Quote:
Originally Posted by shep0081
Ok - I guess it wasn't my last post. I didn't realize when you posted you got responses to your email and now I read this and feel like I have to respond b/c you were so nice! 
I'm perhaps too protective of Chris and my family boundaries, which is why I've never stepped into the forum world before this. Seeing Chris trashed in the forums for this really got to me. I took all of this personally. I forget it's the internet and that we're supposed to be playing a part and that you don't actually know us. Because we don't generally put ourselves out there to be commented on and are very new to the internet name calling that ensues, I was perhaps a bit sensitive to all this, and am incredibly protective of Chris, who is involved in all this because of me.
He came home that night and was beating himself up because he didn't feel like he articulated his point at all. Of course child molesters are awful and we should do everything we can to not have them around children - but putting them on a list is not working; therefore does not make sense. We need to look for a better solution. As for rehabilitation, if we stop studying this mental illness and hoping for a cure, we may not learn how to avoid it happening in the first place. Clearly, there isn't a cure for child touchers and I would like them as far away from my family as possible - but the same used to be true for lepers. Hope advances societies and not just when it's convenient and pretty.
Chris is really a thoughtful guy and cares about what's going on in the world. It's hard to have a debate when you 1) aren't prepared 2) haven't really formulated what your thoughts are on an issue. 3) Have a new angle on a debate, ie, becoming a dad. 4) have had a lot to drink.
Apologies to you for attacking. I should have kept a clearer head. Sleepless nights with the wee one make for a testy mood! |
I understand completely.
I think keeping the forums in the proper perspective is helpful; for example, all of us anonymous assholes constantly find myriad things to bitch about in regards to Keith and Chemda, and yet we all love them to bits and pieces. As such, I disagreed with Chris on a single point of his views on law, but it was and remains my opinion (based on the brief exposure I've had) that you two are a phenomenal couple, and Chris is a good, concerned person and a great father.
We forum dwellers harp for far too long on the negative sides of things. Think of it this way: if this extremely critical bunch of jerks can only find fault with a philosophy of punishing crime, we picked every other aspect apart and could find nothing else wrong.
And you were right to protest what we said. A blanket condemnation of someone's husband as "retarded" with no explanation or addendums can only be taken offensively. In typical internet fashion, I forgot that my internet persona has the ability to offend. I apologize for taking time out of your day solely because I had to take a harsh jab at a good person.