Letters to the Editor

• Arrogant and ignorant

  [Read the article: MySpace, my attorneys general]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  Really, because I wouldn't treat my children like they are morons? If some stranger sends my kid a plane ticket, I would trust that they would know not to get on a plane and meet some stranger in some other place without me, because I will have taught them that is a dangerous and stupid thing to do. I would never say that is a smart thing for an adult to do, just go off in meet some stranger in another city because they sent you a plane ticket. If you do something like that I would hope yoiu would have the sense to only meet them in public places until you can gather if they are safe to trust or not, we do have instincts for a reason.

  Addiction is not doing something a lot and liking it, it is having a chemical dependance on that substance. People like to throw around the word addiction a lot, they are addicted to video game, chocolate, coffee and blah blah.

  Assuming your child being offered something means they will take it means that you don't trust yourself or your children.

  I was offered free things from adult men on the street as a young teenager, I didn't take any of their offers because I was taught you don't go places with strangers. Teenagers are raped in high school. Teenagers do run away and their parents don't know where they've gone and that all happened before MySpace existed. If you expect everyone else to nanny your child, then don't have one. You cannot protect your child from every danger any more than you can protect yourself, all you can be is street smart and cautious. I spend time on the internet for over 8 years, I've never been harmed in any way from the internet. I have been followed home by real life men, I have been attacked at a party. I knew what to do in each situation, get away and call the police. The internet is not more dangerous than the real world. None of my friends were raped over the internet. I don't think teenagers are so stupid that someone says hey, I think you're cute come meet me in another state and they do it. Only if something is already very wrong in their home life. Teens don't run away from happy homes who's parents are honest, open and trusting.

  Plus, if you are monitoring your childs use of MySpace, or whatever new fangled technology item comes along, then you could ask about all their friends, who they are, where they live and remind them that these people they've never met are still strangers and to never meet them without your permission and never to leave the city or state to hook up with them.

  Its like with dating, I could date, with restrictions, my mom had to meet all my boyfriends, we could only hang out at my house or be taken to places like movie theatres. So she knew my boyfriends and they weren't creeps just after booty otherwise they wouldn't have been willing to put up with my mother's rules. Rules I was willing to follow, not to say I didn't disobey her from time to time, but at least she knew who the people in my life were, different from some of my other friends who hid numerous boyfriends and friends from their parents.

  You are just letting your paranoia show when ou think the internet is equivalent to drugs and guns. Paranoia is why dumbasses let the President lie and go to war, why people are overlooking gross civil rights violations. Paranoia are feelings that lead to behaviors that cause more trouble than good.

  Permalink Tuesday, January 15, 2008 01:05 PM