Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

salon.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 216 posts

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#101

Post by mike-cardwell »

jacquesm wrote: post #84
Jun8 wrote: post #3

America has one of the absurdly strictest set of laws for sex offenses against minors, Economist had a great cover story about this some weeks ago. Problem is, since politicians know proposals for stricter laws bring in votes and no sane politician would ever propose a relaxation in these laws, they get stricter every year. On the other hand, the US has one of the most sexualized tweens and teen-agers I have ever see…

I think a good part of that is the fundamentalist Christian ('reborn') element in the United States which commands a fair portion of the vote.

I would like to blame the religious nuts, but I live in the UK which has considerably less of them than the US, and things are pretty bad here too.

There's a constant stream of fear mongering about paedophiles and terrorists in all mass media.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#102

Post by gscott »

jacquesm wrote: post #84
Jun8 wrote: post #3

America has one of the absurdly strictest set of laws for sex offenses against minors, Economist had a great cover story about this some weeks ago. Problem is, since politicians know proposals for stricter laws bring in votes and no sane politician would ever propose a relaxation in these laws, they get stricter every year. On the other hand, the US has one of the most sexualized tweens and teen-agers I have ever see…

I think a good part of that is the fundamentalist Christian ('reborn') element in the United States which commands a fair portion of the vote.

I would suggest these organizations are more liberal thinkers where the child is better off under Government supervision.

The Bible is pretty clear that the parent should raise the child. The Bible is really against "Caesar" taking a big part of your life for example 'spare the rod, spoil the child'.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#103

Post by Groxx »

caf wrote: post #64
mkramlich wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is "normal" is subjective and varies by person and society. Would you agree with that? Some people don't think it's normal to want to photograph children naked. Others do. Some may not think it's abnormal, but on the other hand think it is not wise. Clearly, you think it's okay to do. Or you just think it is not unwise, or should not be banned. Those are each distinct nuanced states of mind on the matter. That's…

I'll try and explain. "As was shown in the OA, in theory everybody is innocent until proven guilty. But in practice, especially regarding this particular issue, it's effectively the opposite." This state of affairs is merely scary. It is your blasé acceptance of this state of affairs that is terrifying.

But in practice, especially regarding this particular issue, it's effectively the opposite.

Because it's For The Children™. And, For The Children™, our legal system is turned upside down, causing huge amounts of damage, including damage to The Children.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#104

Post by run4yourlives »

mkramlich wrote: post #6

Horrible story, and I totally empathize with their situation. yes, the US is practically insane sometimes in how they deal with sexuality and minors, and yes there's a history of witch hunts in this area. all horrible. That said, they did make 2 very big mistakes, and if they hadn't done either or both of them, none of the rest would have happened. first, they took pictures of the kids naked. two, they let those pict…

first, they took pictures of the kids naked.

What is this world coming to when this is considered "a mistake"?

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#105

Post by troubledwine »

"I took a few of my youngest daughter, Eliza, then age 3, skinny-dipping in the lake, and my son, Noah, then age 8, swimming in the lake in his underwear, and another of Noah naked, hamming it up while using a long stick to hold his underwear over the fire to dry. Finally, I took a photo of everyone, as was our camping tradition, peeing on the ashes of the fire to put it out for the last time."

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#106

Post by olliesaunders »

cookiecaper wrote: post #50
kls wrote: post #13

I had a similar run in with DCF, not for child pornography but for accusations of child abuse. I helped out a high school friend who had become a heroin addict (I had no idea what I was getting into), by letting his family and himself live with me while he tried to recover. It ended up that this was a common scam with him and his wife and they use a sob story to get friends to help them out and once they wear out the…

DCF is a really problematic thing. I completely understand where you're coming from and we've had people close to us under false investigation from family services and it's a pretty bad gig. They act like everything you say is such an absurd lie and that you're just waiting for them to walk away so that you can start slamming your children into the floor again. It is really sad that they can't use common sense. But a…

How do you know this women is guilty when a formal investigation has failed to substantiate that?

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#107

Post by randallsquared »

Yaggo wrote: post #88
holdenc wrote: post #24

This kind of story is indicting of our culture. Outside the US nudity is not so taboo. In my daughter's kindergarten (a nice private school in Southeast Asia) boys and girls share the same bathroom, with no private stalls, and no door on the entrance. Everyone sees everything -- passers-by included. Meanwhile, in the US, nudity is synonymous with sex, and good people have to worry about things like this.

After reading the article, my first thought was "why I can't imagine that happening outside the US?". When and why did nudity become such a taboo there? It seems to be much more acceptable to show children violence than nudity, which I found absurd. I mean, which is more harmful for 13 years old child to see on TV, a breast or shooting?

While I don't necessarily disagree, let me point out that it's considered okay to show a painting of a breast, or an acted shooting, but showing an actual breast or real shooting are both considered taboo. I think people lose track of the fact that violence on TV (and in video games, etc) is pretend violence, whereas most nudity is real nudity, rather than a simulation of same.

I'm not saying that makes it sensible, but it does bring the American treatment of them closer together than they seem at first glance.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#108

Post by roc »

Yaggo wrote: post #88
holdenc wrote: post #24

This kind of story is indicting of our culture. Outside the US nudity is not so taboo. In my daughter's kindergarten (a nice private school in Southeast Asia) boys and girls share the same bathroom, with no private stalls, and no door on the entrance. Everyone sees everything -- passers-by included. Meanwhile, in the US, nudity is synonymous with sex, and good people have to worry about things like this.

After reading the article, my first thought was "why I can't imagine that happening outside the US?". When and why did nudity become such a taboo there? It seems to be much more acceptable to show children violence than nudity, which I found absurd. I mean, which is more harmful for 13 years old child to see on TV, a breast or shooting?

> "When and why did nudity become such a taboo there? "

Much of the country was built and populated by puritans. State's rights and a lack of urbanization allowed tight-knit communities of like-minded people to keep anyone different away. This created a sort of moral echo chamber, that carried their views into modernity without ever being tempered via intellectual or moral challenge. And the US system of representation gives those rural communities quite a bit of power over national mores.

As for the rhetorical: it depends on context. It always depends on context. Nudity isn't necessarily less harmful.

Hiding violence and death away from children can be just as harmful as hiding nudity.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#109

Post by run4yourlives »

cookiecaper wrote: post #66
impeachgod wrote: post #63

I tend to hold the Thoreauvian point that one ought to resist unfair laws. As I noticed, Child Protective Services are state agencies. If someone was falsely accused of child abuse/child porn, with no hope of winning the case whatsoever, how effective would it be to run away with the family?

IANAL, but in general, I think meritless cases like this one eventually get dismissed, though it's a lot of hassle and waste in the meantime. Even if your case doesn't get dismissed and your children are about to get taken away, running away with the children could only vastly, vastly aggravate the matter, as far as I am aware. In many cases you'll be able to get the children back. If you flee, that is much less like…

While I agree with you, it's worth noting that your children are removed from you custody almost immediately, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. So, the "hassle and waste" you refer to can devastate a family.

Re: How to Destroy Someone's Life or They called me a child pornographer

#110

Post by steveklabnik »

Yaggo wrote: post #88
holdenc wrote: post #24

This kind of story is indicting of our culture. Outside the US nudity is not so taboo. In my daughter's kindergarten (a nice private school in Southeast Asia) boys and girls share the same bathroom, with no private stalls, and no door on the entrance. Everyone sees everything -- passers-by included. Meanwhile, in the US, nudity is synonymous with sex, and good people have to worry about things like this.

After reading the article, my first thought was "why I can't imagine that happening outside the US?". When and why did nudity become such a taboo there? It seems to be much more acceptable to show children violence than nudity, which I found absurd. I mean, which is more harmful for 13 years old child to see on TV, a breast or shooting?

I'm not sure how to say this without sounding like a terrible troll, but when an entire religious group gets up and sails across an ocean because everyone back home won't stop telling them that they're crazy... what else would you expect?
Post reply on HN