The American Spectator

Daphne| 4.13.09 @ 4:25PM

Our national moral rot started with the individual. Thomas Jefferson said it all, "People get the government they deserve." This is beyond heartbreaking.

hmm_contrib| 4.13.09 @ 4:51PM

Rather than wax hysterical about moral decline in general, why not deal with the specifics? The issue is what happens when a 16 year old girl takes an erotic picture of herself and sends it to another underage friend. The question is do you want her prosecuted for child pornography - yes or no? Yes, the technology is different, but this is still kids being sexual, which they have been for millennia now - the question is do we want them to be labeled and convicted as felons too? Again, outraged conservatives - do you want your underage kid sent to jail and registered as a sex offender for sending naughty pictures to other kids? The proposed law still makes it illegal to send the pics to an adult.

Angel| 4.13.09 @ 5:17PM

No, pervert; we don't want our kids to send naughty pictures in the first place.

Bob| 4.13.09 @ 5:26PM

Well, RSM and Daphne, you sound as if you'd thrive under Sharia law. If the female child wasn't fully clothed, you could stone her to death. The more you post stuff like this, the closer you get to fundamentalist Islam. I guess both of you are envious of the burkha.

Moral teachings start with the family. If you aren't strong enough to give your children fundamental decency, then you expect society to do it for you? Are you really closet libs?

Bob| 4.13.09 @ 5:36PM

Actually, Daphne, I have three daughters of my own who have very high moral standards -- and I raised them in California. They all have master's degrees from some of the best universities, are married to great guys, and have young children. Morals should be the purview of parents. It sounds as if you don't trust your ability to raise your kids....

Angel| 4.13.09 @ 6:04PM

Yeah, but parents can't always be around to protect their youngsters from the likes of you.

Aaron| 4.13.09 @ 6:23PM

I've been watching this issue unfold recently with "sexting" and I have to admit I'm somewhat rather amused at parents' lack of control over their own children. 18yrs old + contract = cell phone, other than that no cell phone.

Please don't give me the excuses as to why a child needs a phone in their hand 24/7. A child needs the protection and discipline of the parents. A phone in a true emergency is available virtually anywhere in our country.

Don't even get me started on the every child gets a tv and a computer in the privacy of their bedroom...

MT| 4.13.09 @ 6:33PM

Our culture has become dangerous for our children. It's sick.

Hank| 4.13.09 @ 7:02PM

The purpose of child porn laws are to protect the child from acts which they are too young to consent to.

If you are prosecuting the child for sending a picture of herself, you are de facto arguing that she made a concious choice which must be punished. That goes against the idea that a child is too young to consent and is being exploited.

Similarly, if you prosecute the child, you aren't really protecting the child, you are punishing her.

It's a little like arresting a statutory rape victim and charging her with being an accomplice to her own molestation.

MT| 4.13.09 @ 7:24PM

Regardless of how you try to spin this, it's not good for our kids. They are old enough to know that what they're doing is wrong, and sometimes you have to protect them from themselves. It doesn't have to be harsh, just embarrassing.

Hank| 4.13.09 @ 7:55PM

MT, I agree that sexting isn't good for kids. My point is that a law that makes the child a criminal is not the solution.

MT| 4.13.09 @ 9:11PM

Like I said, "It doesn't have to be harsh, just embarrassing." I read your post BEFORE I responded to it.

Basil Plumley| 4.13.09 @ 11:05PM

Bob| 4.13.09 @ 5:36PM
Actually, Daphne, I have three daughters of my own who have very high moral standards -- and I raised them in California. They all have master's degrees from some of the best universities, are married to great guys, and have young children. Morals should be the purview of parents. It sounds as if you don't trust your ability to raise your kids....

Hey Bob, thank goodness they took after your wife. If they followed your example, they would be confused and unhappy nitwits.

Curtis Rasmussen| 4.13.09 @ 11:25PM

The fact that many parents both have to work to survive creates a vacuum in our children's daily lives. Daycare fosters some unhealthy habits, such as selfishness and hoarding at a critical age, contributing to the slide. I've seen it in my neighbor's kids.

The short term attention span model used in today's pop media also contributes. Artists turn to salacious words and imagery just to be recognized over the dizzying array of commercial and individual outlets that multimedia has to offer.

These influences are getting much harder to avoid.

ruth| 4.14.09 @ 12:35AM

Bob in a burkha would almost make Sharia worth it. Stupid man.

Bob| 4.14.09 @ 10:11AM

Basil, it looks like you've never raised children. So you couldn't find anyone to marry you? Given the lack of content in your posts, I can understand that. Ruth seems to be interested -- or is she just your lemming oriented alter ego?

Get ready, Ruthie. If Basil's friends take over you'll be wearing a burkha in no time....

Big J| 4.14.09 @ 11:34AM

I must be living in some sort of freak parallel universe. In this crazy world, not only is gay marraige ok, but if you oppose it, you are a radical intolerant. The same holds true if you don't support abortion (even federally funded), believe in God and your rights to worship him, oppose your president trash-talking your country saying it's not a Christian nation and we are arrogant, oppose 13 year-old's sending naked pictures of themselves to other teen-agers, etc. These are only the tip of the iceburg, so to speak. The immorality that has run rampant in this country is astounding. Even more pathetic is the complete apathy on display in the so-called progressive camp.

Let me off of this ride, please. I think I might hurl!

ruth| 4.14.09 @ 2:30PM

Nah, Blobbo--it's the weak weenies like you and your fellow fascist liberals who won't stand up to radical Islam. You will be responsible if Sharia becomes law. Then your perfect wife and daughters will have to wear the veil, too. Moron.

Basil Plumley| 4.14.09 @ 9:48PM

Bob| 4.14.09 @ 10:11AM
Basil, it looks like you've never raised children. So you couldn't find anyone to marry you? Given the lack of content in your posts, I can understand that. Ruth seems to be interested -- or is she just your lemming oriented alter ego?

Get ready, Ruthie. If Basil's friends take over you'll be wearing a burkha in no time....

Bob,
You gleaned all that from my two sentences? I guess reading comprehension is fundamental; unless one allegedly went to Harvard.
I was paying a compliment to your wife but it appears you are the envious one. Is it any wonder why you hate Sarah Palin?
Bob--you are very pathetic. Taking a cheap shot at Ruth. My, my, aren't you the really tough guy?
Like I have said before; you are a phony and a fraud. Keep on posting chump; illuminate the world with your "brilliance".

ruth| 4.15.09 @ 1:25AM

Basil, Bob's jealous! With good reason, Blobbo.