IntenseDebate - Pilgrim

12 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Salem high school teac... · 0 replies · +1 points

Teen brains often do not keep pace with teen bodies. Recent neurological studies have shown that teens have significantly poorer decision making skills than adults, and that synapse formation continues at an elevated pace until sometime in the earlier 20s. More research is needed, but not every 17-yr-old knows right from wrong. This has been featured in Science Weekly, and on both NBC and CBS world news reports.

12 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Salem high school teac... · 0 replies · +1 points

My youngest son was 17 in body only - his emotional development was 5 - 6 years delayed. He's very smart, very funny, very charming - but at 17 in body he was NOT 17 as far as emotional attachments were concerned. As a young adult he's starting to catch up to himself, but he was a very different child than were his brothers. No need for details, suffice it to say you would not have noticed his emotional issues in meeting him - a few savvy teachers did contact us & we explained the situation. Teen brains frequently do not keep pace with teen bodies.

12 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Salem high school teac... · 0 replies · +1 points

Thanks for the update on 'statutory rape' & ORS 163.435 - I'm obviously not familiar with the actual law, only the 'old' law if that makes any sense.

I agree completely with your position - we need repercussions both in law, and in professions (i.e., losing one's license to practice, losing one's position with dishonor as in the military, etc.). If legal & professional repercussions do not exist, not only does the punishment not meet the crime but the criminal itself (I refuse to dignify pedophiles with personal pronouns) may very well be subject to vigilante justice which isn't moral either, no matter how tempting it would be if it were my child involved.

12 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Salem high school teac... · 2 replies · +1 points

Re: your comment on persons in positions of authority: typically in most fields there are standards/regulations preventing the provider/teacher (Dr., counselor, professor, etc.) from engaging in relations with their patients/clients/students. This is only common sense - many vulnerable persons will easily develop an unhealthy attachment or attraction to someone perceived as a power figure, and age of consent is irrelevant.

In this case, children are children under the law until age 18, no matter how 'adult' they may appear. The offender is an adult; this is statutory rape. Your 'fox in the henhouse' statement is spot on.

12 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Are \'flash robs\' bec... · 0 replies · +3 points

Good idea! Perhaps if various media sources who need to 'name' everything gave foolish, potentially dangerous crime a foolish name it might dissuade a few fools from following the herd.

13 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Bill would make names ... · 0 replies · +1 points

RIght on, Moo!

14 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Dudley has slight lead... · 1 reply · +10 points

Portland is the only deepwater port between San Fran & Seattle, generating significant local revenue & employment: container terminals, bulk & breakbulk terminals, drayage, freight forwarding & custom brokerage. That's just the marine port, not any of the airports (the Port supervises more than one).

14 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Off-leash dogs will be... · 0 replies · +2 points

Given how quickly my kids zipped around, leashing kids is a great idea! {joke!}

We're a hiking/camping/hunting/fishing family so kids knew pretty young how quickly they could get lost ... plus they had their DOGS watching 'em, more to keep 'em from falling in the river or getting lost or letting us know if Kid A,B or C had gotten further than about 15 feet from the grownups than any sort of predator issues.

14 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Off-leash dogs will be... · 0 replies · +1 points

Exclnt points, all. I'm totally for well-trained, esp. working, dogs off lead.

Poorly trained (or passive or abused) dogs are more aggressive on-lead than off; off-lead they're more in their native state & can investigate one another, or people, in "dog language" rather than people talk.

EXCEPTIONS, always - large dogs assaulting smaller dogs (seen a couple of cases & the assaulters were totally untrained with the "oh he's great with the kids blah blah blah" babble - idiot owners).

14 years ago @ KATU - Portland, OR - Rare execution looming... · 1 reply · +5 points

Thanks Tamianth, good info to have - I suspected some such deal-making ...

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