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How Men Cope With Being Cast as Sexual Predators

online.wsj.com — Our society, while declining to profile by race or nationality when it comes to crime and terrorism, has become nonchalant about profiling men. While we don't want sexual predators to harm our kids, we do want our kids to develop healthy relationships with adults, both men and women.

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  • Bukowsky, on 10/10/2007, -11/+80Men are really doing this? going out of their way to avoid kids???

    wow.
    • jobenly, on 10/10/2007, -2/+92Yes. If I saw a kid that was hurt or lost in a public area, I'd find a nearby adult (probably a woman) to help me take care of the problem and calm the child down. Not that I'd need any help, but I would need a witness.

      In fact, I have decided not to use the pool before because there were kids there and I didn't have anyone with me to act as a witness.
      • LucianSolaris, on 10/10/2007, -6/+17Hell, I'm a male and wouldn't think twice to immediately help (if I wasn't in a situation where I was late to something very important).

        I think it's ***** how society is going, and I am not trying to take any merit out of the claim (i fully agree), but one also cannot live life in fear, and that's exactly what THEY (social architects) want from us. Emasculate the man, destroy the family unit, and get everyone on board with fanaticism like feminazism (extreme man hating feminism), nazism, socialism, fascism, communism, etc.
        • techmaster, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I think it has a lot to do with how the perception of things such as homosexuality have changed in recent times. It used to be that you heard that homosexual people existed, but didn't actually know any. Now, it' can even be considered cool to be gay. I have many friends who have come out as being gay. The general behavior of society is to try and be accepting of that lifestyle, but no matter what straight people say to/about their gay male friends, deep inside their mind they are still thinking "Oh god I can't believe you do that, you sick bastard!" So basically, straight people still hate gays, but they make exceptions for their friends who "happen to be" gay. When you see a gay man who is a total stranger, the first thing that comes to mind is "Gross it's one of those fags again."

          Anyways, that just leads up to my main point, in that homosexuality is far more prevalent nowadays, or at least made to appear that way. Several decades ago, people probably thought there were 5 gay guys in the entire US. Now, every city has gay festivals, gay pride marches, etc... Just about everybody knows at least one gay person, and most likely even more than one. The percentage of the population that is gay is probably somewhere around 5%, which is quite large considering the general perception 2-3 decades ago. So, being a straight couple with a child, the last thing you want is for your child to become gay. But, there's this thing in the back of your mind telling you that 5% of the population is gay... Your priest/preacher could be gay and just hiding it... Same with your kid's teachers, principals, bus drivers, scoutmasters, etc...

          And, it's not even limited to gay behavior. Like I said, 2-3 decades ago, "sexual deviancy" in all forms were kept much more secret. Now, just about everybody knows what S&M and D&S are. A foot fetish used to be something you would have, be ashamed of, and never tell a soul that as a man you had a collection in your closet of 200 women's high heel shoes. Now there are internet chat rooms and forums dedicated to just about any perversion you could possibly have. Not that it's a bad thing, you can do whatever you want. If it feels good to you, then why not? But, with people's sexuality publicly deviating from the normal man-on-top missionary sex, couples with kids tend to think the worst about every stranger. So I guess in a way the internet is partially responsible for this witch hunt.
      • j0keR, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6That sir, is the most intelligent post I have seen on Digg in a long time. I wish I could digg you up twice.
      • cptn_cardboard, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9Yesterday I was waiting for the bus, it was hot and the bus was taking a while, so I went across the street to get underneath a tree. From where I was I couldnt see the street, but I can see part of a street that the bus drives on. I do this a lot, and when I see the bus, I can just saunter over to the bus stop and catch it. Anyways, I was doing this yesterday, when I noticed there was a lot of school busses around. Then I realized, that bit of road I watch is covered by an elementary school, and school just started a while ago. Some kids from my neighborhood started to walk past me to school, and nothing happened, until I looked behind me and saw a cop staring at me. Startled me pretty bad, but then a saw he had a little girl with him (most likely his daughter) and he was walking her to school (awwww.) This next part pissed me off pretty bad, though. As they were walking past me on the sidewalk (about a yard from where I was standing) the cop walked between the little girl and I, but he went OFF the sidewalk to get closer to me in case I went for his daighter, then he could more easily knee me in the balls or whatever he was thinking. Now, yes, I have been standing in a park and seemingly looking at an elementary school for the past 15 minutes, but come on! I live in a pretty small town. He was one of 3 cops we have here.
    • tizz66, on 10/10/2007, -1/+79What do you expect men to do, when you're assumed to be a paedophile if you have contact with any kid not in your own family?
      • jjb123, on 10/10/2007, -1/+43Sometimes even if there in your family.
        • Jonjonr6, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Admittedly, I limit my contact with my 5yo neice. When you're a 34yo single male with no girlfriends, people tend to treat you differently. Even if I'm just paranoid, I feel like my actions are always under a microscope when it comes to kids, especially little girls. For both sides, it's better to be safe than sorry.
    • MrSteamTank, on 10/10/2007, -1/+86My teacher(20 year veteran) from high school got fired for "allegedly" slapping a girl in the butt during gym class. "Allegedly" because only she says he did it. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. Who knows but guilty until proven innocent seems to be the norm when it comes to paedophilia or sexual harassment charges. Too bad public opinion crucifies those found innocent anyways. Entire careers are driven through the mud because of one allegation whether it's true or not.
    • thailand1972, on 10/10/2007, -3/+44You're actually surprised men are responding in this way? Wow.
      • Bukowsky, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0yes. I am very surprised by that. Because if a little kid needs help, then I'm gonna help. I would never have thought that this kid would later accuse me of molestation or that some curious onlooker would think the same.

        and I'm glad I 'wowed' you.
        • AlphabetPal, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0If he needs help as in, help getting out of a burning building, yes, I'm going to help. If he needs help with something and he'll probably survive if I don't step up, no, sorry, it's not worth rotting in jail for the rest of my life. He'll find a woman or his parents and they'll help. A few years ago I was in a public restroom and a little boy walked up to me, with his pants partway down, and said, "Mr, can you help me get my zipper up?" I got the ***** out of there so fast I left skid marks; I probably freaked the poor little kid out, but all I needed was for some cop to walk in on me at that exact moment.
        • AlphabetPal, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0If he needs help as in, help getting out of a burning building, yes, I'm going to help. If he needs help with something and he'll probably survive if I don't step up, no, sorry, it's not worth rotting in jail for the rest of my life. He'll find a woman or his parents and they'll help. A few years ago I was in a public restroom and a little boy walked up to me, with his pants partway down, and said, "Mr, can you help me get my zipper up?" I got the ***** out of there so fast I left skid marks; I probably freaked the poor little kid out, but all I needed was for some cop to walk in on me at that exact moment.
        • Mexiglass, on 10/21/2007, -0/+1sadly they would think that way they see you help this kid which clearly isn't yours or perhaps the parent sees you with her child and he happens to be hurt she freaks and blames you.

          then there is the whole scam side of things a parent uses their child to get you caught in a compromising position and then asks for a bribe not to press charges
    • senfo, on 10/26/2007, -3/+73Actually, I'd say that this article is somewhat comforting because I've never talked to anybody about this for fear that they would label me a pedophile. But even I am guilty of labeling men as pedophiles. If I saw a woman walk up to a family playing in the park and tell the parents how cute and adorable their kids are, I would think little of it. But if a guy walked up and did the same thing, I would wonder what was wrong with him.
      • chipnuts, on 10/10/2007, -3/+14DIgg! exactly...
        • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10Why do you digg him up if that's exactly the problem? I mean no offense, senfo - but isn't profiling the problem we're talking about here in the first place? IMO we all need the courage to NOT react exactly how you're tempted to react.
      • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -3/+29If you really examine why you would feel that way, you'd see that it wasn't because you thought the man was a molestor (unless other signs pointed to it), but because he was not acting the way everyone else was. Most men would never dare tell someone their child was "cute" just like most men will never compliment a woman on the street or at work for the same reasons. When someone ignores this social rule, society views that as strange behavior.

        Even though the hysteria sucks for men, you have to love the delicious irony that results. Women are starved for attention because none of the respectable men will dare say anything complimentary, or even pretend to notice their bodies, for fear of retribution. Women are now sleeping in a bed of their own making, and that makes me happy.
        • sabach, on 10/10/2007, -1/+39A woman I used to work with was working with 2 men, she reportedly said "God I'm horny". The 2 guys looked at each other then one said "Well maybe you should go get some dick then". She filed an EEO suit against him and won. After that nobody except supervisors, not even the other women would speak to her. Women who abuse the system make it bad for everyone, even themselves.
          • diiii, on 10/10/2007, -6/+3I thought you had to have at least one previous complaint on the record and demonstrate that the complaints were ignored before you could sue. That's ridiculous that she won that suit.
            And I don't think it's completely fair to say that "women are sleeping in a bed of their own making." Of course it makes us nervous when some complete stranger comes up to us and says "hey, you've got a nice ass" or even "that dress looks really nice on you" -- a ridiculously high percentage of us have already been victimized (1 out of 4 women is sexually abused before the age of 18, who knows how many get abused in some way as adults) so if we're leery of sexual attention from strangers, you can hardly blame us.
            (Of course, I also don't complain about not getting enough attention from guys. Making the first move has always worked out fine for me and I don't see why other women can't do the same.)
          • sabach, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Let me rephrase, she filed a "complaint". This was in a state prison, they were desperate to keep their quota of single females fully filled. I was taking some classes and found out that my class the following quarter was going to make me an hour late for work 2 nights a week (3rd shift). I heard there was a CO on 2nd shift (black single mother, I am a white married male) who was getting paid Administrative Leave to attend classes. I contacted her and confirmed it so I requested the same. They acted like I had 2 heads and said get back to work. After I filed a grievance their reaction was not to grant me the same privilege but to revoke hers.

            The rest of your comment leaves me with not much to say. If a woman expresses her attraction for a man but it's unwanted and complained about, it's laughed off and he's told to grow up. Reverse those roles and see how different it is. I feel bad for women who are sexually abused but I'm not the one who abused them and don't really know what I can possibly do about it.
        • JFitzpatrick, on 10/10/2007, -1/+20I couldn't agree with you more. I can't tell you how many of my female friends and coworkers constantly lament how the only attention they ever seem to get is from aggressive and impolite guys. I always point out that women as a culture force have forced the art of polite compliments to extinction.
      • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -2/+10you would be surrpised by the fact that men do compliment children.

        Usually their best friend's daughter on how she is a cute little girl.
        Or
        for sons
        how he's going to grow big and strong like his dad.

        MEn do it, but there is a certain way to do this, and you only say this about your friend's kids. Not complete strangers.

        YOu see woman are crazy.
        So they get free passes.
      • theOster, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10i'm the same way - if i find myself smiling at some little kid and the mother is around i consciously think about "does she think i'm leering?" "should i smile differently?" "should i say something to break the ice?" and end up with "i better just leave"
    • chipnuts, on 10/10/2007, -1/+59Being a father of a one-year-old daughter, I feel like I can't take her anywhere without my wife because people will 'assume' I've abducted my own child. Especially if I haven't shaved in a couple days. I literally dread the time when she's older and trying to give her hugs and kisses in public for fear of people thinking I'm a pedophile. This is just ridiculous. And what about when she's a teen and I'm driving around with a couple of her friends in the car? Will I get pulled over because some lady in the car next to me calls the cops on her cell phone and gives them my license plate number?
      I'm not alone in this, obviously, from the previous replies, but also with friends of mine that have daughters as well. It's such a shame.
      • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -13/+4I'm not a dad so I mean this only as a question but - can't you just not worry about it? Why not just not give a damn about what people think and be the dad you want to be? If the cops pull you over, you can make a big stink and I'm that will at least get you a lot of diggs.
        • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18It's not about caring what people think. It's about having what those people think turn into them calling CPS and them taking your kids for no reason
        • chipnuts, on 10/10/2007, -0/+16I appreciate the question! :) I'd like to not worry about it. I'm trying to be the dad I want to be, but it's like I can only do that in the privacy of my own home. And it doesn't really matter if I give a damn or not, if they think that way and act upon it, then I'm the one who has to explain myself. That person who acted gets to just go on with their life, while I have to sit there and explain my intentions of having a couple under age girls in my car. If that's another cost of being a father in this paranoid world, then having my daughter is worth it. It's a sad day when a guy's wife/girlfriend tells him she's pregnant and he has to go to some bureaucratic agency like child services or some such, just to register the fact that he's going to be a dad.
      • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -18/+1I'm not a dad so I mean this only as a question but - can't you just not worry about it? Why not just not give a damn about what people think and be the dad you want to be? If the cops pull you over, you can make a big stink and I'm that will at least get you a lot of diggs.
      • psyon, on 10/26/2007, -0/+27I work from home, so I go out and run errands during the day with my 2 year old. Everyone assumes its my visitation day.
      • psyon, on 10/10/2007, -18/+2I work from home, so I go out and run errands during the day with my 2 year old. Everyone assumes its my visitation day.
    • sabach, on 10/10/2007, -1/+33When my daughters were growing up I occasionally needed to drive some of their friends home after a sleepover, campout, etc. I wouldn't do it unless my daughter came along. I'm glad they're all grown up now and I don't have to put up with the madness going on today.
    • SheilaNoya, on 10/10/2007, -0/+68I have two male friends who are both paranoid to be around children now. One is a teacher who loves children, but he has seen other teachers in his school get accused of sexual misconduct for ridiculous things like putting their hands on a girl's shoulder. He stays arms length away from all of his students now, out of fear. The other friend is a guy who was arrested for peeing in an alley while walking home from a downtown bar. The cop charged him with lewd behavior and now he is listed as a registered sex offender. He's scared to death to be around children now. It's a shame that we can't find a way to separate the real predators from people who have no bad intentions at all.
    • Lennalf, on 10/10/2007, -0/+57If I'm walking behind a woman on the sidewalk late at night, sometimes I'll just walk across the street so the woman doesn't think she's being followed. Ironically, I'm exactly the kind of person who would try to protect a woman from an attacker. I'm sure this is the case with the vast majority of us, and yet the assumption is often the complete opposite.

      Now, kids on the other hand... I just avoid kids because I don't like kids.
      • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -2/+40I used to do that, but now I figure "***** them." I'm not going to go out of my way to reinforce their stereotypes. If they want to be all paranoid they can suffer the consequences of that, I'm not going to bear the burden of their paranoia.
        • tizz66, on 10/10/2007, -0/+29"I used to do that, but now I figure "***** them.""

          It's that type of thinking that'll get you into trouble ;)
        • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Its not that people will judge you badly, its that the cops will arrest you. So not ***** them, them ***** you
        • Jonjonr6, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1And then they peper spray you and run. I do believe a woman could peper spray a man without reason, essentially assaulting him, and get away with it. For that matter, she could even still have him arrested or have someone kick his ass for just making her nervous.
      • genericcynic, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1Isn't it wonderful that we have an excuse to avoid children! :-)

        ("people will think I'm a pedophile, so I can't help you guys by taking your kids out to play (except playing football and computer games)"
    • n0gnuz, on 10/26/2007, -0/+28"Men are really doing this? going out of their way to avoid kids??? "

      The fact is that a lot of women and children use false allegations -- or misinformed allegations -- of abuse against men. Men who obey the traditional roles of protector and enforcer of rules in European-American society are opening themselves up to incredible liability, and false and exaggerated charges of abuse are endangering women and children. Just like teachers, men are now in the unenviable position of needing to call the police whenever they see an issue involving women or children, an escalation that would have been considered unthinkable just a couple of decades ago.

      Another angle: Women with children still expect men to be "good with kids," despite the fact that men are being conditioned to limit their liability WRT to children. Society needs men to protect women and children, and to discipline the latter, more than ever, but as the situation deteriorates, men are are going to continue to withdraw from those roles. This withdrawal by moral men fuels the problems of women and children being abused by immoral men/women.

      The child abuse/molestation hysteria is the modern-day witchcraft scare.
      • yfguitarist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0See "Little Children" for a scene that depicts a sex offender using a public swimming pool in an embarassing display of mass hysteria akin to "Jaws". It makes me embarassed to be human.
      • diversionmary, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1My sister and two friends (1 boy 1 girl) were at a club in Sacramento. In the girl's bathroom my Sister and her girl friend attracted the attention of some violent mouthy skanks, but it seemed to end there and everyone went about their night.

        After they left the club, the skanks came up behind my sister and her friend and started hitting them in the head with their shoes and pulling her friend's hair. The guy that was with them tried to break things up when the girl friend hollered to some guys that were nearby. The other guys came up and started wailing on my sister's guy friend thinking that it all involved him. His jaw still clicks but his concussion faded pretty fast. Nothing happened with/to the girls who attacked them.
    • musicbear, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18Right here on Digg there was a story about a photographer who photographed families and some naked babies underwater. They were harmless family oriented cute type stuff. The comments were filled with people afraid to even have the site come up in their history for fear of being labeled a child molester.
    • SuperWinner, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11Meanwhile every second episode of CSI is about child molesters. I wonder if they are exploiting this issue for profit and blowing it way out of proportion in the process??
    • caponumen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, it's not worth the risk. So this already sick society is getting sicker by the minute. Again you can thank the media for creating this climate of insane fear.
  • Shigglyboo, on 10/10/2007, -4/+153the sexual offender thing is getting wayyy outta whack. kinda like everything else seemingly...
    a 17 y/o getting a BJ from a 15 y/o is not the same as a 40 y/o molesting an 8 y/o. the law does not differentiate. and the label sticks with you for life. I was guilty of being a sex offender when I turned 18 because my girlfriend was 1.5 years younger. that's just ***** up. but I guess you can't really put a "common sense" clause in the law....

    oh well. que sera sera
    • cygnus2112, on 10/10/2007, -1/+32Some states have enacted "Romeo and Juliet" clauses.
      • Pilot85, on 10/10/2007, -2/+108You both have to commit suicide?!
      • WhereAmI, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Unfortunately for Shigglyboo his didn't. Mine doesn't either.
    • Ellipsys, on 10/10/2007, -1/+45Exactly right. Sex offender laws should be for violent sexual harassment and rape. Not getting drunk and peeing outside where a woman just happened to see. Not receiving consensual oral sex from someone who just so happens to be under 18 if you're over it (within reason), not from pubescent statutory in any case (Ie. Guy who's 25 goes to bar, girl, having boobs and fake ID that says she's 22, actually gets into bar being 16. Girl goes after guy, guy takes girl home believing she's 22. Now she can blackmail him into anything. ) , and certainly note "rape" cases that just arrive because some woman changed her mind /after the fact/ or was pissed that he wasn't going to be her girlfriend etc....

      Sex offenders are the only people who are not "free" after their sentence is over - they have to wear tracking devices, report to employers, tell other residents they're a sex offender...its humiliating and pretty much assures that any sort of civil life is over for a person. This should be limited to the very worst of society, violent rape cases proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.
  • lOvOl, on 10/21/2007, -18/+206I am a single 31 year old male who lives alone and I would probably be more civically minded, especially with regards to the kids in the community, but the risks are too severe because of the fact men are presumed to be guilty on the whim of any accusation by a woman or child. Your safest bet as a man is to avoid all women and children altogether, but obviously you have to engage women at some point if you ever want to have a family.

    Aside from my girlfriend, I actively avoid talking to pretty much all women for a variety of reasons, but I will NEVER EVER, get myself in a situation with another female where there are no reliable witnesses involved. The same goes with kids. That means I will give a guy who doens't have a car a ride somewhere to help him out, but in no way in hell would I do the same for a woman or a kid, unless I felt the person was in danger and even then it is a big if. Until the feminists are ridden out of our justice system, men cannot expect a fair shake on any accusation by a woman or a child and until that happens, a man is wise to avoid them unless he feels playing Russian Roulette is a fun game to play.

    A year or so ago, I was working out in my garage in the neighborhood where I lived and two probably 13 or 14 year old girls approached me and started to flirt with me. They asked me to take off my shirt and there was not much I could really say other than to try and flatter them in such a way that they don't get angry because I wanted to tell them to take their whorish asses home to their parents where they could be grounded for life. Nevertheless, being cognizant that I was in a very dangerous situation, I just flattered them and ignored them and went inside my house. After they left, I made it a point to immediately talk to two of my neighbors who happened to be outside to describe what had happened so that if they wanted to set me up for rejecting their advances, then I would have at least some credibility on my side as far as being the one to expose what had just happened, rather than keep the whole thing quiet because then it is just your word against theirs and in our feminist dominated justice system, men lose almost all of the time.

    It is sad because you can't really say anything to kids whatsoever these days without going to jail. If a girl is dressed inappropriately and you suggest she should cover up, you can be prosecuted for sexual harassment for just noticing that she is dressed like a street whore and you then get labeled as a sex offender.

    Until women realize what feminism has done to this country, nothing is going to change because women are almost always single-issue voters and when it comes to the vagina lobby, no Democrat nor Republican, dare goes up against it. While men care about a complex set of issues, women only seem to care about issues that affect them directly. Politicians and corporate executives know this, so in spite of politics and corporations being dominated by men, all of these men kowtow to feminism because the men at the top could care less how much the men at the bottom suffer for this misandry.

    The best thing a sane man can do nowadays is aside from dating, you should avoid women and children like the plague. I don't hate children and I love children like any decent person does, but the risks are just too great in this day and age for one unfair and unsubstantiated accusation by a woman or a child to ruin your life forever.

    I feel even more sorry for single dads. It must suck extra hard to be viewed as a sexual predator by all the feminists and manginas out there for holding your daughters hand when you cross the street.
    • brianbb98, on 10/10/2007, -72/+5you wrote a little too much for us on digg....
      • longbow486, on 10/10/2007, -1/+26maybe for your little mind, besides he made alot of great points
      • ladyarcher85, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13And I read every word he posted.
        He made lots of good points and after reading the article and reactions of the men, I can't help but feel sorry for them.
        But I am more sorry for the children, baby girls who might not get to experience how its like to bond with their dads outside their homes. Many of my memorable experiences were spent with my late father.
        Here in my country the Philippines, I'm just glad that things have not yet escalated to this kind of madness but looking at how these feminists organizations and other NGOs are doing, the time is nearing too.
    • Blackmane, on 10/10/2007, -61/+4Wow thats nearly as long as the article itself. My head nearly exploeded
      • carpespasm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+46you'd better avoid book then, i hear they can have much more writing than a digg comment even!
    • Sinistocrat, on 10/10/2007, -51/+2You're a single 31 year old with a girlfriend?
      • GawtMilk, on 10/10/2007, -1/+22He lives alone. He's not single.
      • CanceledCzech, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14Yeah, how can you be single and have a girlfriend? And why is that a bad thing?
        • mcprogrammer, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Single == not married
        • RickyBennett, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2no single means not having a girlfriend or being married if you have a girlfriend you ant single
          • shark615, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Except when it comes to taxes and other goverment forms.
    • unclemeat, on 10/10/2007, -10/+38Feminazis are what you're talking about corrupting the justice system. Feminists are simply people who believe in equal right for men and women, not a female bias.
      • rompom7, on 10/10/2007, -8/+41Feminists want equal rights for women and men, so they push all this PC speak such as 'chairperson' (I'm not a chair??) and 'congressional representative' instead of 'congressman'.. But then they go and call their movement 'feminism'? Thats more a lot more sexist than saying 'mankind' when referring to humanity...
        • xtmno3, on 10/10/2007, -2/+21Just wait until the day when you can no longer call them humans, but hupersons
        • ChuyMatt, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Humanism was already taken.
      • mxcl, on 10/10/2007, -4/+29You're right, but most people who openly label themselves feminists are basically man haters. I'm feminist technically, but I'd never classify myself publicly that way. Dictionary definitions don't always cross over into real life.
        • Imus, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1This is a direct result of conservative pundits like Limbaugh. They've redefined "liberal" and "feminism" to fit their pogrom. Their next target: "freedom".
      • wavenger, on 10/10/2007, -2/+11It's a wacky, antiquated term and it shouldn't be used. You have to use either doublethink or postmodern discourse in order to understand it as what you say.

        Does it presuppose that women are weaker than men and need to be lifted up? Will the term change if women ever gain the upper hand? Will the term, in fact, prevent people from recognizing that womaen are in a stronger relative position because they are conditioned to look for women's suffering?

        Does it suppose that the feminine experience is universal - that "feminine" applies to both men and women, but "masculine" only to men?

        I don't think I'm so outlandish for thinking that words should make sense, especially words which are meant to describe an ideology.
      • Nerotique, on 10/10/2007, -2/+22Sorry, but while feminists 'claim' they want equal rights for both men and women it's not that simple. The word 'feminist' is gynocentric to begin with. Why not use a word like 'humanist?" Feminists seek all means possible to end what they call the 'patriarchy.' You may not hate men, but if you claim to be a feminist at all, you're just a pawn in the biggest legalized hate movement ever imagined.
        • ChuyMatt, on 10/10/2007, -8/+3HUMANISM IS TAKEN!!! It really is. It was a movement after the 15th century, guys.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism#History

          At the time it was formed it was all about women, so, I agree the term needs to be updated, but quit getting pissy about nothing.
          • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7WAIT A ***** MINUTE! Are you telling me that a woman-centric title like FEMINISM is "nothing" to get pissy about, but "Congressman" and "fireman" IS? Did it occur to you that this is exactly WHY men hate you?
      • merm, on 10/10/2007, -9/+3>Until the feminists are ridden out of our justice system, men cannot expect a fair shake on any accusation by a woman or a child and until that happens, a man is wise to avoid them unless he feels playing Russian Roulette is a fun game to play.

        "Feminism" actually liberates both males and females from stereotypes and roles placed on them arbitrarily by society. Females don't benefit from stereotyped men anymore than the reverse (and the above post gives one example where the author second-guesses picking up a child or woman in distress because of the potential liability involved - how could this possibly benefit the "feminist".)

        It's unfortunate that feminism has come to mean "male abuse" to many - it's simply not what the philosophy is about. "Feminism" is more about letting individuals be considered outside of their gender/race roles - stamping out "feminism" will hurt both men and women - it's stereotypical and arbitrarily imposed gender roles that need to be readdressed by society. But I'm sure both men and women will suffer a lot more before society can handle letting individuals be individuals.
        • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10I think feminists would gain a lot of support if they practiced the change they wish to effect. You can't claim to want people to be judged by the content of their character instead of their sex while being openly hostile to men. As Ghandi put it, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

          I grew up with a feminist mother, and her mother as well, not to mention her friends who babysat me. It didn't help that my father wasn't a strong male role model, but was one of those apologetic men always accepting the crack of the whip from the woman of the house. Don't tell me what feminism is. They hate men. They hate them to the point of being openly hostile, even to their own children. I had babysitter who would let my sisters swim in the pool while I had to sit in the house and watch them. My mother wouldn't interact with her own infant son any more than necessary. I was just an accidental interruption in a series of girls. This isn't isolated behavior either. It wasn't an accidental or a coincidentally bad childhood. These women are everywhere and they are poisoning the well for everyone. This doesn't even begin to take into account the series of witches and whores I encountered for the next 30 years. I know there are good women, but they're too hard to find. Their signal is lost in the noise, so to speak. I don't have the energy or skill to find them. Think of it like this: Not all that is found in the ground is dirt, but if you go digging for gold - even for a lifetime, you're still not likely to find anything but dirt. I just choose not to spend my time digging and take the intellectual shortcut of considering everything in the ground to be dirt. It works 99% of the time.
        • toxicshok, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Wow, you and mean had the same childhood, knew I wasn't the only one
      • melat0nin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18I agree. If you haven't already, you should read the books of Warren Farrell, who was a feminist (and chairman of NOW - National Organisation for Women) but then realised that beyond the (massive) good that feminism has done in the past, it has become a movement not of equality but of anti-male sentiment and female-victimhood-as-rote.
        • ChuyMatt, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6That is second wave feminism. and there have been, so far, 3 waves of it. The third wave has a lot to do with sexual freedom (and some people say slut-hood) and the encompassing of general civil rights. These movements change over time and mature. Bash the idiots who become extremists, not the good of the movement.
      • Kikinou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15Feminists have become sort of like what labor unions became after achieving their original purpose -- corrupt entities that went too far with the aim of getting revenge on their former oppressors.
      • Kbeet, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I agree. I think it is human nature to take things to the extreme...milk things for all they are worth. Women know what they can get away with and some of them do it. As a woman I find I get a lot of peer pressure from other women to "bash" men. It is unfortunate because all these anti-women comments are the result.
    • satx, on 10/10/2007, -46/+4Damn, you're a pussy.
    • rhabd0mancer, on 10/10/2007, -38/+6You need psychiatric treatment for your paranoia.
    • Sithlrd, on 10/10/2007, -17/+36If it weren't for sex, there would be a bounty on women. They're evil. Date em, dick em, dump em. Don't get married if you dare to think that your opinion matters.
    • OutThisLife, on 10/10/2007, -6/+12Turn gay.
      • rhabd0mancer, on 10/10/2007, -16/+3It sounds like he already is gay.

      • john570, on 10/10/2007, -2/+20I wish I were gay sometimes. It would be easier in today's society. Instant minority status and women automatically do not feel threatened. Alas... I love pussy.
        • tizz66, on 10/10/2007, -0/+20Your problem is you keep puttin the pussy up on a pedestal...
        • musicbear, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2We put pussy on a pedestal, but then we want to eat it too.
        • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -4/+3Seeing that I'm black. I think I'll just stay straight.
          • wheresmysnack, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4What the hell does being black have to do with you being straight?
          • murder1, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I think he was talking about the minority status part.
        • zombies187, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Turn Buddhist.
        • fyngyrz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"Alas, I love pussy"

          No, no, it's ok, you *are* gay. What we're seeing here is your inner lesbian coming out.
    • zdislaw, on 10/10/2007, -28/+8You might have made a couple of half-way good points in there, but I had trouble seeing through all the woman-fearing paranoiac ravings. I suggest therapy.
    • mxcl, on 10/10/2007, -2/+26Great post, I can't help but agree. Sucks to be a man this century. But we have to just get on with it I guess. Not worth posting this sort of intelligent comment on Digg though since most people who comment here are morons.
      • musicbear, on 10/10/2007, -0/+19It doesn't suck to be a man, it sucks they we have to put up with what women put up with in this culture. They get to be the fickle helpless woman who can get her way with a bit of sass and a tight shirt filled with huge fun bags, but then they want to be taken seriously like Hilary Clinton, but then they want to be maverick girl power princesses - doing their own independent thing! Then they want to be able to flirt all day, but NO MEANS NO!! What? They want to be taken seriously, but young women are still getting scholarships through beauty pageants where they get by on looking like 25 year old models with huge fun bags, while puking up everything they eat in sky rocketing numbers of eating disorders? They want to be mavericks and be taken seriously, but then run home to see what Lindsey's up to? They want to be independent but dream the ultimate dream to have the most expensive fantasy fairy tale princess wedding ever, set in a gothic castle where the man they've picked will only forever there after cater to her needs and tend to her feelings? Now I can't tell a part time worker that she needs to wear pants that don't show her thong and the crack of her butt without another woman superior being present lest it get turned into harassment. In the words of Kevin Rose, "Sometimes you just gotta shake a bitch."
    • tendonut, on 10/10/2007, -4/+44I'm 22 and I used to work at a middle school as a computer tech for a few years before being promoted to an out-of-schools position. I dealt with the kids and teachers on a one-on-one level all the time, and I can assure you, these girls WANT you to advance on them. I would get flirted with constantly but I would just brush them off over and over. Then they would come on stronger and stronger and I would have to push them away even more. Typically, it all worked out in the end because most of these girls were caught ***** the boys in the bathrooms and get suspended. I felt dirty just noticing these girls were either wearing thongs or going commando, but it's not exactly hard. See-through white pants with a black g-string holding their 6th grade math book bending over intentionally right in front of you so when you look up from your laptop, BAM! Either they want to get every male teacher in trouble or they just have no idea how inappropriate they are dressing and acting.
      • Lennalf, on 10/10/2007, -19/+1uh... or they want attention from boys their AGE?
        • wavenger, on 10/10/2007, -0/+16Most women go for older men.
        • ZenMojo, on 10/10/2007, -6/+3Most WOMEN go for older men because it's what's sort of engendered through societal roles. A ton of older women actually prefer younger men.

          And these aren't women, these are girls.
          • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10Oh yes, everything's society's fault.

            Older women only prefer younger men when they are old enough to be financially secure on their own. Before that it's all about the money, hence older men.
          • fyngyrz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Money, security, status. In the case of young women, it is cars, entry into expensive venues (from ski resorts to restaurants to whatever), status among their peers, expensive gifts, clothing, a lift out of the day to day routine of high school boredom. It was the rule - not the exception - for young high school girls to date older guys in the 60's and earlier (yeah, I'm that old.) Today's pendulum is swinging against the tide of human nature, and you can bet it will swing back eventually. The nutcases have control today everywhere from the courts on down and *especially* in the media, but it'll change, just like everything always does.

            In the meantime, guys will have to watch their step. because as anyone with half a brain knows, it isn't about what is right, it isn't about what is sensible, it isn't about what is ethical or moral, it is about what is legal and what society will accept. Toe that line, make sure you can't be perceived as crossing it, and you'll probably be ok, as long as no one falsely accuses you for other reasons, in which case, you're *****.

      • Kbeet, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Unfortunately, I don't think most of them do realize what they are doing. Women's lib makes it out as though all women are just as horny as men all the time. Young girls aren't taught to be modest anymore...so when they are young, they most likely are acting sexual even when they don't understand it or know what it is. It is really a shame.
    • Vesperan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+36This is a problem not just in the US, but other Western countries. It's pretty damn ripe here in NZ.
      Example from my work: another guy in my team (50ish) has two daughters (12, 14 years old), and every so often he takes them out camping. They want friends of theirs to come along, but he feels (and I agree) it is too risky for the friends to go if he is the only adult. Consequently, when a new girl in our team (my own age, 24) mentions that she was looking to go camping with some of her friends, he straight away asks her whether she is interested in accompanying him. The kicker: I'm also looking to go camping -indeed I will be going with the new girl at some point and he knows this- but he can't ask me along as I'm a guy. Two guys in the presence of children are potential predators, whereas having a women along makes everything fine. Nothing like the smell of faulty logic early in the morning.
      Anyway, so not only is he shafted due to paranoia, but I am as he has decades of hunting experience that would be great learn.
      The irony: new girl never wants children or to be tied down looking after children. While I'm not planning on having children I'm certainly not against the concept as she is.
    • jerbaker, on 10/26/2007, -6/+34"While men care about a complex set of issues, women only seem to care about issues that affect them directly."

      This sums up women in general, and it's not limited to politics. EVERYTHING that women do is about how the world affects them. When they drive, they don't care if you have to slam on your brakes and swerve into the next lane to avoid plowing into their out-of-driveway maneuver. Why should they? It doesn't affect them. Ever notice on public transportation how often it is women who shove their way to the front of the line to get on/off the train/bus? Same goes for elevators and escalators. Almost every day some fat whore will be behind me and actually rush her fat ass to get in front of me on the escalator and then just stand there so I can't continue walking up the escalator. Someone even did a study (I should have saved it) about the demographic of people who got into the "10 or less" items line at the grocery store with carts full of stuff. Two guesses ... yep, overwhelmingly women. Next time you're in the store take careful note of who parks their carts in the middle of the aisle so that nobody can get by. Some men, but overwhelmingly women.

      It's part and parcel of how they think. I don't know if they aren't aware, or if they just don't care about how what they do affects those around them, but the effect is the same regardless. It's not even selfishness because that requires someone to think of others. They are just oblivious to others in all senses of the word. It's not that they don't care about you, they didn't even think of you.
      • thak1ngp1n, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15Your so right man, noticed this a zillion times. Its a one track mind on THEM. Whether driving a car or a shopping cart the focus is always straight ahead never peripheral. When's the last time a woman stopped to let you pull out of your driveway or make a left turn. Unless its directly infront of them or affects them directly they dont give a *****.
        • Kbeet, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Well I do let people pull out. I try and be considerate. I am a woman. I am so amazed at these comments...are there no women on here?! I can't blame you guys though...I even have negative thoughts about a lot of women. Women have complete freedom these days but do you ever stop and think that maybe they were never really taught how to handle it? I don't know...I find all these comments so sad and upsetting...
          • sabach, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"I find all these comments so sad and upsetting..." I do too, and I've made these same observations many times. Many level-headed women (including my wife) tell me they hate working with other women and really appreciate the presence of men in the workplace because they keep things running smoothly. Mind you, I'm not saying this, other women are.
      • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -9/+7Okay - lOvOl made some good points but both of you are being reactionary and a bit misogynistic. It's a characterization to say that women only care about one issue and you've gone even further. I agree that what the original article deals with is outrageous. But what you guys are doing is essentially the same thing: demonizing women in the same way that you've been demonized. Isn't unfairness what we're trying to avoid?
        • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14Yes, I do demonize women because it is logically economical. What do I mean by that? The consequences of a false positive are small, while treating all women as potentially thoughtful, considerate people and getting a false positive is extremely painful and has caused years of pain in my life. Whereas there are a small portion of men who are actually sexual predators, the proportion of women who behave as I have described is very high. In my day-to-day experience I encounter them at least every 15 - 30 minutes while out and about. Do you encounter male sexual predators every 15 minutes?
        • knobtwiddler, on 10/10/2007, -8/+1yes, they won't stop touching my vagina.
      • pbgswd, on 10/10/2007, -10/+5Your statistics is flawed. The reason that there are more female idiots in a supermarket, is because there are more female that are expected to shop for their family or even just significant other. People can be idiots period. For example if you take 100 women and 10 men at a supermarket, then observe 10 idiot women and only 1 idiot man, you might think that women are idiots. However, if you calculate accordng to percentage of total of each gender, it would be exactly the same percentage.
        • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Except I don't see more women than men. Go count yourself and learn.
      • ZenMojo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11I hate to say it, as I don't usually cater to stereotypes and have to disagree with every other stereotype I've heard on this board ... but, yeah, women tend to be just plain self-absorbed. I discovered this trend (not a general fact) as my little half-sister grew up. She was kind, sweet, caring, and outgoing until the day she started getting pit sweat, breasts, and underarm hair. Suddenly, as if a switch turned on, she started avoiding her friends' phone calls, hanging out with new kids, treating her old ones like they didn't exist.

        I was raised by my mom who is pretty much a hardcore feminist, so you would think I would never have acquired this stereotype as part of my meme, but of all of the things said bad about women, this sense of self-entitlement and self-absorption is the ONLY thing she told me was actually true. I hate saying it, but I gotta agree.
    • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -18/+4Wow. I think that I finally understand the perverse passive-agressive behavior of one of my male coworkers now. Thank you so much for articulating the paranoid ravings of a misogynist so that I can witness the logic of sexism.

      Feminism is equal rights for men AND women. I would like to live in a society that doesn't subjugate one sex to another and in which people are not afraid to have open discussions with each other without being PC or living in abject terror. Your posture of fear and animosity only fosters hate. Women are not sexual objects out there to "get you in trouble." They are human beings. There are malicious people of all sexes, races and creeds - it is a mistake to apply this to an entire sex.
      • 35263526, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10True, women in general are not. Unfortunately, until a man has done something "wrong", it's often pretty hard to tell the bad ones from the good, and if it happens to be a bad one, you can end up screwed for life. Pretty much that means it's in a man's best interests to be extremely cautious. It's not a nice situation for anyone but it's reality.
        • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -8/+1Surely there is a middle ground between not letting yourself be alone with an underage female and calling women whores.
          • mcprogrammer, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5He never called women whores.
          • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -5/+0actually he used the term twice.
          • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9yea he said.

            "some fat whore."
            meaning some fat woman.

            he didn't say "all women are whores."

            didn't even imply that.

            thus youa re proving him to be right using your logic nmikysa.
        • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5there is no middle ground. Just chaos.
      • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -1/+19If you think various groups of people don't share similarities in behavior, you're just in denial. As science discovers ever more links between genetics and behavior, you still cling to the notion that every human being is born a blank slate with identical possibilities - boys are just little girls with penises. Why do you discount the idea that the DNA that causes women to produce estrogen instead of testosterone, and have a clitoris instead of a penis, miraculously has zero effect on their personality? It's completely ignorant. In fact, I know you are fully aware that hormones affect behavior. It stands to reason that genetic differences mixed in with hormonal differences will effect even greater differences.

        Feminism is NOT about equal rights for men and women any more than Bush cares about the environment. Saying something is so doesn't make it so. Feminism, as practiced in this country, is about figuring out how to assign blame to men for every negative thing women experience. Tired of perverts whistling at you in your skin-tight mini skirt - that's men being assholes. Boyfriend/husband didn't notice your new miniskirt - that's men being unobservant idiots. We can't look or not look. We're ***** either way. Men aren't around to help raise children - what a bunch of irresponsible pricks. Men want to be around children - what's wrong with that pedophile?

        If feminism was about equal rights, why is it named for women? Where are the feminists fighting the anti-man bias in family courts? Don't give me that *****. Go hang out in any group of men, and then in any group of women, and then come back and tell me which sex is filled with contempt for the other. Women are just pissed because their free ride is coming to an end and men are tired of their *****.
        • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -11/+0If you would have actually read my comment you have noticed that I advocated honest non-PC discussions. I never claimed that nature has no influence and that there are no biological determinants to personalities, I claimed that women were not "whores" and "evil."

          feminism
          One entry found for feminism.
          Main Entry: fem·i·nism
          Pronunciation: 'fe-m&-"ni-z&m
          Function: noun
          1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.
          Well, jeez, it sounds to me like equality is the goal! I don't know why people need to make this black and white - there is no blanket profile of either sex. Some men are assholes, some women are too. I would LOVE to see this free ride you are talking about. Women still make eighty cents on the dollar. http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2004-08-26-women_x.htm

          I know what point you are going for with the miniskirt example, but for every woman who enters a professional career she is judged not just on her accomplishments but on her looks. I cannot NOT be looked at - did you ever stop to think about how much that sucks? What it must be like to try to be a human being and treated like a sexual object by the rude and misogynistic? For all this reactionary talk I can only say that I have been grabbed, ogled, harassed and heard disgusting things said about me and actually didn't report it because it creates such an issue. I also have to deal with people who blame my looks when I get ahead and who make jokes about "sand in the vagina" whenever a woman has a grievance whereas a man is perfectly justified for saying the same thing. And do I make statements that all men are bad or just trying to keep women down? No, because I understand the spectrum of human behavior and realize that some people MEN AND WOMEN are opportunistic jerks.

          "Go hang out in any group of men, and then in any group of women, and then come back and tell me which sex is filled with contempt for the other." Better yet, take a look at this column and see which side is more filled with vitriolic contempt and an inability to see the pressures facing both sides and the mistake in blanket generalizations.

          • ShadowMerchant, on 10/10/2007, -3/+4Shut your gob and cook my supper, bitch.
          • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5"Better yet, take a look at this column and see which side is more filled with vitriolic contempt and an inability to see the pressures facing both sides and the mistake in blanket generalizations." yes, please do that and apply some logic to it and then get back to us on your false notion of what feminism has become. if you think feminism is in any way related to your given definition any more, you're as naive as they come.
          • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7"I know what point you are going for with the miniskirt example, but for every woman who enters a professional career she is judged not just on her accomplishments but on her looks."

            And men AREN'T? There are women bosses you know. Have you ever listened to women talk about men? They're worse than men.

            "I cannot NOT be looked at - did you ever stop to think about how much that sucks?"

            I can imagine. It makes me happy too. Do you know why? Because women brought it upon themselves. Only the perverts and creeps dare look at you or offer a compliment. That's the doing of women. Live with it.

            "Better yet, take a look at this column and see which side is more filled with vitriolic contempt and an inability to see the pressures facing both sides and the mistake in blanket generalizations."

            The problem is that the pressures on women come from women, as do the pressures on men.

            Has any woman every contemplated how utterly frustrating is is to be biologically programmed to be attracted to women? I hate women. Overwhelmingly the women in my life have been evil, selfish, and wicked people. I hate the fact that I am physically attracted to them. It's a ***** curse that afflicts me every damned day. I pride myself on the ability I have slowly mastered over the years of resisting this attraction. My life is much happier without them.
          • thetinguy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5How much do men and women make in the SAME EXACT job? The same. That whole 78 cents in every dollar is a result of men taking higher risk and higher paying jobs.
        • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Yes, but he clarified in practice.

          Definitions don't carry into the real world.
          nmikysa you are again proving this guy's logic to be correct. Please use stronger arguments.

          dugg down bitch.
        • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -7/+0I was a fool to introduce reason in a discussion among retards.
          • LordofShadows, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5"Wow. I think that I finally understand the perverse passive-agressive behavior of one of my male coworkers now. Thank you so much for articulating the paranoid ravings of a misogynist so that I can witness the logic of sexism."
            "If you would have actually read my comment you have noticed that I advocated honest non-PC discussions."
            "I was a fool to introduce reason in a discussion among retards."

            I really dont think being judged based on looks and being harrased by jerks (who you are too afraid to report) compares to what men have to put up with.
        • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1your a fool for introducing pseudo-logic in the guise of logic; fools tend to do that.
        • 300zxer, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Are you smoking out of a Jerome Baker right now?

          1;) DNA that causes women to produce estrogen instead of testosterone, and have a clitoris instead of a penis, miraculously has zero effect on their personality?
          *
          Well I would say that if I was a woman my personality/ character would be vastly different than it is right now. For example I would not have to act protective, financially independent and intelligent as an ideal man in today's society would. Furthermore, supplements and steroids that affect testosterone levels in your body have a substantial affect on personality. So, she is not ignorant as you claimed. And based on this evidence, one might question your level of ignorance.
          *
          2:) Feminism, as practiced in this country, is about figuring out how to assign blame to men for every negative thing women experience

          I would bet my left nut that you have never read any literature on feminism or even socialized with a feminist. But then again I could be ignorant, you know what I mean?

          Dude wake up, it far better to be a man in today's society than a woman. Stop putting her down she is just voicing her opinion. And if you are going to put her down, do not just call her a bitch and think that is good enough. Use reason to and evidence to vindicate your claims that the person is dim-witted, kinda like I did to you.
    • Kikinou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7And the best part is that they hate each other too. You've got a woman running for president, but trust me they're gonna playa' hate her.
  • Napoleone, on 10/10/2007, -10/+82"It's true that men are far more likely than women to be sexual predators."

    The above statement is 100% *****. Let me put it this way. Little boys like boobies, and are less likely to report coming into contact with them. I know this from personal experience, as I was that little boy and enjoyed myself many an older girl. None of them related and none of them in a position of authority over me (teacher, nurse, etc...), with the exception of my then teenage-babysitter.

    I believe women are purposely focusing the attention on men so that the same attention doesn't fall on them. It's a Rev. Haggard, Sen. Craig type deal.
    • SwissCamel, on 10/10/2007, -14/+22Oh! Oh! Dilemma! You make a good point but are clearly talking ***** about having a one on one with your babysitters *****.
    • thailand1972, on 10/10/2007, -0/+13It's an over-focus on sexual abuse, away from the much more prevalent physical abuse (torture, neglect) which is more likely to be carried out by female carers than male carers (statistics bear this out).
      • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -2/+11Which poses an interesting question. Why are males more likely to be involved in sexual relations with children, and women more likely to drown them or chain them to their bed for 10 years? No matter how twisted it is, all sexual predator relationships I have heard of involve men who believe they "love" the child and the child "loves" then in return. What can the women who drown their own children claim? Women are evil.
        • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -2/+11Maybe it has to do with the way our society is - we abhor sex but think violence is no big deal.
        • clark24, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3"God made me do it!"
    • mxcl, on 10/10/2007, -4/+11The studies speak for themselves. Men _are_ more likely to be "sexual predators". Doesn't mean we all are, or even a large percentage of us are. No use denying the truth though mate.
      • wavenger, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Most people are pretty illogical. The use of stereotypes (or "heuristics" as cognitive scientists say) has also been well-documented and frequently leads people to make unreasonable conclusions about their world. So it needs to be reinforced that, for example, most men are not sexual predators, most black men are not criminals, most Muslims are not suicide bombers, etc.
      • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0"The studies speak for themselves." people who are ignorant of science, how it works, and what conclusions can be drawn by what means should never address "studies" ever.
    • MadN, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9My neighbor's 20 year old hot daughter was my sitter when I was 11, I was too sick for school a lot!
    • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14Good point. Let us look at the plethora of teacher/student cases that are occurring these past few years. The majority of the cases are female teacher/male student. And just like South Park says...we don't think that much of a big deal about it. Why? Because guys want sex...all guys...all the time. Whereas women don't...even if they initiate it. What society is telling us that a double standard exists. When an underage male is shtooping his teacher...go him! If the sexes were reversed...the male teacher would be shunned because the underage girl would never...EVER...want to have sex with him. Even FOX news is ignoring this double standard.
      • nmikysa, on 10/10/2007, -3/+7Dugg for the naive assertion that Fox News normally has no bias.

        • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Well I always hear stories about the evils of child predators on there and the cry for more of a crackdown on men "child predators". So I just found it odd that they wouldn't be up in arms about this as well.
  • footodors, on 10/10/2007, -4/+47Thank John Walsh for starting all this. Everybody's a molester until proven innocent

    "voice"
    • GawtMilk, on 10/10/2007, -3/+35John Walsh's kid was decapitated and thrown in a drainage ditch. Blame the feminists who call accidentally touching a woman's breast "sexual harrasment"
      • psyon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10If touching is involved, it would be considered "Sexual Assault"
    • rald84, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10AMW is so 1990s; these days its chris hansen putting the smackdown on bad men.
    • panicofficer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12Walsh is careful to differentiate between "level 3" sex offenders and the kid who's dating a younger girl. I wouldn't have known this but he was on one of the news programs last night talking about it. He supports changing laws so that an 18 year old dating a 15 year old or whatever isn't labeled a sex offender; the Romeo and Juliet clause situation.
  • purty707, on 10/10/2007, -33/+5i love having sex with grown women age 18-21! get at me

    12/m/Ca
    • brianbb98, on 10/10/2007, -2/+33oh to be 12 again..

      or 42 like you.
    • computergod, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Ah Digg, where the men are men, the women are men, and the 14 year old girls are FBI agents.
  • Toophatz007, on 10/10/2007, -30/+7i told her i would kill her puppy if she didn't keep quiet about us
  • Theoxenmooving, on 10/10/2007, -5/+84My friend drives around in a brown Ford Econoline van with 'Free Candy' written on the side. He has a dirty mattress and broken tricycles in the back...

    ...As a joke. and no, I'm not kidding.
    • psyon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Can you tell me where he lives by chance? I need a place to leave a few bod... err... I mean unwanted items.
  • waynetheman, on 10/10/2007, -3/+51@ Bukowsky
    Well, what do you expect? Did you read the stories in the article of what's been going on? Are you aware of just how biased most family courts are? Are you a man who has ever walked alone in informal attire past a playground, only to suddenly notice the mothers eyeing you suspiciously? This is a problem, and unless it's admitted, and addressed, we're going to start seeing some pretty detrimental side-effects. Some might say we already are seeing some.
    You might want to also check out Zaslow's related article, titled "Are we teaching kids to be fearful of men?": http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118782905698506010.html?mod=Moving-On
    It speaks volumes.
    I also noticed--the first article asked what could be done about this. My suggestion: pull a "Galt's Gulch." There seems to be a subconscious belief in modern society that everyone else would be better off without men, so how about letting them actually try it, to some extent? The idea being, that if you exacerbate the problems it causes maybe people will wake up. Ironically, many young men nowadays are doing exactly this, but going far further than I would. Oh sure, they'll bring women into their circle long enough to have sex, but that's about it.
    Final thought: it kinda reminds me of how many people view guns. "Guns? Eeew, how horrid! Get rid of those nasty things!" As if trying to eliminate them, or even just placing ten layers of restrictions and prohibitions on them does a single thing to keep people any safer from the criminals. Similar mindset, it seems.
    • joshtj, on 10/10/2007, -10/+6Perhaps in America because gun saturation is so high that those rules and regulations mean little, but for countries like New Zealand those laws are welcome. Those 'ten layers of restrictions and prohibitions' on them have kept our country virtually free of gun crime (and ownership). We don't have it in our constitution or want it, and comparing the easiness of acquiring a gun to this issue does a disservice to both.
      • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Ya but with NZ's government you don't have to worry about an armed army of roid ragging psychopaths to bust down your door with Jason hockey masks. We're going to need OUR guns someday.
        • lucky644, on 10/10/2007, -7/+0NEED them someday? What, do you still think the british are going to invade?
        • Gryfft, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I don't think it's invaders we need to worry about.
        • pcpimpster, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Who knows when we will need our guns? Random crimes occur in the US all the time. Its like the saying about the condom - Its best to have one on you if its needed rather to not have one at all. Regardless he was making a point to our current government who seems to have no issues stacking laws to the ceiling that are slowly eroding our freedoms. Someday (i hope never) - We may need those guns to fend off our own government not the ***** British.
        • joshtj, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I think that kind of paranoia is not so dissimilar to what's discussed in the article. Such general assumptions are self-perpetuating and damaging to society.
        • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2WEll not, but seeing that someone armed broked into my house. I'm glad I had my desert eagle on me at the time. Shot the bastard in the leg, and got the gun out of his hand.
          oh eya I live in oklahoma.

          I could've legally killed him, and called the police to remove the body off of my property.

          :P
      • ShadowMerchant, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1N.Z. free of gun ownership? Surely you jest. As of 2006, Kiwis are estimated to own about 1.1 million guns. There are 222,704 licensed firearm-owners. Per capita, it's about one-third as many guns as in the US, comparable to Canada and Australia, and many more than England and most other European countries except Switzerland.
        • computergod, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, but not handguns or assault rifles.
    • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2I was going to digg you up until you made an allusion to Ayn Rand. Ah, JK - dugg up; she still sucks though.
  • kaelyiesta, on 10/10/2007, -14/+8As cynical as this sounds, if it keeps those damn little drooling kids away then at least that much good comes from it. I always fear that I might accidentally step on them when I try passing them.
    • ShyGuy91284, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5It does? Not that I've noticed. Kids like 5 and under seem to be willing to run up to anybody and harass them if they are given the opportunity......
  • ropers, on 10/10/2007, -19/+4Only in (US) America...
    • tizz66, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10And the rest of the western world where law is ***** up.
    • linx05, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18I know I bash America a lot but it isn't just them. I remember there was a radio discussion about this. This one male caller rang up and told the host how he found a lost child. Instead of grabbing the kids hand and walking him to a nearby store to find the mother, he told the child to stay where he/she was and went to the store himself. This was out of fear that he would be cast as a sexual predator.

      I see it all the time. It's a sad world we live in...

      p.s. I'm from Australia
  • ShorXrorE, on 10/10/2007, -4/+56"Our society, while declining to profile by race or nationality when it comes to crime and terrorism,"

    HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    • LordSlashstab55, on 10/10/2007, -5/+1That's just to inevitably suck our freedom from us.
  • bugaloobob, on 10/10/2007, -1/+32I'm a man and I avoid kids too....but that's because I don't like them.
    • draniac, on 10/10/2007, -3/+11you are 100% correct
      • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8He's 100% correct that he doesn't like kids?
        • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I'm a male, and I don't like kids also.

          They're annoying. Say goofy *****, and they think its funny, and then they imitate adults.

          bunch of rugrats I say.

          Back when I was kid all we could do was only talk when we were talked to.
    • DarthDubbya, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I'm with you on that one.
  • goettel, on 10/26/2007, -6/+59Anyone from puberty up is considered a sexual partner by most males, no matter how often or how loud they deny it.
    It's that repressed desire that has lead to the current hysteria and mob mentality. Maybe teens aren't high up on most men's list of sexual candidates - since their sexual fitness is generally below that of adults, but denying they're on there might be the biggest lie Western culture has produced.
    It's not perverse to want to have sex with a 15 year old girl, or even a 14 or 13, it's utterly within the human male nature. If you doubt any of this because you buy into the lie, try to read up on other cultures, and the history of your own. Not 150 years ago it was perfectly normal for an 11 year old kid to get married in many parts of Europe. Accept that, and go on with your lives instead of infecting everyone with your hysteria.
    • dinostabOMG, on 10/10/2007, -15/+2You're willing to go as low as 13?

      Nope, sorry.
    • clark24, on 10/10/2007, -13/+4You should've just stopped at "15" and you might have had a fair argument. By the way, not 150 years ago it was perfectly normal to OWN another human being. Does that make it right? The morals of society change and evolve over time. Accept that and go on with your life.
    • darkamster07, on 10/10/2007, -1/+17you are absolutely right, and I comend you for being brave and saying what is obviously true.
    • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2no doubt... the college i attend is in the next town over, and i take public transportation. while waiting for the bus some incredibly hot girl shows up, and i'm stunned. she's gorgeous. where did she just come from? high school. yea, i'm 25 and probably 8-10 years older than this girl, and when i found out her age i stayed back, but eventually said "***** it" and started up a conversation with her. society has placed absurd restrictions on things. it's not as if a 15-16 year old girl doesn't understand the consequences of sex or what it's about, and frankly it's insulting to the teenagers. hopefully i don't run into her again, as i'll be inclined to strike up conversation with her, but of course, this hope is the influence of society that i still cannot shake. hell, if someone over 18 wasn't supposed to be attracted to a developed 16 year old, then why did nature make them to appear attractive to us?
      • MrSteamTank, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4DON'T do anything even remotely sexual with her. Check the laws in your state before you try anything. I'm serious here. You can't imagine how ridiculous the laws can be and how extreme the punishment can become. Remember that she can LIE and you'll be absolutely screwed. Don't think that just because you don't do anything with her you'll be safe.
        • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1yea, yea. typical cowardice. i had a conversation with her, and i said i hope i don't run into her as i know how strict the laws are. do i really care about the laws? no. do i care that she can lie and i'll be screwed? no. i'm not some coward who lives in fear of absurd laws. sorry, but i have a spine.
        • MrSteamTank, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2What is your problem? Are you so insecure about yourself that you resort to attacking me personally?
          As usual people always end up insulting each other's "manliness". Let's see where your "manliness" gets you when your doing 5-10.
          Anyways, going for girls 10 years your junior may be easier than going for girls your age but it's just not worth it. Hopefully you won't have to find out why.





  • ShorXrorE, on 10/10/2007, -30/+5wow this article is so stupid and complete *****. me, and every man i know, have absolutely no problems like this at all. whatever moron wrote this article and those idiots in the article should probably take a clue: if you act awkward and embarrassed around children, and every time you get near one you try to make yourself look like you're NOT molesting them - PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY GONNA THINK YOU'RE A CHILD MOLESTER YOU ***** IDIOTS

    if you ACT like a child molester people will THINK you're a child molester

    i swear to god
    • Kronos6948, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8It's more along the lines if you LOOK like a child molester in someone's eyes.

      I have a very gruff appearance (long hair, goatee, t shirt with slogan and jeans), and when smile at little babies, I usually get bad looks from the mothers. Every once in a while, there will be someone who knows I'm just being friendly and I'll talk with them...but most of the time, I get looks of either fear or disgust.
  • Grimulus, on 10/10/2007, -3/+38The article hit home with me. My girlfriend's two nieces, 3 and 5, are with us a lot and I absolutely refuse to be alone with them. I won't take them to McDonalds or even to their grandparents house, there is just far to much that can be said or that I can be accused of. Good digg.
    • ShorXrorE, on 10/10/2007, -34/+5so what you're saying is...you're just an *****
  • ShorXrorE, on 10/10/2007, -35/+3""All it takes is for one kid to get ticked off at you for something and tell his parents you were acting weird on the campout.""

    is this person a ***** idiot? i have an idea, let's take the well known fact that many boy scout counselors have molested boy scouts...and then make it sound like the boys are lying about it! YEA GOOD IDEA *****

    if you dont wanna take a job then don't take a job. don't try and point the finger at a bunch of kids WHO HAVE BEEN MOLESTED and try to blame it on them

    this article IS AWFUL

    it just plays into a buncha scaredy pants moronic male delusional fantasies about how "bad" they have it
    • WoollyMittens, on 10/10/2007, -1/+16You only see your side of the story. You are part of the problem.
    • DivisibleByZero, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14If you think nobody's ever falsely accused a scoutmaster of molesting them, you're the one who's delusional.
    • spukeesan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14In high school I volunteered as a mentor for middle schoolers with some difficult pasts. It was a good gig, and for the few months I was helping out I thought that working with youth was something I'd really like to do with my life. However, a few months into it one of the adult leaders had picked up two of the girls to bring them to some event we were having. As soon as they pulled up one of the girls burst out of the car and started yelling "HE TOUCHED ME, HE TOUCHED ME!" Every eye there was on the adult leader who had picked them up, and some of the others who had known him for years looked as if they were ready to kill him right then and there. Fortunately the other girl who was in the car came straight, explained that nothing had happened, and everything was dropped... I quit a few weeks after that as I realized how quickly a man's life could've been ruined over a stupid prank. To me it's just not worth the risk.
      • pcpimpster, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Thats an excellent example to prove the point of this story, if that girl would not have come clean and persisted with the lie that dude would have been ***** and all he was trying to do was help.
    • shark615, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7You're a tool. Thats the second stupid post you have submitted.

      Here is what you are missing:

      There have been a lot of accusations of molestation that have been proven false, A LOT. A lot of men have been hosed because of allegations and many have been convicted with little to no evidence. Just the say so of a small child who is open to suggestion. If a man is accused or it is suggested is does these thing thats it he is ruined for life, THATS the problem. Guilty till proven innocent,.
  • ninephoenixes, on 10/10/2007, -1/+19The paranoia here goes both ways. While it's true that the paranoia that parents and society as a whole exhibit is more detrimental, it's not healthy either for men to give in to fears such as these. Otherwise, these socially unhealthy paradigms will only grow stronger.
    • WoollyMittens, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10So men, have to sacrifice themselves to prove a point? You first. I'll attend your trial and wave.
      • ninephoenixes, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15The day I have to stand trial for eating in a resturaunt with my daughter or for hugging her at a playground is the day I push the button that erases the universe.
        • Angostura, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12It would be the day that I counter-sue for harrassment.
        • Onyxblaze, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13I tried pushing it, it's broke.
      • Angostura, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7It's called 'taking a stand' you big softy.
    • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -1/+12It's not healthy to avoid situations which might cost you everything you have? What kind of logic is that?
      • ninephoenixes, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6So I suppose you're perfectly happy with living in this type of environment, then?
    • morpheus69, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2The problem is, to use a favorite term of computer security expert Bruce Schneier, for women acting in a paranoid manner with respect to men is an "externality". They don't pay the price for this behavior. However, for men to display the "courage" you recommend, there is potentially a huge price to pay.
  • Dauragon88, on 10/10/2007, -0/+53Yup, this article pretty much sums up most of my outdoor experiences whilst alone. I am what you call a "triple threat". I'm Male, Black, and I'm from the inner city. You wouldn't believe how ***** tight people hold their kids to them when I am near them on the train. Also, I have learned to be absolutely petrified of...er...more developed teenage girls, because with them I am only one age fib, one argument and one tear filled call to daddy, away from being labeled for statutory rape. Or a shotgun to the face. :D
    • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -5/+7I'm a black male adult also.

      Man I remember one time I was at a bus stop. And the parent held her child's hand so tightly that she broke it XD

      loved it....

      I love the fact tha tI can induce fear just by existing.
      IT's really ***** sad how America ended up, but always remember that we are the ones that they fear.

      Not because we are dangerous, but if given the chance to perform on an equal playing field. We would dominate.
      • noumuon, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2"Not because we are dangerous, but if given the chance to perform on an equal playing field. We would dominate." oh stfu. my marketing efforts will dominate your face.
    • knobtwiddler, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2so you think the world is like a big card game and you've had the deck stacked against you, and if "they" would just make it easy on black folks then you would dominate the other races huh.

      that is ignorant on so many levels. you need to get out of that mind-set my friend because if you impose that idea on yourself and your life, that you are somehow being "kept down" by this playing field that is not level and if it were just fixed in your favor you would do better.. ***** that nonsense. you gota make it happen in spite of all the racist power structures and ignorant mofos out there...

      dont wait for someone to level the playing field for you. its never going to be level. you will always be able to find some unfairness in your life.
  • thailand1972, on 10/10/2007, -2/+20This is all you need to know (from the article):-

    "Men's rights activists argue that our societal focus on "bad guys" has led to an overconfidence in women. (Children who die of physical abuse are more often victims of female perpetrators, usually mothers, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)"

    Women are more likely to be the perpetrator of child abuse than men are, yet men are profiled as being potential child abusers, and women are not. It's a crazy world when feminists get to shape perceptions on who and who isn't a danger to your kids. Also, all this fear-mongering means many kids lose out on father figures - this in itself is a big cause of so many problems in society.
    • cygnus2112, on 10/10/2007, -10/+7That's not what the statistic states. It's more likely that a child will *die* from physical abuse from female perpetrators (mothers) than males. It didn't state women are more prone to abusing children. Reading comprehension is a rarely used gift.
      • Onyxblaze, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Well THAT makes me feel a whole lot better. /sarcasm
      • thailand1972, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9Wrong.

        http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm05/chapterthree.htm#perp

        "Nearly 84 percent (83.4%) of victims were abused by a parent acting alone or with another person. Approximately, forty percent (40.4%) of child victims were maltreated by their mothers acting alone; another 18.3 percent were maltreated by their fathers acting alone; and 17.3 percent were abused by both parents."

        This quote regards abuse overall - not just deaths. The study I link to is from 2005, but show typical figures from numerous other studies. Actually, it's more to do with the fact that single parents have much more opportunity to get away with abuse, and it's not a gender-related problem. But of course, feminists and other politically correct ninnies like to profile men as child abusers.
    • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13I'm surprised that there are such things as "men's rights activists" out there...I thought those would be as taboo as something like "National Association for the Advancement of White People"
  • MoofTheStoof, on 10/10/2007, -11/+12I'm a widower with two kids. I have one boy and one girl. My youngest (girl) is 6 and autistic. I *have* to hold her hand everywhere we go. If I don't she'll wander into traffic or pull things off of store shelves, etc. I have to walk her to class every day at our local public school. I have *never* had anybody treat me suspiciously or negatively for interacting with my child or any other. This whole article was about anecdotes, but I don't think they quite match up with reality. More likely they match up with somebody's paranoid fantasies.
    • WoollyMittens, on 10/10/2007, -3/+12Your reality doesn't match up to his anecdotes? So all the anecdotes are fantasies?
    • cygnus2112, on 10/10/2007, -1/+12I'm a father of a 2 year old. And while most of the time that I take her for shopping or to the playground or just out and about are fine and people respond positively, I have seen the rare "dark look." It makes you self conscious. Read the article again about the father having dinner alone with his daughter and someone calling police on them. The media predisposes people to think that men are perpetrators and molestors. That's all the article is about, and it's right. Whether you want to build some sort of psychological complex and become paranoid about it is up to the individual, but I can understand why some men would rather avoid contact rather than fall under "suspicion". It's from the same irrationality that people avoid black males or think about italians in suits or arabs with long beards.
    • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3But aren't you doing that as well? That is having the basis for your belief in the validity of the claims made in the article solely based on your one personal experience? So it doesn't happen to you. Ok, so does that mean this article is BS or is your one personal example too small a microcosm. I believe the latter.
    • kbeast, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1sir, you probably don't have sweaty palms, unshaven with bed head, and walk with your head down in shame while making eye contact periodically with kids while licking your lips either.
    • Ciffirakkun, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Also, you're situation isn't normal. People most likely notice your daughter is autistic, and in so doing, understand the necessity for the constant hand holding. I've had the great experience of with working with kids with autism, so I know somewhat where you're coming from. As someone already said, just because your "reality" doesn't match up with what the article conveyed doesn't mean the article lacks merit. Perhaps it is a converse fallacy of accident. Most of my guy friends agree with this article, and want nothing to do with kids. It's sad, really. :(
  • indyGuy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+21My extended family didn't want me giving my niece a ride home or to school, etc. They weren't afraid of what I'd do. But they were afraid of how easily her mom could've ruined my life. With my own daughters, I hold their hands in public whenever possible. If someone dares approach me, they're getting a loud "***** OFF".
    • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -8/+3Ya that'll show them you're good for kids! By cursing in their presence!
      • kuzotz, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4bah most kids cuss by the age of 8, but will never let you know until they're 25 and have kids.
  • Dralha, on 10/10/2007, -6/+25Two words: postmodern feminism. In this aberrant philosophy, all men are murderers, rapists, thieves, or adulterers, or any permutation of the four.
  • WoollyMittens, on 10/10/2007, -3/+15Just getting accused is enough to end your professional and personal life. I treat children like radioactive isotopes nowadays.
    • Onyxblaze, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10Shove 'em in a reactor? Just a thought...
  • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -1/+32This is the reason I decided against pursuing a career as a teacher. I am not going to risk my life just to teach. Why do you think teachers, especially of preschool and elementary school children, are overwhelmingly women? It's not like men don't like kids, or don't want to be involved. Our society has made the risks for men too high.
    • cygnus2112, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8While I can fully understand, I have to state that my 3 favourite high school teachers were all male. But I don't think that preschool teachers being primarily women has much to do with fear of being around small children as much as being a teacher has traditionally been a female role, like nurse, flight attendant, etc.
      • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4As strange as it is, I don't think there's as much stigma towards male teachers in middle and high school. Of course, in keeping with the logical nature of public perception, these are the years when men are probably more likely to interact sexually with their students. There are tons of male high school teachers, and even more college professors. Obviously men like to teach, but let's look at why there are so few preschool and elementary male teachers.

        What is the cost to society by denying children interaction with males while they are young? Add that to the number of kids who grow up with single mothers and you really have to wonder. Is it the reason behind adolescent crime?
    • jerbaker, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I like kids a lot. I don't like adolescents because they just piss me off, and I don't have the patience. Young children, however, are great. They are full of questions and a natural curiosity about everything. I enjoy that. I like hearing the stories they invent to explain things they don't understand. Their brutal honesty is particularly enjoyable.

      I know I could be a good teacher. I have a well-rounded education and the gift of explaining complex things in simple terms. Guess what? I'll never get to use my talent to give back to society. The risks are just astronomical. It's sad really. How many people are forced out of their career of choice for fear of losing everything and going to prison?
    • thetinguy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Being an adult is about being responsible and knowing social limits and norms. Adolescents must act like dicks and ***** heads because it teaches them what the limits are. Thats not saying that they all do. But some of them might and they still grow up to be nice people.
    • Stay521, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I agree that men are more often targets, but just for the record women have to be careful too. I am a 23 year old woman, and I recently started teaching the third grade. The principal met with all the new teachers (all women) on the first day and went over the policies. Almost every single one of them had to do with "no touching" of any kind. Then on the third day of school a student gave me a hug. I am not allowed to hug back. I have to offer a handshake as an alternative. Not for nothing, but that's a little ridiculous.
    • zombies187, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0Dugg for being a pussy.
      I WOULD teach, but...
      I guess you ll have to settle for a more selfish job.
  • senfo, on 10/10/2007, -8/+7I blame Michael Jackson.
  • tanto, on 10/10/2007, -14/+5Many children are abused before they come to understand anything about sex. To abuse a child sexually is a heinous crime. You never know when the child may be abused sexually unless you know where your child is and with who? It is very important to know about the whereabouts of the child and the people with them.
    http://orangtuamurid.info/blog/2007/06/06/how-to-protect-your-child-from-sexual-abuse/
    • agentx216, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0And many children abuse themselves sexually when they become teenagers. So let's isolate all children from each other...because those girls and boys should be kept from being so close to each other!

      /sarcasm
  • DJS2005, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18"Men are really doing this? going out of their way to avoid kids??? " Damn straight. I guess it de