“Gunman at Amish School May Have Planned Sexual Abuse” - NYT headline.
Interesting how this isn't a "heterosexual scandal." I wonder if all the righteous leaders among the GOP and Christian Right will get as exercised about this one?
Or is it "okay" because it's not "homosexual"? (The quotes are because Foley appears to be a pedophile, NOT a gay man.)
Still, two conversations need to occur (but probably won't):
1) If someone like Foley had a normal sexual outlet, that is, if it was "okay to be gay", would he have become this twisted? If that is the case, then isn't the political/Christian right actually creating a good part of the problem, and blocking a solution?
2) Our society worships youth. Perhaps not 16 year-olds, but if we had an image of older people being attractive, would people like Foley perhaps focus on an older age range? (Even my heterosexual friends though, agree that at 16, people can be damned attractive; that's how we're biologically programmed).
But we'll never get a mature discussion of the Foley case, or of this one. Both are evil - but both are human. And we're stuck with it, if we never ask the questions.
Nat
Nat
Full Version: Gunman at Amish School May Have Planned Sexual Abuse
Ironic that this should happen just as a gun law limiting the number of purchases comes up before the Pennsylvania House.
Though it is doubtful the law would have prevented this guy, who had no previous arrest, record from getting the weapons he needed, or keeping those he already had before such a law passed.
Also experienced shows that weapons just flow across state lines to gun-controlled ones from those that are more lax.
Though it is doubtful the law would have prevented this guy, who had no previous arrest, record from getting the weapons he needed, or keeping those he already had before such a law passed.
Also experienced shows that weapons just flow across state lines to gun-controlled ones from those that are more lax.
The father of a kid killed at Columbine went on CBS tonight and blamed "abortion." 
The killer was, if the reports are to believed, a disturbed person. Because he had access to a gun, a horrible potential crime became even more potentially horrific. But he could have used a knife, a hatchet, etc. In any case, he obviously was struggling with terrible demons, and lost the battle, with the result that all those little girls are now dead. It is beyond tragic; think of all the families, that entire community, and how devastated they are and will continue to be.
One thing I haven't seen in the mainstream media is much discussion of the rise in crime during the last six years. We heard an endless drumbeat about the crime problem during the 1990s, when it was in steep decline (the 1980s were an awful period however you cast them in terms of crime), but now there's been almost no discussion at all by the media, as if they cannot broach this topic. The recent spectacular killings, in Wisconsin, in Illinois (the woman killing her good friend, ripping the baby out, and killing the dead woman's two children), Colorado, etc., are just that, spectacular, but I think I saw that the crime rate over the last 5 years has been up (with a decline at one point) overall since 2000. Have the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq silenced the media on this issue?
BTW, Nat, you pose very good questions. I was going to start a thread about hebephilia, but perhaps you can get it going. It is an element of this culture that's not really discussed, even though in some ways it's quite widespread, in the mainstream and gay media.
The killer was, if the reports are to believed, a disturbed person. Because he had access to a gun, a horrible potential crime became even more potentially horrific. But he could have used a knife, a hatchet, etc. In any case, he obviously was struggling with terrible demons, and lost the battle, with the result that all those little girls are now dead. It is beyond tragic; think of all the families, that entire community, and how devastated they are and will continue to be.
One thing I haven't seen in the mainstream media is much discussion of the rise in crime during the last six years. We heard an endless drumbeat about the crime problem during the 1990s, when it was in steep decline (the 1980s were an awful period however you cast them in terms of crime), but now there's been almost no discussion at all by the media, as if they cannot broach this topic. The recent spectacular killings, in Wisconsin, in Illinois (the woman killing her good friend, ripping the baby out, and killing the dead woman's two children), Colorado, etc., are just that, spectacular, but I think I saw that the crime rate over the last 5 years has been up (with a decline at one point) overall since 2000. Have the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq silenced the media on this issue?
BTW, Nat, you pose very good questions. I was going to start a thread about hebephilia, but perhaps you can get it going. It is an element of this culture that's not really discussed, even though in some ways it's quite widespread, in the mainstream and gay media.
What kind of crime are you looking to be covered, Fantomas? You say the mainstream media isn't covering crime? Local crime is usually covered in local news, those sensational crimes you mentioned happened to make it to the national spotlight exactly for that reason...they were sensational crimes. Highly unusual. Very sick, just like this story at the Amish school. If anything, too much attention is paid to local crime, and not enough coverage of events in Iraq and Afganistan. At least in Chicago, the local stations cover the local crime, the networks cover the national stories and/or crimes. I digress...this episode of crime is totally horrific, and my heart goes out to the family affected by this senseless crime.
All that really matters is this was a HORRIBLE crime.I'm sure the victims and their families won't find any consolation in what is going on with "Foley".I hate watching the news,local or national but of course you need to have some idea of what's going on in the world.These days it seems like everyone and their mother own guns regardless of their psychological profile.So unfortunately I'm sure this will happen again. 
After reading how several dozen Amish people showed up at the funeral for the gunman who savagely killed their daughters, I find myself to be deeply moved the news accounts of how they don't merely say they forgive the killer, but actually attending his funeral to demonstrate that forgiveness. At a time when we are all in our extremes, both left and right, it is through this lesson in forgiveness that I see great hope for all of us.
It is also in that lesson that I see so many of us have a long way to go to achieve parity with this demonstration of the true words of Jesus Christ. So many leaders of virtue have come and gone and yet, I see their act of faith as being one of the greatest examples of what Christ told his ministry: "If thine enemy smite thee, verily I say this unto thee, turn the other cheek." No truer example of this can be found than in what the Amish have done today by attending the funeral of the man who had brutally murdered their daughters. I am moved beyond what my words can ever show here, for we all can learn from this noble example.
It is also in that lesson that I see so many of us have a long way to go to achieve parity with this demonstration of the true words of Jesus Christ. So many leaders of virtue have come and gone and yet, I see their act of faith as being one of the greatest examples of what Christ told his ministry: "If thine enemy smite thee, verily I say this unto thee, turn the other cheek." No truer example of this can be found than in what the Amish have done today by attending the funeral of the man who had brutally murdered their daughters. I am moved beyond what my words can ever show here, for we all can learn from this noble example.
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