It’s one thing to stumble through some web sites, and quite another to bust out a credit card and start looking at content.
This is a statement of the obvious and we've already covered the fact that it's wrong to put cash into the hands of child pornographers.
I admit that I am skeptical of PT’s character. I have a hard time taking him at his word, having witnessed how many final and last farewell tours? The extremely brief period of mourning after John Entwhistle passed seemed quite callous. I have to wonder if Pete was also imbibing in those same sorts and levels of intoxicants, which could be another sign of sickness.
This is one of the aspects of this story that I'll admit to finding the interesting. I'm not a fan of Pete Townsend and I don't follow what he or The Who does. I've enjoyed their music over the years but had no urge to delve into the trivia that surrounds their celebrity. This aspect of popular culture simply does not interest me. It is of note though that for most people and through your above statement I might infer this includes you Mr. Kravitz, how Mr. Townsend is veiwed is refracted through the prism of your own self awareness, and how you have interpreted the information you have collected thus far (through the media) about his life. So what I'm saying is it is difficult for any of us to look at this issue in an objective manner. If you were the subject of so much speculation I don't think you would find this fair.
Doc says: I'm not sure you could state that Mr. Townsend had clear intent to harm a child.
If he looked at the sort of sites that have been alleged, then I would disagree wholeheartedly. If you get excited seeing children in pain, and compensate those that would do it, then your actions intend to encourage suffering.
I think this point deserves debate. Your above statement makes the inference that Mr. Townsend took pleasure in what he saw. How are we to know this? How do we know he wasn't sitting in his chair weeping at the images before him? I do not attempt to defend Mr. Townsend here just to present an idea that I think merits some thought. If it is true that Mr. Townsend was abused as a child then is it possible that the residual effects of this experiance could draw him into veiwing these images as a form of self examination with the possible intent of solving some violent internal conflict? Are we to assume that the only possible motivation for him to veiw the images was to derive pleasure from them? Even if as you also assert that the need for this arose from the pain of his own abuse as a child? I'm saying he could also have been drawn to veiwing the images as a form of self inflicted punishment based on his own damaged sense of self. I'm trying to draw out the fact that a case like this is not the open and close affair that it seems many are painting it as.
"He looked punish him", "Let him rot in jail", "He paid for the porn he's guilty".
Yes, it's a crime to have paid for it, you'll get no arguement from me on that point. I find it disgusting to put money into the hands of a child pornographer and frankly quite a stupid act to pull out a credit card to do so but I can state in all honesty I have no idea why he did it. Can you or anyone else here claim to know why he did? Is that one act to be the defining moment in the life of Pete Townsend? Does it eclipse everything else the man may have done in his life? Should he rot in jail or be publically castrated because he spent $20 to veiw a website? (Please don't argue the point of what he spent, I don't know what he spent and it's not relevant to the point I'm making)Who am I to answer those questions?
I think the only crime we can address at this point is that he paid the pornographers. Everything else is speculation.
Such vengeful thinking is understandable, but ignores a sad fact: most people that commit crimes against children where themselves a victim at one time. Look at PT’s very first assertion in the matter, where he admits to having been molested as a child. That is why pedophilia is such a horrible crime – the victims of the sickness perpetrate it on others. The recidivism rates are also incredibly high, making many think the only way to protect society is long term incarceration of the pedophiles.
Just based on what you state here I think this shows that this is an issue, and I would think you would agree with me here, that requires some serious thought and attention if we are to find any sort of solutions to the problems presented.
I just think we need to further examine this issue and I'm making an attempt here to see if we can get below the surface with this discussion.
Doc
