We Hate Pedophiles! (Unless They’re Famous, Or They Abuse Girls)

North Star Writers Group ^ | June 23, 2008 | Stephen Silver

[Invisigoth]

Americans hate child molesters. Right?

We mock them when they’re ensnared by Chris Hanson on To Catch a Predator. We watch Bill O’Reilly and Nancy Grace scream with outrage when they’re let out of jail and we howl with (understandable) anger about pedophile priests. In a culture in which just about any crime, short of murder, can be forgiven if enough time passes, child molestation appears to be one of the few crimes that most people just plain can’t let slide.

So why is R. Kelly still a huge star? And why do so many in America clamor for the return of Roman Polanski?

Two events in recent weeks – HBO’s airing of a documentary about Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski and the acquittal of R&B superstar R. Kelly on child pornography charges – have gotten me thinking about something I first noticed a few years ago. A double standard, or rather two of them.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Silver just now noticed this???? R. Kelly’s behavior was caught on tape, and is absolutely revolting. He walked. Al Sharpton barely peeped, if he said anything.

Jesse Jackson was clammed up.

B. Hussein Obama was tighter than a drum on the subject.

The LameStream Media only mentioned it in passing.

Fairness. Balance. Objectivity.

riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[pabianice]

http://nambla.org

[Steely Tom]

Who is R. Kelly?

[Neoncon]

Take a good look at the people who listen to that R&B/Hip-Hop/Rap garbage. They’re not the kind of people who disapprove of sexual deviancy.

[Jane Austen]

Yep, perverts like R. Kelly and Michael Jackson get the pass even if caught on tape. Creeps who solicit an undercover agent on the Internet are tread more harshly than celebs with actually commit the acts. This kind of double standard damages the judicial system.

[WOBBLY BOB]

While watching the Lakers get annihilated, IIRC, they played Gary the perv Glitter at the forum...they must be the only team in existence that didn't get the message.

[Paradox]

This guy is scum, but young teenage girls are not children, these acts do not make him a pedophile (at least the ones I know about, 14 year olds...).

[elmer fudd]

I think a good deal of it has to do with puberty. If you’re attracted to prepubescent kids, pretty much everyone agrees that you’re a sick pervert and probably should be locked away. If on the other hand you are attracted to teenage girls, well, people understand that. They don’t condone it or like it, but I doubt there many men who haven’t found themselves looking at what they thought was an attractive adult woman only to find out that she was underage. Now the vast majority of us can control our sexual impulses at least well enough to avoid coming on to 15 year olds, but we can understand where those impulses come from.

[Question_Assumptions]

Regardless of whether the attraction is understandable or not, in the Polanski case, the evidence points to what he did as being against the will of the victim, meaning that it was not only statutory rape but the conventional sort of rape, as well. Should that get a pass, too?

[Graybeard58]

Polanski made sure the girl was loaded up with "ludes" before raping her too. If the pervert ever steps foot on U.S. territory he should be jailed immediately, he has already been tried, convicted and sentenced.

[DeLaine]

You opened my eyes to this.

[processing please hold]

What about the muslim rapper, Akon?

[ktscarlett66]

What about him? You mean his dancing with this 14 year old (who was in an over-18 club)? I think what he was doing was pretty disgusting but she wasn't 'no little girl'. http://youtube.com/watch?v=y-Zi8qB8rRA http://youtube.com/watch?v=BU8JuWMgky4&feature=related

[jaydubya2]

16 YO Jamie Spears just gave birth to a baby. The father is over 18, but no word of any legal action.

[ktscarlett66]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=y-Zi8qB8rRA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BU8JuWMgky4&feature=related

(see if that’s better)

[commonguymd]

Everyone on that block and surrounding neighborhood should have their kids ripped from them if that is the case! The horror!

[processing please hold]

Have you heard and seen his video apologizing for the incident?

She was underage. The clubs fault I agree for allowing an underage girl in.

Just a fwiw, he's an anchor muslim.

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]