Offended by Sex Offender Hunters?

Nothing gets me riled up more than watching Dateline doing a "sex-pose" on sexual predators where they solicit men online, and then spring a trap on them when they arrive at the house.

I think its blatant entrapment by the law enforcement, and I don't see how it really breaks any laws seeing as how there is no actual minor involved and no actual sex transpires. All that happens is that there was a chat online with an adult 'pretending' to be a minor, and then a guy shows up at a house and gets ambushed. I really don't see how the law protects against soliciting a pretend minor.

And then these guys get arrested and charged and go to trial. All for a bunch of online fiction! Hasn't anyone realized that nearly EVERY chat online contains fictional content? I mean, when I'm online, I weigh 185 pounds and have an 8 inch dick, for christ's sake.

I guess my biggest beef is that I don't buy the "one age cutoff fits all" thing. What age is appropriate? Who's to say that at age 17 years and 364 days you don't know what you are doing sexually, but miraculously on your 18th birthday you suddenly achieve this epiphany on sexual responsibility? There are 12 year olds that are very adult and are probably capable of these types of decisions. And there are 25 year olds that are so juvenile in the sexual department that you wonder if they aren't retarded in some way.

I can tell you that at age 14, not only did I know what I wanted sexually, but I'd already done a fair bit of experimenting. And I know that I fantasized about several adults (swim coaches, gym teachers, tv stars, etc). What I would have given to have had an experience with one of THEM!

But had I actually gotten my wish and had successfully seduced my smoking-hot swim coach, that would have been illegal. And I obviously would have been a 'victim' since being 14 would have meant that I didn't understand sex and had no personal responsibility in the action.

Bullshit.

At age 14 I was in 8th grade, and I knew ALL about the birds and the bees. I'd known since 2nd grade, actually, like MOST kids. When boys in 6th grade are knocking up their hotty 20-something teachers, you tell me they don't know what's going on? And this shit's been going on for years- hence the song "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen.

And don't try for one second to tell me that the boy's fathers aren't secretly giving their sons high-fives for scoring an older woman!

Ok, which brings me to the second part of my diatribe. Sexual Offender Registration. The Supreme Court just upheld a decision that two Alaskan men had to register with the state and be subjected to having their pictures posted and the police and community notified of their whereabouts. Evidently their prison sentence doled out by the justice system was not enough punishment. They now get to endure more.

How's that for our justice system in action? You get convicted of a crime, do your time, and then are released on your own recognisance. But wait! We think you are still guilty and that the punishment of prison wasn't enough. Now you get to be the focus of community torment.

What about "Convicted Murderer Registration"? Or "Thief Registration"? I think I'd like to know if I was living next to a murderer. Because I'm sure that they will murder again, right? Prison didn't cure them. I don't care even if they killed someone in self defense or in a hunting accident. They are still murderers.

Now, I don't want readers to think I believe that people should just be free to fuck children. Because I don't. If the sex is not consentual or if the child is too young to consent, then YES- the perpetrators of these acts should be buried under the corner of the penitentiary. Nobody has the right to do anything to anyone else against their will. That treads on constitutional (and certain inalienable) rights and therefore is most definitely illegal.

And for child molesters and others who prey on children by twisting their innocence and trusting ways in order to 'get some', then yeah. These people probably ought to be registered and watched.

But a 16 year old choosing to have sex with a 30 year old? Or a 15 year old and a 19 year old? Do we really try, convict, sentence, jail, free, and then also register these offenders? Do 'statutory rapists' deserve to be registered?

Where does the punishment stop?