, fathers keeping their distance lest affection be misinterpreted.

Geez, I hope you are wrong.

[Scotswife]

“Mommy obviously isn’t too worried about baby. That’s called endangerment. “

true.
The level of stupidity can be astounding.

“babies that accidentally drown, smother, take poison or fall while with the mother are accidents. As is born out with suicides, males choose more blunt violence, while women prefer non-bloody options”

babies also accidentally drown, smother, and take poison or fall while they are with their fathers too.
Do you have any reason to believe that children have these accidents more so when they are with mom? (other than the obvious that most single moms have custody)
Do you have evidence that accidents are not accidents?

“Unless you have a way of avoiding the entire male population, I think it advisable to promote greater interaction with the good guys (the vast majority).”

I do that with my boys! I never said people shouldn’t.
My point was not male bashing, my point was that the media is being blamed for a problem that was created in the first place by perverts and thugs.
The automatic reaction here is to blame women.

[gotribe]

Frank McEnulty, a builder in Long Beach, Calif., was once a Boy Scout scoutmaster. "Today, I wouldn't do that job for anything," he says. "All it takes is for one kid to get ticked off at you for something and tell his parents you were acting weird on the campout."

More excuses for not helping.

[swmobuffalo]

My mother used to get on to my dad about smiling and talking to little kids at the grocery store or wherever. He throughly enjoyed small children but because of all the terrible crimes some men perpetrate against kids, she was afraid someone would misinterpret his actions.

[Scotswife]

“Well, the point I was trying to make is that there isn’t an upswing in molestations by women, but rather an upswing in reporting them”

I suppose that could be true. Not sure how it could be confirmed or refuted.

I’ll go out on a limb based on what I’ve seen here at Freepers in that the abuse you are referring to (the “hot teacher”) is not considered to be in the same category as the kiddyporn addict who abducts his neighbor’s 6 yr. old girl, rapes her, and leaves her dead body by the road.

So, when you are talking about the level of violence involved in particular types of crimes - the numbers change.

[Scotswife]

“If the vast majority of the abuse is by males then why is it that mostly female teachers are the ones busted for raping kids?”

That statement isn’t true.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Banish feminists to the Arctic. That might cool their hatred for men.
Save the Polar Bear

Fixed

[decimon]

My mother used to get on to my dad about smiling and talking to little kids at the grocery store or wherever.

I'm like your dad. Still forget myself at times and mug at or wave to some kid.

[Scotswife]

“You do understand that is a running joke based on the historical propensity of “hot” teachers to get away with it?”

Oh...so that accounts for the numerous posts from jealous male freepers who WISH they had been in THAT class! :)