She's right, though, Spaz, and you're talking down. You're changing the subject. I'll get to that in a moment.
Sorry but I disagree. I'm not sure what you mean by "morally guilty."
Technically, they broke the law by accepting money for sexual acts. But Epstein's crimes are far more egregious, and their testimony was more valuable as a result. And of course, they are underage kids who were groomed for it, not fully-formed adults.
Personally my moral code does not consider prostitution between consenting adults to be immoral. But the law is the law. Should they have known better? Yes, but it doesn't make them immoral for making a poor decision.
It's a fact that advertising and advertising-driven media (e.g. the news) exploit the sexuality of teens and even younger kids to sell products. I assume that is what you're getting at. It's an issue at least as old as Shirley Temple movies. It's an exploitation not just of kids but of the eyes and minds of spectators. Not just men, either. We're all human and our reptilian brains will be distracted by images first and sort out the context afterwards. And some of us can't keep our eyes off of it, like a bad car wreck.
That's a separate issue altogether. We can't put the system on trial. Jeffrey Epstein could have jerked off to an Abercrombie catalog. He could have solicited any 18-year-old woman he wanted, even one who looked 14. Think about that. And maybe some of these girls were mature enough to handle it. Heck, the guy probably could have DATED a 16-year-old and gotten into less trouble. Instead he planned and executed (allegedly) a prostitution ring that lured teens on false pretenses, groomed them and paid them to fuçk him. Yeah, they could have said no, I will grant you that. They compromised their safety. But the onus was still on him. A 14-year-old girl is not master of puppets. We're always talking around here about being a man and making smart decisions (don't bang a married woman, or a coworker, etc.) and avoiding bad consequences. Here was a 60-something grown man with all the resources in the world; he should have been the one thinking for both/all of them.
Nay my friend I wasn't trying to change the subject, it has always remain the same and it looks like my idea to engage in a different manner is stillborn.
But I'll be blunt now.
These Epstein story is making rounds in my real life social circle too, a hot topic more so after his death.
And the difference between our peoples is as night and day, in how it is perceived.
On one hand, I'd take the commentary here as being typically Western, whilst on the other hand my comments is reflective of typical Asians.
Everyone has read your stand (and others) and they too shall have mine.
Both the men and women here in my social circle are just repeating the same mantra I've heard a thousand times, "the western decadence", shaking their heads, I give them a sad smile of acknowledgement.
But what surprises me the most were the venomous sting from almost all the women in my circle, they questioned how is it that a young girl is even allowed out of her house to go unaccompanied by her own mother to another man's house? Doesn't her mother know what's her daughter doing?
Shaking their heads saying "don't they know that we females holds the honor of our fathers?!"
Some even shivered thinking how their own fathers would react if he even knew that they would venture into another man's house (at that age) without his permission, I asked and most replied they would get the beating of their lives.
Some even countered and said, that would be really good because they deeply believe that their own father would have probably disowned them for bringing shame to the family name.
And when one of the guys mentioned their young age?
The women all laughed, 1 even said, ask ur 7 year old neighbour to open her panties, offer her money and see what happens. That kept him quiet. That kept me and the other guys quiet too.
To the women here, in their minds, a typical 8-10 year old asian girl has already been imbued with all the values to protect her dignity and that of her family by her own mother, her mother's mother, her father's mother and her long line of female relatives so much so it becomes part and parcel of her psyche.
But I understand why, because I too would be enraged if my own hypothetical daughter does it, I'd probably kick her mother and my own daughter out of my house for breaking my pride, defying my leadership as head of the family.
I have too much pride as a man.
But these are the values of Asians.
We make sure our children are empowered with knowledge and we also make sure they take ownership of their responsibilities.
Yes, children has responsibilities too.
Again I ask, do you really think 14 year olds are that stupid?
Don't look down on them. Empower them with values so that they can better protect themselves. Make sure they take ownership of it. Do not sweep it under the carpet by simply pointing that this law and that law is broken, its too late by then. Don't be reactive, be proactive.
How many men here has daughters? I bet a few do.
And if you were to lead and train ur family-daughter into taking responsibility for their actions (as most Asian fathers do), you think its likely they would do as those girls did?
Probability would be extremely low. Even the son of God had Judas but that didn't stop him from teaching what's right and good.
Those of you who have Asian wife's or girlfriends, ask them to verify my story, they may come from different countries but the basics is the same.
There's no social security here, there's hardly any therapist for trouble minds, there's almost no old folks home and there's so many we don't have because we take care of each other, from cradle to grave.
Values.
Don't be a father that is leaderless because if u r then it's akin to her being fatherless.
Again I ask, do you really think 14 year olds are that stupid?