Interesting Moral Conundrum

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What do you do with your friend?

Nothing: It's really none of my business.
8
24%
Try to get your friend to stop. What he's doing is wrong.
12
36%
Try to get your friend to stop. What he's doing/plans to do is illegal.
1
3%
Threaten him. If he doesn't stop, you'll turn him in.
10
30%
Turn him in. He's a pedophile and a menace to society.
2
6%
 
Total votes: 33

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GrandMasterTerwynn
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Interesting Moral Conundrum

Post by GrandMasterTerwynn »

Recently, I read in the news that a woman from Tennessee had been caught in my state on the run from the law. Now, the "interesting" thing about this story was that she had been captured with her sixteen year old lover, who she had taken with her. Now this had gotten me to thinking, especially in today's society where it is easy to meet somebody online for not-so-wholesome purposes. Not that the above story has too much of a relationship to today's question, it just makes an interesting lead-in, and this sort of situation probably goes on more often then it used to.

Today's scenario: Imagine you and a good friend were rooming together in college. You seem to notice that your friend spends an awful lot of time online, and it has nothing to do with research, porn, or SD.net. When you get around to asking him about it, he admits to you that he's involved in an online relationship. Now here's the kicker. His online girlfriend is only 14 years old. He's your age (I could put in any age, but it won't change the fact that he's of consenting age and she isn't.) He claims they love each other, and plan to meet during the summer. And yes, he knows just how old she is. He also says she knows how old he is too.

Now the question becomes: What do you do now?
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Post by Vympel »

I'm 21. That makes him a full on pedophile. Lock him up.
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Post by Crown »

Remind him that they right about situations like this in the dating hand book, something about a ten-foot pole? Then shake my head, go out get drunk, reveal to our entire circle how he is a cradle-robber and give him endless abuse over the matter to his last dying day. And yes I am beign serious, I am not everyone's father you know.
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Post by Brother-Captain Gaius »

I'm 16, and a sophomore. I've got no problems with freshmen :twisted:
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Post by Darth Wong »

Tell him that if it was your daughter, you'd kill him. Then ask him if he knows whether the girl's father carries a gun.
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Post by Illuminatus Primus »

Wong's fatherly attitude frightens me.

Bad enough my girlfriend's a tad younger (almost 2 years, I'm not that wierd) and her dad once swung bats for a living.

Scary. :(
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Post by Stormbringer »

I'd kick his ball up between his teeth and then turn him over to the cops.
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Post by Knife »

I'd try to talk him out of it. If that failed, I'd call the girls dad and let him decide what to do with the fucker.
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Post by XPViking »

This is not an enigma at all. He's a damn pedophile. If the law won't work then I guarantee a visit from dear old dad would. It also applies equally to both sexes here. That woman who was caught should be hauled up. Does anyone remember a few years back about that 30+ year old female teacher having sex with a 14 year old student? I seem to remember she got pregnant out of the deal but can't remember if she had an abortion or if the baby was conceived.

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Post by weemadando »

Threaten the fucker.

14 is too young. Too damn young.

If it was 16, I might voice my concerns and let it ride... but 14 - what kind of sick arsehole is my friend?
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Post by InnerBrat »

Are we assuming here he plans to have sex with the child?

Because I have a blind spot when it comes to my friends, I'd try and persuade hime he's sick, and tell all our friends of course.
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Post by Knife »

XPViking wrote:This is not an enigma at all. He's a damn pedophile. If the law won't work then I guarantee a visit from dear old dad would. It also applies equally to both sexes here. That woman who was caught should be hauled up. Does anyone remember a few years back about that 30+ year old female teacher having sex with a 14 year old student? I seem to remember she got pregnant out of the deal but can't remember if she had an abortion or if the baby was conceived.

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Her name was Laturno or something like that, if I'm thinking of the same one you are. She apperently got preganent twice with the kid, once when she got into trouble with it and again when she got out on parole. Memory is a little hazy but I'm pretty sure it was something like that.
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong

But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
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Post by Ted C »

This roommate has some serious sex issues. Odds are that he was abused as a child. I'll tell him to cut it out and advise him to get some counseling. If possible, I would also attempt to contact the girl's parents and see if they know what she's doing on-line. (Heck, it would probably be worthwhile to check and see if he's really talking up a 14-year-old girl on-line or a fraud.)
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Post by Einhander Sn0m4n »

Illuminatus Primus wrote:Wong's fatherly attitude frightens me.

Bad enough my girlfriend's a tad younger (almost 2 years, I'm not that wierd) and her dad once swung bats for a living.

Scary. :(
Wong's fatherly attitude R0X0RZ the house IMO...
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Post by SeebianWurm »

Threaten him (with the father) and if no immediate results, <yoda>in turn you him</yoda>.
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Post by HemlockGrey »

Tell him to go for it.
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Post by C.S.Strowbridge »

I can't vote for number 3, cause where I am it wouldn't be illegal.

I'd ask him what his mother would think if she found out. Then I'd ask him what her father would do if he found out.
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Re: Interesting Moral Conundrum

Post by Enforcer Talen »

GrandMasterTerwynn wrote:Recently, I read in the news that a woman from Tennessee had been caught in my state on the run from the law. Now, the "interesting" thing about this story was that she had been captured with her sixteen year old lover, who she had taken with her. Now this had gotten me to thinking, especially in today's society where it is easy to meet somebody online for not-so-wholesome purposes. Not that the above story has too much of a relationship to today's question, it just makes an interesting lead-in, and this sort of situation probably goes on more often then it used to.

Today's scenario: Imagine you and a good friend were rooming together in college. You seem to notice that your friend spends an awful lot of time online, and it has nothing to do with research, porn, or SD.net. When you get around to asking him about it, he admits to you that he's involved in an online relationship. Now here's the kicker. His online girlfriend is only 14 years old. He's your age (I could put in any age, but it won't change the fact that he's of consenting age and she isn't.) He claims they love each other, and plan to meet during the summer. And yes, he knows just how old she is. He also says she knows how old he is too.

Now the question becomes: What do you do now?
as I'm 17, it's iffy.
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Post by C.S.Strowbridge »

Tell him not to have sex with her that summer, but wait till next summer. If the relationship can last a year in a half, it's more serious than some high school fling (which is what the girl would be having.)

Also, find out when he learned how old she was. Did he fall in love with her, then find out she was 14?
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Post by Slayen »

Say go for it. might be a little odd seeing my friend date a freshmen being a senior and all, but i'd have no real problem, so long as they keep it clean.
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Post by Straha »

Well, what's the MAX age difference between two people who want to become lovers? Or just BF and GF?
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Post by Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi »

If someone was over 18 and talking to someone that young, then he's a pedophile. Since I'm about 15, I would oppose it anyway, since I think a high schooler is to young for online dating. I would convince him to stop, since you did not know this girl, and there are plenty ofn other women out there that he knows. A one-year age difference isn't mnuch to me, but it's a bit risky dating online at that age. The woman might by lying saying she's 14, and might be older, and trying to take advantage of others.
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Post by Raptor 597 »

Even though I'm 15 it's still not as safe as real life dating; I dunno. Maybe her Dad is a physco, and then he's screwed.
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Post by LordShaithis »

Dad is probably absent, which is why the girl is looking for affection from random weirdos online. Anyway, a healthy dose of ridicule would work well here. Have your friends over, then tell them about the whole deal right in front of the guy. LOL
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Re: Interesting Moral Conundrum

Post by aerius »

GrandMasterTerwynn wrote:Today's scenario: Imagine you and a good friend were rooming together in college. You seem to notice that your friend spends an awful lot of time online, and it has nothing to do with research, porn, or SD.net. When you get around to asking him about it, he admits to you that he's involved in an online relationship. Now here's the kicker. His online girlfriend is only 14 years old. He's your age (I could put in any age, but it won't change the fact that he's of consenting age and she isn't.) He claims they love each other, and plan to meet during the summer. And yes, he knows just how old she is. He also says she knows how old he is too.
If my buddy is not getting laid in college and has to resort to an online relationship with someone who's jailbait, he needs serious help. Something has to be pretty wrong if he ain't getting laid and he's hitting up a minor when he's in college where the babes are hot and easy. I will be smacking some sense into my misguided buddy and then I'll be dragging him out to a club or party where he can get drunk and laid so he can forget about his jailbait online girl. If that doesn't work he's in for some serious public humiliation, and I'll be looking for a new friend since this guy's an incompetant impotent dork.
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