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April 8, 2011
This Week in Sex: Why are we so fascinated with sex offenders?
A look at some new national laws, and more news from the world of sex.
By Ben Reininga
Sex offenders banned in public places in U.S. counties
America's weird fascination with sex offenders continues: two U.S. counties formally banned sex offenders from public places, just this week. In Yakima, WA, they were banned from using public swimming pools, while in Orange County, California, the ban included harbors, beaches, parks, and playgrounds.
It’s hard to think of a more universally demonized group than sex offenders (except maybe gay immigrant sex offenders), and there’s easy political capital in passing legislation like this. Which is obviously why people do it.
Here’s the funny thing: nowhere has it actually been shown that these sorts of bans have any effect on reducing sex crimes. The only place that "registered sex offenders + beaches = rampant sex criming" is in our imaginations, or at least the imaginations of our elected officials. And the whole thing suggests the prurient interest of a lot of sexually repressed people.
Imagine a middle-aged state senator with some sexual hang-ups of his own looking at a pool full of young people swimming and thinking, "Man, a creepy sex-offender would think this was totally hot. Not me, I don’t think this is erotic at all, but some freak criminal would really get off on all this. Better make a law about that."
Commentarium (12 Comments)
The tone of the ''writer'' is just downright disturbing.
Be more constructive with your criticism.
I don't find it disturbing myself, but some of these generalizations are off-putting. Two pieces of legislation doesn't qualify as a "weird fascination" on the part of Americans. However, I'm interested in the writer's opinion. Just don't label it as news.
There are two this week. If you read the news, you'll find that there are a couple such legislative items every week, which I think qualifies as a trend...
Thanks for reading, in any case.
"Here’s the funny thing: nowhere has it actually been shown that these sorts of bans have any effect on reducing sex crimes."
That's because legislation like this is based on fear, and not facts.
America is fascinated by aberrant sexual behavior. Television is filled with it. NBC's ongoing reality series about catching pedophiliacs; Law and Order:SVU; Criminal Minds, et al. American culture is deeply confused and disturbed when it comes to the reality of human sexuality.
We are a society of hate.First we hated blacks.Then they made laws you can't hate blacks.We then turned our hatred and prejudice on gays.Then they made laws you can't hate gays.Society's hate and prejudice began to bubble and seethe,by being repressed. Then some moron politician( using lies, not facts ) was able to convince people that anyone ever arrested for a sex crime spent his every waking hour figuring out a way to have sex with and eat our children. Viola. we now have a group of people we can legally heap all of our hatred and prejudice upon without legal conequenses. I am ashamed to be an american and I genuinely feel sorry for you hateful idoits. Now that hate and prejudice is legal ,the next group they chose to ostricise may be one you fit into.
Well, I'm glad to know that no one is racist or homophobic any more, that's a weight off of my mind!
America is a very bizarre country indeed. It's perfectly fine to carry concealed firearms into public parks in Arizona, but alcohol isn't available for purchase past 2AM. Any form of prostitution, no matter how regulated, even with certified body-guards stationed just beyond the doors to attend to the prostitute's personal safety, and disease checkup forms made available to both client and prostitute, is illegal.
look, hate is never a "positivie" emotion and is a by-product of fear and confusion. Now, I'm wondering about all those people that cause harm to others, no matter how they execute and perpetuate these selfish acts, and they get away with it. This naturaly makes you (the person who cares about the person who got hurt) hate these criminals. So at the end of the day, criminals are people who inflict immense pain and suffering (whether mental or physical) onto others. Whether your willing to hate them or love them is up to you, but criminals, love and hate will always be around. It's your choice to choose what you want to live by, to make your life and the lives of people around you, a better one.
My hat is off to your atsute command over this topic-bravo!
Keep it coimng, writers, this is good stuff.