Show me the human...

[SkylarHunter]

Me and a friend were having a discussion about this image we saw on facebook.

Our conversation evolved into the death penalty for pedophiles subject. Since we wanted to see the pros and cons of killing someone for crimes against children, mostly the ones of sexual nature, for argument sake she took the death penalty side and I took the human rights side.
At one point she simply said "show me the human and then we'll talk about rights".
I couldn't argue any further because I think shes right. Someone who abuses a child doesn't deserve being considered a human.
I know this is a very controversial subject with very strong arguments on both sides. What I would like to know is the opinion of all of you who have children, nephews, little cousins or any other child you love. Do you agree with the death penalty for pedophiles in case of confirmed guild beyond any doubt?

 

[icehorse]

I'm a father, I never agree with the death penalty.

 

[SkylarHunter]

I'm a father, I never agree with the death penalty.

If one of your kids was the victim of someone like Marc Dutroux for example (Marc Dutroux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) do you think you would continue thinking that way?

 

[Estro Felino]

When I think of pedophiles, I feel like puking.

I try harder and harder, but I can't figure out what induces these "people" to like children and even to harass\rape them.
And If I try to be empathetic with them, I feel like puking.

so...I can't think straight. Disgust prevents me from thinking of the destiny of these criminals. I'm a Christian, so I am against death penalty. But I will tell you something.
If the desperate mother of an abused child kills the molester in question, I will tell the police:
I didn't see anything

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think it's time that we recognize that pedophilia and child sexual abuse aren't the same thing. Similarly, we know that zoophilia and zoosadism aren't the same thing.

 

[icehorse]

If one of your kids was the victim of someone like Marc Dutroux for example (Marc Dutroux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) do you think you would continue thinking that way?

I can imagine two scenarios:

1 - If I caught Dutroux in the act what might I do?
2 - If Dutroux was convicted in a fair trial?

I can't predict what I'd do if I caught him in the act. But if he was on trial, I would vote to put him in a deep, dark hole for the rest of his life.

 

[Draka]

Let me interject this little tidbit. Many prison inmates have children. Many severely do not like the idea of child molesters being in with them. Giving child molesters the death penalty gives them an "out" for the often permanent psychological damage they have inflicted upon a child. Life imprisonment in gen pop...that will be a constant punishment. Once it becomes common knowledge amongst the other inmates what the person is in for...their life in prison is never pretty. Just saying.

 

[Buttercup]

I think it's time that we recognize that pedophilia and child sexual abuse aren't the same thing. Similarly, we know that zoophilia and zoosadism aren't the same thing.

I'm not interested in the zoophilia and zoosadism comparison because I feel there is a more definitive line between those two acts. But, I'm curious to know how you define the line you think clearly separates a pedophile from a child abuser?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm not interested in the zoophilia and zoosadism comparison because I feel there is a more definitive line between those two acts. But, I'm curious to know how you define the line you think clearly separates a pedophile from a child abuser?

Because a pedophile isn't necessarily interested in abusing kids. I've known pedophiles before. It's similar to asking what the line is between heterosexuality and a man raping a woman.

 

[Buttercup]

Because a pedophile isn't necessarily interested in abusing kids. I've known pedophiles before. It's similar to asking what the line is between heterosexuality and a man raping a woman.

The line isn't remotely close to heterosexuality and a man raping a woman. Most men either have sex or may look at pictures of women for sexual satisfaction if a woman isn't around. It's my educated guess that pedophiles may look at child porn, wouldn't you say? It's hard to imagine that a pedophile goes through his or her entire life without looking at child porn. Not that either of us really has a way to know for sure.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Child rapists aren't necessarily even all that sexually attracted to children. The psychology of rape is kinda in its own category. It has more to do with power and domination. Children are simply easy targets, as are animals to the zoosadist.

Marc Dutroux was used an example. He is a psychopath and also appears to have been involved in human trafficking. I wouldn't call him a pedophile because he doesn't seem to have emotional/romantic attractions to children. They're just objects for him to use. A pedophile will have an emotional/romantic attraction to a child. People may not understand this, but they do. Same with zoophiles and animals.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The line isn't remotely close to heterosexuality and a man raping a woman. Most men either have sex or may look at pictures of women for sexual satisfaction if a woman isn't around. It's my educated guess that pedophiles may look at child porn, wouldn't you say? It's hard to imagine that a pedophile goes through his or her entire life without looking at child porn. Not that either of us really has a way to know for sure.

No, not all pedophiles look at child porn, especially the ones who are interested in child welfare and don't want to break the law. Many pedophiles actually seem to be pretty child-like themselves and develop what we would call crushes. Like they may get crushes on child actors or child models.

 

[Buttercup]

Child rapists aren't necessarily even all that sexually attracted to children. The psychology of rape is kinda in its own category. It has more to do with power and domination. Children are simply easy targets, as are animals to the zoosadist.

It matters very little to me "how attracted" either a pedophile or child rapist is to a child. A bona fide pedophile is sexually attracted to children (prepubescent) and how much the child rapist is attracted to the kid means very little. It's still a crime and an abhorrent act.

Even if a pedophile never touches a child, they still harm children if they engage in looking at child porn. It obviously encourages the market.

 

[Buttercup]

No, not all pedophiles look at child porn, especially the ones who are interested in child welfare and don't want to break the law. Many pedophiles actually seem to be pretty child-like themselves and develop what we would call crushes. Like they may get crushes on child actors or child models.

I have no idea how you know this. I would never believe it if a pedophile told me that and I certainly would never allow them around any child I know.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It matters very little to me "how attracted" either a pedophile or child rapist is to a child. A bona fide pedophile is sexually attracted to children (prepubescent) and how much the child rapist is attracted to the kid means very little. It's still a crime and an abhorrent act.

Even if a pedophile never touches a child, they still harm children if they engage in looking at child porn. It obviously encourages the market.

Not all pedophiles look at child porn or molest children. Child molesters tend to either have been victims of molestation themselves or have some other mental health issue. There's support forums for those attracted to minors, to find community and to help manage their attractions in a healthy way.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I have no idea how you know this. I would never believe it if a pedophile told me that and I certainly would never allow them around any child I know.

I know a lot about stuff that people either chose to ignore or fly into moral panics about.

 

[Buttercup]

Not all pedophiles look at child porn or molest children.

I did not say that all pedophiles molest children. However, there is no way to know if they look at child porn unless they've been arrested and it's found in their possession.

Child molesters tend to either have been victims of molestation themselves or have some other mental health issue. There's support forums for those attracted to minors, to find community and to help manage their attractions in a healthy way.

The first part of this paragraph may or may not be true. That's great about the second part but I still would never allow someone who is admittedly attracted to children be around any child I know. That's craziness.

 

[Buttercup]

I know a lot about stuff that people either chose to ignore or fly into moral panics about.

Okie dokie. But, FWIW, I'm not flying into a panic about this.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I did not say that all pedophiles molest children. However, there is no way to know if they look at child porn unless they've been arrest and it's found in their possession.

No, there probably isn't. But that sort of paranoia isn't really helpful. I'm just going by the ones I've known and what I know about the subject in general. They're not all a bunch of criminals. Many of them find lawful ways to manage it. A lot of them struggle with their situation and wouldn't want to hurt a child.

The first part of this paragraph may or may not be true. That's great about the second part but I still would never allow someone who is admittedly attracted to children be around anyone I know. That's craziness.

Well, that's your right. I take more of a non-judgmental approach to such things.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Okie dokie. But, FWIW, I'm not flying into a panic about this.

Well, that's good. This is a topic that people tend to fly into moral panics about. Hence, the OP.