CitizenGeek said:
Chun Li said:
I'm assuming you will say that it is not you're choice to be homosexual, so you can empathize with pedophiles, surely?
Jesus ... Spyro, really? Really? That's completely ridiculous and obscenely offensive! Honestly, I did not expect such homophobic nonsense from you. Having a compulsion toward
consensual sex with
adults is in no way comparable to having compulsions toward raping and abusing children. Suggesting otherwise, like you've just done, is entirely unacceptable and you should know better.
Bro, what i'm doing is not saying "They're the same thing", i'm saying that society has had the same attitude towards homosexuals in the past. Any sexuality (exluding being heterosexual, obviously) has had this stigma at some point. Seriously, if people are into hentai, they get accused of all sorts of ****. Even if the characters in that hentai are consenting, it's all because most people
cant understand why someone might watch hentai.
The "Anime is for kids" argument works the same way. People dont understand why an adult would watch a 'cartoon', so they question it, while pushing it away.
I apologize if i've offended you here, but these are very genuine comparisons i'm making.
CitizenGeek said:
Chun Li said:
I can understand them disliking or hating paedophiles because they don't understand them
No, no. I'm pretty sure people hate paedophiles because they've taken advantage of innocent children. I'm pretty sure the kind of vitriol in that post you quoted from the site arises not from misunderstanding but from a justified outrage and repulsion. Raping and sexually molesting a child are considered the most serious of all crimes for a reason.
I must disagree with regards to the emboldened part. Not all pedophiles act on their urges. They are still heavily segregated against in society. You can't deny that.
CitizenGeek said:
Here in Ireland, the news has been filled with reports on the investigations into the seemingly systematic raping and sexual molestation of children ... When I hear about the actions of paedophiles, my blood boils and I start to doubt my opposition to the death penalty.
(The above had some of it cut)
Only the serious **** gets in the news. Not all of it will be that bad, that's why it's called child abuse in many cases. It's wrong, yeah, I agree with that. Acting on your urges is unforgivable,
but, it's hard for them not to act on their sexual urges. Surely anyone can empathize with that? Do you have no sympathy for the fact that these people
cannot act upon their own, natural, sexual urges because they could face a prison sentance or murder from their community. Looking at those forums, those people genuinly would kill, too.
In regards to the death penalty... well how depraved should this penalty be? You agree with the post I quoted?
CitizenGeek said:
Chun Li said:
(Afterall, that was the main reason behind homophobia wasn't it? Not understanding that you could be human and still attracted to the same sex. Believe it or not, people were like this towards homosexuals at one point.)
I'm genuinely horrified that you're making this comparison again and again in your post. Homosexuality and paedophilia are two completely different things! I'm gay and yet I'm sure I know no more about the mind of paedophile than does any straight person. Comparing the justified disgust and hatred parents and others have towards paedophiles to homophobia is unbelievably stupid. I'm embarrassed for you.
I've avoided making it again in this post, but if you really can't see the similarity between any sexuality and this, then I need to explain. What i'm trying to show you here is that
you did not choose to be homosexual. It was a case of "It felt natural" to you (Or something similar.) These people
do not choose to be attracted to children. On a basic level, they're one and the same. Just as
I do not choose to be attracted to females, I just am.
Homosexuals, until recently were heavily segregated against. There was even legislation allowing the arrest of homosexuals who kissed in public! Homosexuals had a
very hard time being accepted by society. I have some case studies i've done that were frankly ludicrous if you need examples, but I really doubt you do.
Pedophiles are getting the same treatment. They're heavily segregated against, and if they openly said "I'm attracted to children", they'd probably get flogged in the street. That is what is wrong. They get punished for feeling a natural urge. They are forced to be repressed, depressed, and lonely. No individual should be
forced to feel this way in a civilized society.
CitizenGeek said:
Yes, I believe pedophiles are most definately massively different from homosexuals
Clearly not! You've just structured your opposing argument completely on the apparent similarities between homosexuality and paedophilia.
No, it's not all on the similarities. I hope by giving some similarities to heterosexuals like myself, will make you realize, this applies to nearly any sexuality. (Bar, obviously to some extent heterosexuality, as we've never been segregated against for our sexuality).
CitizenGeek said:
No, I never said there should be a shift in attitudes. If someone rapes a child then that person should have "CHILD RAPIST" permanently seared onto their forehead as far as I'm concerned.
What about if after they've been convicted, they recieve treatment and return to "normal". Is that fair?
I'm not in any way saying that a pedophiles actions should ever be accepted, or could ever be justified. Maybe i'm soft, but I can't help but feel a pang of guilt or sorrow though, knowing there are some out there who are to scared to be 'themselves' because of what society will think of them. I hope after what i've said, you can see where i'm coming from.
Again I apologize for any offence i've caused. I hope this post cleared things up.
