FOLEY'S FOLLY

I won't comment on the political side of Foley's behavior, but on something broader and an issue that if you care about kids, can't but hit close home.

Where do we draw the line when it comes to pedophilia? Unfortunately there's a lot of confusion. Whenever we hear about a guy sexually abusing children, our first thought is "this guy is homosexual." We have to stop labeling people before we jump to conclusions. Statisticaly 98% of pedophyles are heterosexual men, and around one percent are women. The percentage of homosexual men or women that sexually abuse children account for less than 1%, and from that one percent, less than 10% are women.

A sexual relationship between consenting adults (heterosexual or homosexual) shouldn't be equated with a Pedophilic one. Neither a relathionship between consenting teenagers (homosexual or heterosexual) where no one is taking advantage of the other. Pedophyles prey on minors that are usually too young to make a sound judgment as to what type of sexual relationship should they engage into it.

We have to understand that pedophyles take advantage of minors, sometimes as young as only months old! No one would consent or agree that a relationship of this kind is fair for one of the parts. It is as if we think that rapists behavior is o.k., or that men that beat up women are fine. All these types of abusive relationships are wrong, and we as part of society can't allow this to happen.

What Foley has done with young men had nothing to do with being homosexual, and we shouldn't buy his alibi that he was molested by catholic priests, that's all too cheap. By allowing him to hide behind minority groups and trying to buy our sympathy, he is doing nothing but hurting his victims all over again. Pedophyles have problems that can't be solved by locking them away in a jail. Unfortunately pedophyles -unlike alcoholics, can't recover by therapy. There are at least two men here in San Diego that had been labeled "sexual predators" that have spent years behind bars and in therapy and once released had posed a threat again for our children. Neither money, nor his political liaisons should buy Foley the right to get away with his crimes. So, what should we do with pedophyles?