Where to even begin on this story.... You know there have been a slew of these types of stories in the media lately and I've had enough. Children, meaning under the age of 18, exchanging nude photos of each other is of course not something to be ignored. But federal charges, are you kidding me?! I quote foxnews.com:
"The six boys are accused of exchanging a nude photo of a 13-year-old female classmate using their cell phones.
Charges against them could include possessing or exhibiting a photograph of a child in a sexual act, distributing material of a child in a sexual act, and possession of child pornography, the paper reported."
This is with out question, simply a matter for the child’s parents to deal with. Shouldn't the police and prosecutors be spending their time capturing the real child porn offenders? I don't want my tax dollars going to putting a 13-year-old in jail for taking a couple questionable snap shots of his 13-year-old girlfriend. And if convicted, these boys, these CHILDREN will have to register as sex offenders for the REST OF THEIR LIVES.
Let's get a grip here people. Where is this leading society? Is prosecuting these children going to make life for the American people better? Is it going to make us safer? No, no and no. All it's going to do is ruin these lives forever and potentially create actual criminals because they won't be able to get a decent job any where if they have to put Sex Offender down on their applications. Certainly we want to protect children from taking part in adult behavior, we want to keep them innocent, we want to keep them safe. Putting them in jail is not going to do any of those things. When I got caught with a boy in my bedroom as a teenager - I was grounded and restricted from seeing him unless there was an adult present. That is appropriate action, that punishment fits the crime. I'm so fed up with hearing about children, CHILDREN being tried as adults, or being punished beyond what is appropriate for minor "crimes." We should be leading our youth, steering them in the right direction, giving them encouragement and doing what is best for their future. Not locking them behind bars and stripping them of not only their childhood but in most cases their adult lives too.
Now this may come as a surprise to some but children are not adults. They do not think, act, have the knowledge or the wisdom that comes with adulthood. They do not have the same rights and responsibilities as adults. Therefore, no child, no matter the crime should ever, ever be punished as an adult. Society can not have it both ways. Either we eliminate all age restrictions on things like alcohol consumption, gun use, voting... and give everyone of all ages the same rights/privileges and treat them all the same, or we don't. We have age restrictions on things for a reason. The fact of the matter is, and any scientist, psychologist and who ever else will tell you that a child’s brain and a teenager’s brain are simply not built the same way as an adults brain is. It's science people, its fact.
So instead of trying to weed out all the potential "bad seeds" why don't we try raising them up, guiding them and giving them a chance at a productive future. That is what's best for this country. Not jails full of children.
"The six boys are accused of exchanging a nude photo of a 13-year-old female classmate using their cell phones.
Charges against them could include possessing or exhibiting a photograph of a child in a sexual act, distributing material of a child in a sexual act, and possession of child pornography, the paper reported."
This is with out question, simply a matter for the child’s parents to deal with. Shouldn't the police and prosecutors be spending their time capturing the real child porn offenders? I don't want my tax dollars going to putting a 13-year-old in jail for taking a couple questionable snap shots of his 13-year-old girlfriend. And if convicted, these boys, these CHILDREN will have to register as sex offenders for the REST OF THEIR LIVES.
Let's get a grip here people. Where is this leading society? Is prosecuting these children going to make life for the American people better? Is it going to make us safer? No, no and no. All it's going to do is ruin these lives forever and potentially create actual criminals because they won't be able to get a decent job any where if they have to put Sex Offender down on their applications. Certainly we want to protect children from taking part in adult behavior, we want to keep them innocent, we want to keep them safe. Putting them in jail is not going to do any of those things. When I got caught with a boy in my bedroom as a teenager - I was grounded and restricted from seeing him unless there was an adult present. That is appropriate action, that punishment fits the crime. I'm so fed up with hearing about children, CHILDREN being tried as adults, or being punished beyond what is appropriate for minor "crimes." We should be leading our youth, steering them in the right direction, giving them encouragement and doing what is best for their future. Not locking them behind bars and stripping them of not only their childhood but in most cases their adult lives too.
Now this may come as a surprise to some but children are not adults. They do not think, act, have the knowledge or the wisdom that comes with adulthood. They do not have the same rights and responsibilities as adults. Therefore, no child, no matter the crime should ever, ever be punished as an adult. Society can not have it both ways. Either we eliminate all age restrictions on things like alcohol consumption, gun use, voting... and give everyone of all ages the same rights/privileges and treat them all the same, or we don't. We have age restrictions on things for a reason. The fact of the matter is, and any scientist, psychologist and who ever else will tell you that a child’s brain and a teenager’s brain are simply not built the same way as an adults brain is. It's science people, its fact.
So instead of trying to weed out all the potential "bad seeds" why don't we try raising them up, guiding them and giving them a chance at a productive future. That is what's best for this country. Not jails full of children.
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