The Pedophile Protection Act

I understand. I dont hope for the end of the world, but as a Christian, I do look forward to it.

Dragon, I've read this bill and, unless it's been significantly changed, it protects Christians as much as any other group. Back when I was in high school (in the late 60s) a couple of girls who went to Pallotti High, which is a Catholic school, were jumped on their way home for no other reason than because of the uniforms they wore identifying them as being from Pallotti. The boys who attacked them proclaimed themselves as athiests and said that they wanted to "beat God out of them." This was a hate crime directed at Christian girls but they were charged with simple assault, never spent a day in jail and probably went on to attack other Christians. Homosexuals and transgenders are routinely beaten up simply because of who they are. People who are Mexican or Muslim are also targets these days. Expressing your hatred for others by violent means is not an isolated problem and should not be treated lightly. There are other examples I could give but I'll stop here. This legislation is not directed at thought or normal speech...it's directed at actions, hate speech (where do you think our home grown terrorists are learning to hate?) and harassment.

"Pedophiles should be executed, they cannot be cured, why protect them so they can ruin more little lives?!"

Even the ones who have committed no crimes and know that their sexual attractions are socially unacceptable? That seems a tad harsh, don't you think?

Latrivia, pedophiles who don't commit crimes and can keep their sickness under control are not a threat to children, but they must be very few in number. In fact, I have never heard of such a creature. The ones who prey on children are set loose again and again to ruin the lives of innocents.

Of course pedophilia isn't right or moral, I don't think anyone would dispute that. I'm not sure about executing them, UNLESS they've murdered a child, but what I'd like to have happen is for them to be kept in isolation, maybe on their own island, where there are no children to molest or harm in any way. There really IS no "crackdown on free speech by Christians", this term and description of this act is simply what some wing-nuts came up with to be sensational and get the very reaction they've gotten from you!

"...pedophiles who don't commit crimes and can keep their sickness under control are not a threat to children, but they must be very few in number. In fact, I have never heard of such a creature."
You've never heard of such a creature because they haven't done anything for you to hear about.

Annie

My point is that they are insisting on protecting pedophiles. I really think that hate crimes legislation is unfair. Just because he killed a homosexual, why is that different from killing anybody else? It is also assuming a persons thoughts. You can not charge somebody with thinking.

Murder wouldn't be any different...the charge would be murder regardless of who the victim was. This legislation mainly addresses harassment and assaults. There is nothing I've seen in the bill regarding anyone's thoughts. BTW, I hate pedophiles as much as anyone else but this bill addresses many more groups than pedophiles...it's just more shock value to give them the starring roll.

Attempts by Republicans to add amendments stating "pedophilia is not protected as a sexual orientation" were blocked by House Democrats.

In fact, Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., said all alternative sexual lifestyles should be protected.
This was the point of the discussion

Hate crimes are determined by somebodies views of a particular group of people= thoughts

"Hate crimes are determined by somebodies views of a particular group of people= thoughts"

It's not a crime to have the view (thought) of a particular group...only to act on that view in a violent manner.

But that is what determines a hate crime

And your problem with that is what? It's not acceptable to single out an individual or a couple for an assault based on who or what you believe them to be. That is violently expressing your hatred for someone who has done nothing other than to be who he/she is. Would you be objecting so strongly if we were discussing attacks on Jews in traditional dress?

I would feel the same way. If you assault somebody you assault somebody. Doesnt matter what they are wearing or thinking. My problem with that is that ignorance is not against the law. Because some idiot thinks that their race is better than another, that isnt a crime, just stupidity.

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

But tell me why they get special protection because of their sexual orientation? What if I fear leaving the house? Because I am a heterosexual I should just suck it up?

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

"But tell me why they get special protection because of their sexual orientation? What if I fear leaving the house? Because I am a heterosexual I should just suck it up?"

They shouldn't, but they do. Heterosexuals are covered, too.

Thank you for the input, but I have to reiterate that the purpose of this discussion was the pedophile protection. The more we protect this kind of behavior, the more acceptable it becomes and I will NEVER supprt that.

Well unless you're suggesting we should be able to beat and kill pedophiles without any provocation, I don't see what the fuss is about. You don't have to like pedophilia to condemn an act of violence of vigilantism against them

Very well put Latrivia.

And if it was your child?

laglen, my husband and I have four daughters and nine grandchildren altogether. If a known pedophile came anywhere near any of them we'd beat the hell out of him because of the perceived threat we had every right to feel at the moment and that would not be a hate crime. He crossed he line, not us. But, should we or anyone else have the right to wait outside of his residence, or follow him out of a store, and attack him because we hate what he is and what he stands for? I agree that pedophiles are the lowest form of scum...this bill covers a lot of other folks who aren't scum...women for instance...and that is why I support it. Vigilantism, though, is wrong.

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

I'm not saying its not disgusting im just saying it should carry the same penalty if you beat up someone just because he was there.

How can it when it's not the same crime? The assault charges currently on the books address conflicts between people that escalate to threats to do harm and the act of doing harm. When you target a total stranger based on your internal hatred for a group...when your only interaction with them his threatening and/or violent, that's completely different. The person or group then becomes prey and there is nothing in the law that addresses the crime of preying upon and attacking a stranger based on your personal prejudice. This is more serious because it puts more people at risk, including children, so the punishment needs to be sterner.

If the crime is the same other than that persons thoughts......... well, see above discussions

Thank you for the agreement. I am glad you caught what I was saying, I guess I wasn't as clear as I thought I had been........