People say the strangest things some times. It's almost as if they are giving away excuses for deviant behavior. Geraldo has given an excuse to child molesters everywhere. He has decided to declare it that they are "born" not made. I take offense to that. To say that is to say they are predestined to become what they are. Let's think about that.
I speak English, I know anyone who has read much of my blog may wonder just how well I speak it- I promise the grammatical errors and occasional typing errors fit more with my "less than perfect" personality than reflect upon the many fine English teachers I had had throughout my life. I never did take much to French- although I endured the classes for two years. My complete ability to speak or understand the French language begins and ends with "Bonjour, oui, je t'aime, au revoir." I could say I was born to speak English- but I have to say had my parents run off to France before I was born- I would have picked up French rather then English. So in honesty- I was born to speak... but I learned to speak English. And I chose not to ever be interested in having a "second tongue".
On the other hand- I was born a red head. Although there are the color alternating products that I could use to change the appearance of my hair- I choose not to. First because it may send Tim into shock, second because after one remarkably bad attempt at it when in high school I spent two days with a horrid burgundy mane. I've never been brave enough to try again.
My whole point is that some things we really are born with, others are a learned trait either from our environment, our beliefs or just the way we where taught. Given that I can not accept that some people are just destined to become the sick monsters that prey upon children. I believe that it has less to do with our DNA make up and more to do with our personal character. The theory that one can not help preying upon children is a sack of crap. Yes, I think these people are sick. I also believe that the crack addicts who sell off every thing they own are sick. But take it from this stand point. Had the crack addict chosen not to indulge in the drug... would they still become an addict? No, because in order to be one- you must first become addicted t the drug- and without use of the drug you can not become addicted.
Source HERE
"Gerald Rivera told his colleague Bill O'Reilly he is certain child molesters are born that way and cannot be effectively treated or cured.
"I think that – I believe that child molesters – and I want to be very clear that I'm not saying it's like homosexuality," said Rivera Thursday night. "It's absolutely different. It's a totally different situation. But I believe that, like homosexuals, child molesters are born not made."
Everything I have ever read... all the facts on how many people who are victims later become the predators... I guess that is all wrong. Because after all Geraldo believes people are just born that way. He does go on to say many things I agree with such as the fact that they can not be cured.
"It is a criminal justice, law and order reality, harsh reality, that you cannot cure a child sex predator."
I agree. Sure, some may discontinue the very actions that lead them to molest children- if you lock up a child rapist in a cell for forty years without ever letting anyone else come in, and without letting them leave- the child molester most likely won't rape anyone in that time frame, but they still remain a child molester. They still are that very demented person who had done it before. I don't believe that they can be reformed. Only because we have no way of knowing one is "fixed" until they die. Who's to say that the treatment they receive will work? There is no guarantee. They could re-offend and not get caught. They could wait 20 years to do it. There is just no safe timeline to show us how long or how much treatment or punishment is adequate. Which- only leaves us to safely believe that there is no cure. No stopping the heinous twisted acts that they commit upon the young.
But to say that they are just born that way, that gives them a excuse. First they said it was an addiction. But addiction comes from first doing it. Someone that has never tasted even a drop of alcohol cannot be addicted to it, someone that has never made a bet in their life can not become addicted to gambling. The whole thing with addiction is that first you must partake of whatever the addiction includes. This new excuse will certainly be tried in defense of some horrid individual that seeks to gain pleasure from the tormenting of children. I surely do not want some over pain attorney using this line of defense, naturally including that "even Geraldo believes it" during summations in the trial of some low life scum bag who enjoys preying upon children.
The other thing that bothers me is Geraldo seems to believe the only reason one would be a child molester is due to sexual attraction to children.
"They will always be sexually attracted to children"
It is often less about the sexual component- as odd as that may be- and more about the power, the ability to degrade, demean, control, and humiliate. (More information on that part of it here.) Much like Joseph Duncan, his desire was to mock and show his control over his victims, to instill fear in them.
I speak English, I know anyone who has read much of my blog may wonder just how well I speak it- I promise the grammatical errors and occasional typing errors fit more with my "less than perfect" personality than reflect upon the many fine English teachers I had had throughout my life. I never did take much to French- although I endured the classes for two years. My complete ability to speak or understand the French language begins and ends with "Bonjour, oui, je t'aime, au revoir." I could say I was born to speak English- but I have to say had my parents run off to France before I was born- I would have picked up French rather then English. So in honesty- I was born to speak... but I learned to speak English. And I chose not to ever be interested in having a "second tongue".
On the other hand- I was born a red head. Although there are the color alternating products that I could use to change the appearance of my hair- I choose not to. First because it may send Tim into shock, second because after one remarkably bad attempt at it when in high school I spent two days with a horrid burgundy mane. I've never been brave enough to try again.
My whole point is that some things we really are born with, others are a learned trait either from our environment, our beliefs or just the way we where taught. Given that I can not accept that some people are just destined to become the sick monsters that prey upon children. I believe that it has less to do with our DNA make up and more to do with our personal character. The theory that one can not help preying upon children is a sack of crap. Yes, I think these people are sick. I also believe that the crack addicts who sell off every thing they own are sick. But take it from this stand point. Had the crack addict chosen not to indulge in the drug... would they still become an addict? No, because in order to be one- you must first become addicted t the drug- and without use of the drug you can not become addicted.
Source HERE
"Gerald Rivera told his colleague Bill O'Reilly he is certain child molesters are born that way and cannot be effectively treated or cured.
"I think that – I believe that child molesters – and I want to be very clear that I'm not saying it's like homosexuality," said Rivera Thursday night. "It's absolutely different. It's a totally different situation. But I believe that, like homosexuals, child molesters are born not made."
Everything I have ever read... all the facts on how many people who are victims later become the predators... I guess that is all wrong. Because after all Geraldo believes people are just born that way. He does go on to say many things I agree with such as the fact that they can not be cured.
"It is a criminal justice, law and order reality, harsh reality, that you cannot cure a child sex predator."
I agree. Sure, some may discontinue the very actions that lead them to molest children- if you lock up a child rapist in a cell for forty years without ever letting anyone else come in, and without letting them leave- the child molester most likely won't rape anyone in that time frame, but they still remain a child molester. They still are that very demented person who had done it before. I don't believe that they can be reformed. Only because we have no way of knowing one is "fixed" until they die. Who's to say that the treatment they receive will work? There is no guarantee. They could re-offend and not get caught. They could wait 20 years to do it. There is just no safe timeline to show us how long or how much treatment or punishment is adequate. Which- only leaves us to safely believe that there is no cure. No stopping the heinous twisted acts that they commit upon the young.
But to say that they are just born that way, that gives them a excuse. First they said it was an addiction. But addiction comes from first doing it. Someone that has never tasted even a drop of alcohol cannot be addicted to it, someone that has never made a bet in their life can not become addicted to gambling. The whole thing with addiction is that first you must partake of whatever the addiction includes. This new excuse will certainly be tried in defense of some horrid individual that seeks to gain pleasure from the tormenting of children. I surely do not want some over pain attorney using this line of defense, naturally including that "even Geraldo believes it" during summations in the trial of some low life scum bag who enjoys preying upon children.
The other thing that bothers me is Geraldo seems to believe the only reason one would be a child molester is due to sexual attraction to children.
"They will always be sexually attracted to children"
It is often less about the sexual component- as odd as that may be- and more about the power, the ability to degrade, demean, control, and humiliate. (More information on that part of it here.) Much like Joseph Duncan, his desire was to mock and show his control over his victims, to instill fear in them.
Comments
Long story short: the sexual abuse in my family is generational... it goes on and on (disgusting huh?). But I can say that my grandfather (pepe) was sexually abused as a child, he went on to sexually abuse 4 of his 5 children, and 8 of his 18 grandchildren.
The 2 sons he molested, went on to molest their sisters (who had been molested by their father already) as well as their own daughters.
Out of the 8 grandchildren he molested, at least 3 have gone on to molest others (I was the victim of 2 of them).
So don't tell me they are born with this... I do think that if they had not been abused, the abuse wouldn't have had a trickle down affect. However, this is not to excuse the offenses, you still have a CHOICE as to become an abuser yourself or to stop the sickness. I let it end with me. There is no way I would ever abuse a child, and to be honest if anyone ever abused my child, I would want to kill them.