The Other McCain

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Washington Post Publishes Jailbait Apologist (Ain’t I Done Told You So?)

Posted on | August 31, 2013 | 301 Comments

Besty Karasik is an airhead who quit her job as a laywer to become a painter. Whatever the art community gained by that transaction, the legal community lost no wisdom. In an op-ed in the Washington Post, Karasik argues for decriminalizing student-teacher sex:

[W]ith our legal and moral codes failing us, our society needs to have an uncensored dialogue about the reality of sex in schools. . . .
I don’t believe that all sexual conduct between underage students and teachers should necessarily be classified as rape, and I believe that absent extenuating circumstances, consensual sexual activity between teachers and students should not be criminalized.  . . .
[T]he utter hysteria with which society responds to these situations does less to protect children than to assuage society’s need to feel that we are protecting them.

See, the problem is not teachers having sex with students. No, the real problem is the “utter hysteria” about this, and “society’s need to feel” that children are protected. In other words, the problem is your irrationality, whereas teachers banging their students . . . well,  they’re in need of understanding and sympathy. Teachers who have sex with kids are victims, really — victims of your “utter hysteria.”

Coincidentally, I had just been re-reading Thomas Sowell’s The Vision of the Anointed, which addresses this rhetorical trick:

A concern that is important to the anointed is called “a matter of principle,” while a concern that is important to the benighted is called “an emotional issue.” Apparently other people don’t have reasons or principles; all they have are emotions.

So if you think teachers having sex with students should be criminally prosecuted, Karasik dismisses you as a hysteric. By contrast, Karasik’s own enthusiasms — “My loyalty is to justice and the planet,” she declares on her Twitter profile — she regards as entirely valid.

Betsy Karasik’s experience is simply superior to yours:

I’ve been a 14-year-old girl, and so have all of my female friends. When it comes to having sex on the brain, teenage boys got nothin’ on us. When I was growing up in the 1960s and ’70s, the sexual boundaries between teachers and students were much fuzzier. Throughout high school, college and law school, I knew students who had sexual relations with teachers. To the best of my knowledge, these situations were all consensual in every honest meaning of the word, even if society would like to embrace the fantasy that a high school student can’t consent to sex. Although some feelings probably got bruised, no one I knew was horribly damaged and certainly no one died.

You have never been a 14-year-old girl, so your opinion doesn’t count. And if you have been a 14-year-old girl, but still don’t think it should be legal for teachers to have sex with students? Well, never mind your objections, because Betsy Karasik says it’s just fine.

No harm, no foul — maybe some bruised feelings, but teachers banging their students is really only a problem because of “society” which, having already been condemned for its “utter hysteria,” she now diagnoses as being in the grip of “the fantasy that a high school student can’t consent to sex.” But is this really what society believes? Are “hysteria” and “fantasy” the basis of our laws? Are there no valid reasons to treat student-teacher sex as a crime?

After saying that workplace sexual harassment is worse than consensual sex between teenagers and teachers, Karasik alludes in passing to “certain teachers I considered friends despite their sexual relations with students.” Who are these teachers? Would she be so kind as to tell us their names, so that we might examine whether (as Karasik assures us) their sexual involvement with students was harmless?

But, no, she just throws this strange fact out there — some of Betsy Karasik’s friends are teachers who have sex with their students — and continues with her condemnation of society:

The point is that there is a vast and extremely nuanced continuum of sexual interactions involving teachers and students, ranging from flirtation to mutual lust to harassment to predatory behavior. Painting all of these behaviors with the same brush sends a damaging message to students and sets the stage for hypocrisy and distortion of the truth. Many teenagers are, biologically speaking, sexually mature. Pretending that this kind of thing won’t happen if we simply punish it severely enough is delusional.

Her rhetoric — “utter hysteria . . . fantasy . . . delusional” — is deliberately dismissive. All who disagree with Betsy Karasik are irrational, or are too stupid to understand that “vast and extremely nuanced continuum” of which enligthened people like herself are aware.

It’s not as if you couldn’t predict that such arguments would be made as our culture slid slowly down the slippery slope. In April 2002, I published an article with the headline, “Promoting pedophilia; Attempts to legitimize adult-child sex on rise,” and there were people then who said that such concerns were irrational.

In January of this year, Rush Limbaugh warned about “a movement to normalize pedophilia,” and was mocked by Soledad O’Brien.

Well, here we are in August, and the Washington Post is publishing columns advocating the legalization of student-teacher sex.

Wesley J. Smith at National Review says, “How low can we go? I am afraid we are going to find out.” Betsy Karasik finds herself shocked by the “tsunami of attackers” on Twitter:

Of course, in her mind, the “tsunami” only confirms to Betsy Karasik that “society” is hysterical and delusional. She wants to “open discussion” about legalizing sex with 14-year-olds. And when society answers back, “Oh, hell, no”? This just proves you’re crazy.

 

 

UPDATE: Now a Memeorandum thread, with further commentary by Jazz Shaw at Hot Air and Tim Graham at the Media Research Center, but I like Stephen Kruiser’s solution best: “Kill the media.”

The world is full of idiots with bad ideas and the editors of the Washington Post are obligated to publish only the very worst of them. One cannot reform such institutions as the Washington Post and the New York Times, but can only pray for their well-deserved destruction, because their wicked depravity is not accidental.

The publishers are amoral monsters, their editors are active agents of evil, and their deliberate policy is to employ no honest or decent person. Nor could any honest or decent person ever wish to be associated with publications whose daily business is the destruction of Western civilization. A Christian would no more desire to be published by the Washington Post than to work in an abortion clinic or a bordello. It is a disgraceful stain on the conscience of our nation.

Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.

UPDATE II: A couple of trolls got zapped. Wombat seems to be offline today, so I had to wield the troll-hammer myself, especially since one of these was a false-flag moby troll — the very worst kind, worse even than concern trolls. The comments are moderated and, while the proprietors obviously do not approve of everything in the comments (hell, I never even see most of them), there are certain lines that shall not be crossed, and vicious creatures who use bogus identities for deliberate evil will be zapped. If necessary, you will be IP-banned.

Go troll somewhere else, you monstrous fucktards.

 


Category: Culture, Education, Sex

Comments

301 Responses to “Washington Post Publishes Jailbait Apologist (Ain’t I Done Told You So?)”

  1. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:26 am

    I admit I am much more blood-thirsty.

  2. Fareedi al Laayla al Qakhaul
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:26 am

    Duh…

  3. Warner Raymond Hyde
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:27 am

    I’m sorry, maybe i miss-read the piece. Did she just confess she knew of teachers having sex with kids and never said anything because they were her friends ???

  4. rsmccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:29 am

    “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @MelissaTweets

  5. instapundit
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:31 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  6. MelissaTweets
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:35 am

    The Pointy Heads: Justifying Pedophilia and Normalizing the Depraved. http://t.co/bmix3txt80

  7. mooseandskwerl
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:36 am

    RT @MelissaTweets: The Pointy Heads: Justifying Pedophilia and Normalizing the Depraved. http://t.co/bmix3txt80

  8. SeeTac7
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:36 am

    RT @rsmccain: Betsy Karasik (@paintsnature) “wants to ‘open discussion’ about legalizing sex with 14-year-olds.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ #tc…

  9. southsalem
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:37 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  10. mooseandskwerl
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:38 am

    RT @rsmccain: Betsy Karasik (@paintsnature) “wants to ‘open discussion’ about legalizing sex with 14-year-olds.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ #tc…

  11. smitty_one_each
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:38 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  12. robertstacymccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:39 am

    FUCKING MOBY TROLL!

  13. southsalem
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:39 am

    RT @MelissaTweets: The Pointy Heads: Justifying Pedophilia and Normalizing the Depraved. http://t.co/bmix3txt80

  14. rsmccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:40 am

    Paging @wombat_socho MOBY TROLL IN THE COMMENTS http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ

  15. robertstacymccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:41 am

    Are wombats marsupial? Learn something new every day.

    Fear not, the moby troll shall be vaporized in short order.

  16. MPeper
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:41 am

    Washington Post Publishes Jailbait Apologist (Ain’t I Done Told You So?) http://t.co/TQFZzEGwHY

  17. orueger
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:41 am

    RT @MelissaTweets: The Pointy Heads: Justifying Pedophilia and Normalizing the Depraved. http://t.co/bmix3txt80

  18. mooseandskwerl
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:43 am

    It’s a sick, sick society. Period. http://t.co/RkCgQkuoix & http://t.co/adUIsASULN #pedophiles

  19. mooseandskwerl
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:45 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  20. erickbrockway
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:47 am

    “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.”
    http://t.co/w5N4KwM5sU

  21. pgstreby
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:47 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  22. instapundit
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:48 am

    RT @rsmccain: Paging @wombat_socho MOBY TROLL IN THE COMMENTS http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ

  23. gottarideduc
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:49 am

    Don’t know what the problem is. She’s behind the curve. Obama thinks kindergardners should have sex-ed. Would that include hands-on by teachers?

  24. SeeTac7
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:50 am

    RT @MelissaTweets: The Pointy Heads: Justifying Pedophilia and Normalizing the Depraved. http://t.co/bmix3txt80

  25. BeanfromPa
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:52 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  26. Rosalie
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:55 am

    You nailed it!

  27. MeToo
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:56 am

    Ironically the hysterical, irrational, and sometimes violent comments directed toward her over the article make her case.

  28. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 11:58 am

    Good on you and your wife Joe. I’m quite sure you provide without resorting to government bribes disquised as “entitlements” while financing (against your will) those self-same “entitlements” through the sweat of your brow.

  29. Josh_Painter
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:02 pm

    RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | | @stephenkruiser @TimJGraham @…

  30. ChrisDavis2011
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:04 pm

    As a 47yo, white hetropatriachal male latin teacher, I am just curious if Ms. Karasik has a 14yo daughter who needs tutoring?

    /sarc

  31. John50
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:06 pm

    Of course the partisan mental midgets who run this site are already framing this as a left/right issue even though she is receiving criticism from both sides and libertarians have often contemplated age of consent laws and the states ability to create them. But hey, whatever helps you demonize your political opposition even if it’s only half-true!

  32. John50
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:08 pm

    Maybe you guys should seek Ted Nugent for a comment? He has lots of experience with underage poon.

  33. elongreen
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:10 pm

    Lolololololol RT @rsmccain: “Fact: It’s hard to type when your fingers are trembling with rage.” http://t.co/BNl1auUx5Z

  34. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:12 pm

    Hey, fuckwit, we are decrying immorality and deviancy not politics. The simple fact that the supports predominantly are progressive left assclowns does not make all progressive left assclowns their fellow travellers, just progressive left assclowns that aren’t pedophiles or pedo-pals. Anyone who supports the deviancy and immorality condoned by these idiots is deserving of our scorn and mockery. Now go take an overdose of oxycodone and leave thinking adults alone.

  35. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:14 pm

    Hardy that fuckwit. It simply identifies those that believe in morality and those that are dissolute in lifestyle as well as the deviancy proponents.

  36. RMNixonDeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:18 pm

    “Hey, fuckwit, we are decrying immorality and deviancy not politics. The simple fact that the…” — rmnixondeceased http://t.co/PxKl3auUbL

  37. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:20 pm

    In many states, there is a “must report” statute on the books for fellow teachers and administrators (some even extend that to any school employee).

  38. rsmccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:25 pm

    .@QueenofSpain FACT: If @PaintsNature were not an evil liar, the @washingtonpost would not publish her. http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ

  39. rsmccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:26 pm

    .@QueenofSpain FACT: @washingtonpost is an active agent of evil; no decent person would work there. . http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ | @PaintsNature

  40. BigJebBos
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:26 pm

    RT @rsmccain: .@QueenofSpain FACT: @washingtonpost is an active agent of evil; no decent person would work there. . http://t.co/bUtEHVNwAZ …

  41. PCachu
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:29 pm

    [10]
    How to know God is against you, part 9,715 in a series: you just got curb-stomped by Ewoks.

  42. hamhawk
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:36 pm

    Excellent point.

  43. Wombat_socho
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:37 pm

    Looks like somebody beat me to the punch.

  44. Wombat_socho
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:38 pm

    *BLAM*

  45. robertstacymccain
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:47 pm

    What, you slept in today?

  46. Wombat_socho
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:47 pm

    Actually, yeah.

  47. Fareedi al Laayla al Qakhaul
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:48 pm

    Congrats, Dick, on your 1000th post on Disqus!

    (You know, in my faith, we tend to reincarnate after just a few hundred… Just sayin’!)

  48. rmnixondeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:53 pm

    Thanks for noticing! As you can tell, I may be dead but I’ll not be silent!

  49. Katie Scarlet
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:54 pm

    Wonder if she’s OK with priests having sex with 14 year old girls and boys too or would that bounce her whole narrative into a tailspin?

    Honestly, I feel like I’m living in an alternate universe.

  50. RMNixonDeceased
    August 31st, 2013 @ 12:54 pm

    “Congrats, Dick, on your 1000th post on Disqus…” — Fareedi al Laayla al Qakhaul http://t.co/p0BQczz2hG