Disclaimer: Sexual/Child abuse references. Strong language
Yesterday a disturbing headline popped up on my newsfeed, Millionaire Author John Grisham Says Not All Men Who Watch Child Porn Are Pedophiles, “surely this must be fake news”, I said to myself and kept scrolling. But the nagging feeling to check it out just wouldn’t go away, and then a member of an online reading group I participate in posted it to the group. And so check it out I did.
Yes he did make those comments, he did say:
“We have prisons now filled with guys my age, 60-year-old white men, in prison, who’ve never harmed anybody (and) would never touch a child. But they got online one night and started surfing around, probably had too much to drink or whatever, and pushed the wrong buttons and went too far and got into child porn. … They deserve some type of punishment, but 10 years in prison?”
Then he went on tocomplain about a friend of his, busted for child porn in a sting operation, blaming his friend’s despicable behavior on alcohol.
And then when fans like me, appalled, disappointed and disgusted by his reasoning attacked him, he apologized.
First of all f**k John Grisham. Second, f**k his apology. Third, f**k him again. How dare he be so blinded by privilege that he cannot grasp a simple concept protecting the most vulnerable amongst us by any means necessary. But privilege is invisible to those who have it isn’t it?
I am angry because I am a huge fan. I’ve read and reread his books and contributed to his bloated privilege.
I am pissed because I am mother to four children aged eight to six months. I am pissed because I see my children in every child I meet; innocent, eager, trusting, vulnerable.
I am disappointed because I was so quick to dismiss the headline, “he couldn’t possibly have said that, this must be fake news.” How many children have been sent to their physical, mental and emotional doom by such presumptuous mentality? How many children have been dismissed and shot down because their abuser was too successful, too Godly, too distinguished, too talented and too respected to be a child molester or in this case a lover of child porn?
It is hurtful and disappointing because right that moment while he defended the indefensible, I believe a child was being hurt to feed the ‘innocent’ demand of sexual images of children.
The half baked apology, in which he simply does a 360• turn, backtracking and saying all pedophiles, child abusers and their supporters must be punished does not come across sincere at all; it was issued only after heavy criticism. The point is not to appease fans, the point is for you to get it, totally and completely, that any behavior that encourages abuse of children should not be tolerated. Period!
If John Grisham, a world famous author of many bestselling books and Hollywood adaptions does not understand or care that child pornography directly correlates to child abuse, rape and sex trafficking, I shudder to think how many high profile, influential people think and believe same.
And then there are those like Jacob Sullum of Reason magazine who defend such train of thought with various arguments: Those who physically perpetrate sexual crimes against children get lesser sentences, blah, blah,blah! Please sirs, miss us with the BS! And while missing us with the BS please advocate for the protection of children no matter what! Advocate for the right things, policies that protect the child not the abuser.
T for thanks.
