A person I really love made an anti-pedo comment

Hey, guys, right now I am very sad because there is someone I know online that I love very much and who I really respect who startled me with a terrible anti-pedo comment today :(

I know a very awesome 21 year old girl from Australia that I have been friends with since she was about 16, and she makes me very happy. I talk about her often in chat and my eyes always brighten up every time I see her log online. She is a goth girl, bisexual, and very open about the fact that she loves dating other girls. I admire her for this reason. I met her through a relative and she has been my sweetheart ever since then. She knows my age and we acknowledged an attraction to each other soon after we both met, so she knows that I am attracted to adolescent girls. And I love her just as much now as I did then. But here is the problem...

Today we were talking about the election and I told her that I wish she could vote over here. Then she startled me by saying, "I don't vote here in Australia. I don't support the government here because they support pedofiles and cover up for them!" I was really saddened to hear this. I really didn't know what to say in response, so it was a good several minutes before I responded. I couldn't bring myself to give a heated response to a girl that I love so much and who I would love to have for a girlfriend if we lived closer to each other. She has always been so sweet to me, and she has always been there for me whenever I needed her. The very thought of being in any way mean to someone I consider to be such a remarkable girl makes me feel ill. But the thing is, I am pro-pedophile politically, I know several pedophiles online that I consider to be good friends, and I do not believe that pedos are evil. I have associated with this community for years now and I DO NOT believe all the negative hype! Also, though I am not technically a pedophile myself, I have been called one in the past due to my attraction to adolescent girls; the U.S. media is often very non-discriminating in how they use that word, and the antis have repeatedly referred to me as a "pedophile" (in one case, a "teen-attracted pedophile").

Finally, after composing myself, I told her, "I wouldn't put that much faith in what the media says about them. I participate on a support forum that has several pedophiles on it and all of them that I know there try hard to be good people and considering the hatred towards them I think it must be very difficult to be one in this society." I couldn't come right out and explain my full history on this board and I didn't want to come out as a pedophile supporter so quickly. Then I told her, "I have been called a 'pedofile' before by people because of my attraction to adolescent girls, and the U.S. often uses the word that way here." She responded, "I know, hunni, but you're not a pedo...if you were, I wouldn't be talking to you." That really made me sad :( I really hoped, in the years that I have known this girl, that she would be open-minded about this subject because she is so open-minded about gays, lesbians, transgendered individuals, etc.

The thought of this girl thinking I'm a bad person just because of who I am attracted to and/or who I associate with on a friendly basis really made me upset. I was really caught by surprise. The only other time she ever mentioned the "p" word to me was when she told me that the city of Adelaide in Aussie was where they send "pedofiles" to (she made no statement regarding her opinion of "pedofiles" at the time, so I didn't pursue the topic; I was probably worried that she would say something like this). I guess even then I had the suspicion that she may be anti-minded towards pedos, but if she can accept and come to love a hebe like me as a good person, then shouldn't she be more open-minded about pedos? I really love this girl, I can't think a bad thing about her, she is like a hero to me with all of the difficult things she has overcome in her life, I am proud to have the relationship with her that I do, and she is the person who first made me love Aussie so much and want to be an honorary citizen of that nation...but the truth is, I'm a pedo-supporter who is attracted to underage girls himself.

I really don't know how to deal with this situation...I thought the fact that I was "out" to her as an AGLer (I have NEVER used the word "hebephile" or "epehbophile" around her) was enough to make her consider that I might sympathize with my fellow minor attracted adults, but I guess this wasn't the case :(

I still love this girl and I always will...but I'm a bit sad right now. I really want to tell her the truth about this community, but I don't want to alienate her. I don't want to inadvertantly say the wrong thing. Oh, man, I don't know if I should ever broach the subject with her again, but I really want to some day. I'm just in no shape to do it right now.

Forgive me for my rambling...I just wish this stupid hatred and hysteria wasn't worldwide and I wish the U.S. would stop influencing the world like this...I'm not a bad person, damn it, and most MAA's are also good people. Why can't others see this? :( I really don't know what else to say to myself right now.