Re: Second Thoughts

they fear themselves more than they fear us--we are the scapegoats because we're an outward reminder of their insecurities concerning their children.

Excellent point. I would add that they fear their children's sexuality not so much because they might start thinking incestuous thoughts (if I read you right), but because they are afraid that their children might get STDs, that their daughters might get pregnant before they are ready to be mothers, and that their children will eventually leave home.

Whereas I believe these are the fears that most parents have about us, I think it might be a good thing to point out from time to time that the current hysteria does nothing to prevent the problems, and in fact exacerbates them.

For example, if a girl decides she wants to experience sex, she will find a way to do so. If every good, responsible man turns her down, she will find a bad or irresponsible man. What is more, men who are bad or irresponsible in one area tend to be likewise in others - so that where a girl may have only wanted love and attention and sex, now she gets alcohol and drugs and petty theft and prostitution thrown in. And who is going to pay more attention to preventing STDs and pregnancy? An irresponsible man or a responsible man? Need I go on?

Throw in the fact that some liberals will attempt to say it is all about power, and that they don't really want to penalize sexual exploration among kids the same age. Well, once again, a girl gets no less pregnant because her partner is 14 instead of 24, or 17 instead of 47. The more they attempt to be reasonable, the more they demonstrate how unreasonable their original contention is.

Of course, I see no reason to believe that peds are any more moral or responsible than non-peds - but I figure we are no worse, either. The advantage of allowing such relationships to flourish openly is that girls would not be driven to those men who don't care about the law, and that if there are any problems they could be addressed immediately.