To Catch a Predator

[Saucemaster]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

They're not all harmless shut-ins, but if they're harmful they should be taken in for the sake of justice, not for the sake of entertainment. I don't disagree with your sentiment, and I made sure in my OP to state that I'm aware these guys blew it and are getting their just desserts, so to speak. However, the premise of the show is morally reprehensible.

Originally Posted by mrpologuy

The moment these men see that the person says they are underage should be the end of the conversation. It doesn't matter if the "teen" asks you to call or come over. You are an adult and should no better. He must have been feeling real guilty about what he did to kill himseld. Do these men start the convesations? Yes. Do these men start that sexual talk? Yes. Do the men on the show see the age before they start talking about sex? yes. The decoys even say " you know I am under age right?" The men say yes an dmost say they are worried about getting caught. Everyadult knows it is wrong to have a sexual conversationw ith someone you think is a teenager. Children and teens are hurt everyday be horrible people online and those men need to be punished. Some of you are more worried about keeping these men safe than keeping kids safe. I just don't understand it. Don't have these convos with children at all. that is the bottom line.

 

[Quirk]

What should not be lost in all this is the fact that there's no shortage of pre-teens and teens either soliciting or receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers. WTF?

 

[Saucemaster]

Originally Posted by Quirk

What should not be lost in all this is the fact that there's no shortage of pre-teens and teens either soliciting or receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers. WTF?

I've got an idea! Let's get some people to pose as adult strangers who want to meet teens, then when the teens show up, we'll pop out with cameras, ask them why they're such whores and sluts (male or female), and then put it on TV!

 

[mrpologuy]

I don't care what happens to people who know they are doing something wrong.

 

[FLMountainMan]

Originally Posted by Quirk

What should not be lost in all this is the fact that there's no shortage of pre-teens and teens either soliciting or receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers. WTF?

Seriously. Sorry I always launch into anecdotes, but four years ago when I was 27, there was a waitress that always used to flirt with me. One bored night on a whim I asked if she'd like to grab dinner after she got off. She agreed and during dinner I explained that I came in a lot because I was on summer break from school and hated sitting around the house at night. She had seemed a little immature and I wanted to see if she was out of college/attending it/dropped out, whatever, so I figured this would be a good segue. She replied that she was on summer break too. I asked where. She replied....wait for it.....St. Pete Catholic (a local high school). This was during the summer, so if she still identified with that school, that means she was at most 17. Needless to say, I expressed dismay and asked her how old she thought I was. She said 21 or 22. I said I wasn't, but even if I were that old, did she really think it was appropriate? She thought it was no big deal and that I was blowing things out of proportion. Needless to say, I took her home.
Now the morality of 17 & 21 is a bit of a gray area, I admit. But I wasn't 21, yet could've easily lied and told her I was. I am sure there is no shortage of mates/prey for these guys, especially with the decline of the family and abdication of parenting to the school system/television. Damn I sound crotchety.

 

[Saucemaster]

Originally Posted by mrpologuy

I don't care what happens to people who know they are doing something wrong.

Okay, even aside from my disagreement with a simple blanket statement like that... what about the people who are cynically exploiting it for the purpose of entertainment? Forget about the pedophiles they're trapping, I'm not talking about them, what does doing this say about the people who both create and enjoy the show? It's a little twisted, if understandable, to enjoy it; it's a lot twisted to create it as entertainment.

 

[SoCal2NYC]

Did a guy fall for it TWICE?

 

[FLMountainMan]

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Did a guy fall for it TWICE?

Two guys. One did two consecutive days (but they changed the setting). Other guy had a week or two between visits. Assbags.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by FLMountainMan

Seriously. Sorry I always launch into anecdotes, but four years ago when I was 27, there was a waitress that always used to flirt with me. One bored night on a whim I asked if she'd like to grab dinner after she got off. She agreed and during dinner I explained that I came in a lot because I was on summer break from school and hated sitting around the house at night. She had seemed a little immature and I wanted to see if she was out of college/attending it/dropped out, whatever, so I figured this would be a good segue. She replied that she was on summer break too. I asked where. She replied....wait for it.....St. Pete Catholic (a local high school). This was during the summer, so if she still identified with that school, that means she was at most 17. Needless to say, I expressed dismay and asked her how old she thought I was. She said 21 or 22. I said I wasn't, but even if I were that old, did she really think it was appropriate? She thought it was no big deal and that I was blowing things out of proportion. Needless to say, I took her home. Now the morality of 17 & 21 is a bit of a gray area, I admit. But I wasn't 21, yet could've easily lied and told her I was. I am sure there is no shortage of mates/prey for these guys, especially with the decline of the family and abdication of parenting to the school system/television. Damn I sound crotchety.
I initially misinterpreted that statement.

 

[FLMountainMan]

Originally Posted by Quirk

I initially misinterpreted that statement.

Yikes, I can see why.

 

[Rome]

Originally Posted by Quirk

What should not be lost in all this is the fact that there's no shortage of pre-teens and teens either soliciting or receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers. WTF?
So having willing parties makes it ok? I'm not sure what your point is. If a killer kills a person that was known to want to commit suicide, that does make murder ok? (I dont mean euthanasia)

Originally Posted by Saucemaster

I've got an idea! Let's get some people to pose as adult strangers who want to meet teens, then when the teens show up, we'll pop out with cameras, ask them why they're such whores and sluts (male or female), and then put it on TV!
The pathology of which is probably just as bad in some cases for these kids. Although I would think that of a pedophile is much worse and "incurable".

Originally Posted by Saucemaster

It's a little twisted, if understandable, to enjoy it; it's a lot twisted to create it as entertainment.
Why exactly? This is an honest question. Personally I dont watch the show but I did see the first two eps. There are countless shows concerning criminal drama and a channel dedicated to court proceedings and solving real murders. How is this so much different as a form of entertainment? This is not an argument for trampling peoples rights, pedophile or not.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by Rome

So having willing parties makes it ok? I'm not sure what your point is. If a killer kills a person that was known to want to commit suicide, that does make murder ok? (I dont mean euthanasia)

'WTF' means "what the ****?" as in "what the **** is that madness?", as in "no it's not 'okay'". "What should not be lost in all this," means "setting aside for the moment the depravity of the predators, we should also consider how fucked up it is that..." Despite the efforts of some to misconstrue the comments of various posters in this thread, its pretty clear to me that everyone agrees that the predators actions are deplorable and 'sick' (be it from a clinical or moral standpoint, or both). The only legitimate area of dispute here, it seems to me, was whether or not the actions and motives of the broadcasters can be called into question. I think reasonable people might be able to disagree there. BUT SETTING THOSE ISSUES ASIDE, can we not agree that it's also pretty fucked up that there is no shortage of kids -- KIDS -- who solicit or are receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers they meet in internet chatrooms? CAN WE NOT AGREE ON THAT? I thought we could, thank you. Jeesh.

 

[Rome]

Originally Posted by Quirk

...
BUT SETTING THOSE ISSUES ASIDE, can we not agree that it's also pretty fucked up that there is no shortage of kids -- KIDS -- who solicit or are receptive to sexual encounters with adult strangers they meet in internet chatrooms? CAN WE NOT AGREE ON THAT?

I thought we could, thank you. Jeesh.

Of course we can. I wasnt sure where you coming from with that statement. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

Threads like this pop up all the time where everyone gathers round and wags the moral finger, there just seemed to me, to be some odd angles here.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by Rome

Of course we can. I wasnt sure where you coming from with that statement. Thanks for clearing it up for me. Threads like this pop up all the time where everyone gathers round and wags the moral finger, there just seemed to me, to be some odd angles here.
Ok, cool.