While researching the current status of pedophilia as it relates to anti-discrimination law as a favor to a businessperson looking to improve his company's own policies and not be on the wrong side of history, I ran across an article by Democratic candidate Josh Derke.
In short, an anti-gay hate group emailed a number of candidates with biased surveys conflating pedophilia with homosexuality in an effort to torpedo support for gay marriage. Josh Derke sent them a scathing response letter telling the hate group where to shove it. So far, so good, and were that all there was to it, I'd be fully endorsing the man.
Unfortunately, as part of his letter, he felt the need to bash pedophiles, treat us as though we were criminals, and generally demonstrate his antipathy towards us. If I hear about any candidate for public office expressing anti-pedophile sentiment, I won't vote for him or her. I recognize that such sentiments are common and likely unavoidable in elected candidates, but that doesn't mean I need to give my support to people who EXPLICITLY identify themselves as my enemies, regardless of what other positions they hold that I otherwise agree with.
I have posted the following response to his campaign website where he posted the survey and letter, though at the time of this post's writing, the comment is lingering in moderation.
I’m sorry to say that you’ve just lost my vote, Josh.
I share your outrage at the discrimination LGBT individuals suffer,
and I share your desire to see them get the rightful protections due to
them in a free and fair society.
But as you say in your letter, “Pro-family is not demonizing and
dehumanzing people because they’re different than you are. It is not
labeling a group of people immoral because you don’t understand human
sexuality.”
And unfortunately, that’s precisely what you’re doing to pedophiles,
demonizing and dehumanizing them because they’re different than you are,
and labeling them immoral because you don’t understand human sexuality.
Pedophiles are not the same thing as child molesters, and treating
them as though they are the same is utterly unacceptable for a person
holding a position of power. The overwhelming majority of pedophiles do
not molest children, and this is something you should be aware of before
speaking on the subject and certainly before hoping to make law.
To reiterate, I have no interest in defending the bastards who wrote
that survey, since they’re obviously not actually concerned about minor
attracted persons, and are just using them as a bludgeon against another
sexual minority they want to hurt by the association.
I would have been 100% with you on the letter telling them off were
it not for this issue, but you’ve crossed a line here, and until your
position changes, I will no longer be voting a straight democratic
ticket.
http://joshderke2014.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/candidate-survey-public-advocate-of-the-united-states/
In short, an anti-gay hate group emailed a number of candidates with biased surveys conflating pedophilia with homosexuality in an effort to torpedo support for gay marriage. Josh Derke sent them a scathing response letter telling the hate group where to shove it. So far, so good, and were that all there was to it, I'd be fully endorsing the man.
Unfortunately, as part of his letter, he felt the need to bash pedophiles, treat us as though we were criminals, and generally demonstrate his antipathy towards us. If I hear about any candidate for public office expressing anti-pedophile sentiment, I won't vote for him or her. I recognize that such sentiments are common and likely unavoidable in elected candidates, but that doesn't mean I need to give my support to people who EXPLICITLY identify themselves as my enemies, regardless of what other positions they hold that I otherwise agree with.
I have posted the following response to his campaign website where he posted the survey and letter, though at the time of this post's writing, the comment is lingering in moderation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’m sorry to say that you’ve just lost my vote, Josh.
I share your outrage at the discrimination LGBT individuals suffer, and I share your desire to see them get the rightful protections due to them in a free and fair society.
But as you say in your letter, “Pro-family is not demonizing and dehumanzing people because they’re different than you are. It is not labeling a group of people immoral because you don’t understand human sexuality.”
And unfortunately, that’s precisely what you’re doing to pedophiles, demonizing and dehumanizing them because they’re different than you are, and labeling them immoral because you don’t understand human sexuality.
Pedophiles are not the same thing as child molesters, and treating them as though they are the same is utterly unacceptable for a person holding a position of power. The overwhelming majority of pedophiles do not molest children, and this is something you should be aware of before speaking on the subject and certainly before hoping to make law.
To reiterate, I have no interest in defending the bastards who wrote that survey, since they’re obviously not actually concerned about minor attracted persons, and are just using them as a bludgeon against another sexual minority they want to hurt by the association.
I would have been 100% with you on the letter telling them off were it not for this issue, but you’ve crossed a line here, and until your position changes, I will no longer be voting a straight democratic ticket.
UPDATE:
He lost.