Douglas Smith Jr., a former Boy Scouts of America official, pleaded guilty to a child pornography charge Wednesday, stated an article on USAToday.com.
Ironically, Smith was over a task force that worked to protect children from sexual abuse.Was he just curious as to what it would be like?
Although he has accepted responsibility by pleading guilty and appeared remorseful, the possession and distribution of child pornography is a major crime that must prompt active legislation.
Threats to society by new and habitual sexual child abusers are growing steadily. A research Web site, http://www.crime-research.org/library/Saytarly_nov.html cited that child pornography revenue totals approximately $3 billion annually.
The Web site also stated that network monitoring carried out by law enforcement agencies shows that 1 in 5 children engage in sex/pornography while being online, while 70 percent of convicted sex offenders use the Internet.
What does this say about the new protective American society and the emergence of this powerful medium?
Congress must act now.
While the Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection receives over 60,000 reports of suspect child pornography annually, the organization forwards over 2,500 confirmed CP reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to the FBI, to state Attorney’s General Office and to relevant international hot lines. But government officials do not see the need for an effective campaign to combat such a crime.
Instead, they are too busy with unnecessary legislation on feeding tubes and privatization of public programs.
God has handled Terri Schaivo’s fate. The government must now take a stance on censoring the medium that sparks the most interest in child molesters – the Internet.
Committee should reconsider ad
suggestion
The Florida A&M University Student Government Association Election Reformation Committee made its final report March 25. The report stated the committee was appointed by SGA President Virgil Miller.
The committe was formed to discuss and recommend changes to the election codes portion of FAMU Student Body Constitution and Statutes, after an “overwhelming” demand for analysis of the Election Codes following this spring’s elections.
The committee will now recommend reform in the following areas: voter education, ballot security, administration of the elections, candidate restriction and candidate finance.
On page six of the seven-page report, the committee revealed a 3-year plan to cap campaign spending. No specific dollar amount is mentioned.
However, the report does state that in the second year of the plan candidates will be limited to one billboard and one paid advertisement in The Famuan among other things.
While the attempt to give some sort of order to the increasingly ridiculous campaigns, tactics of candidates seems just.
But why make it bad for The Famuan, an A&S organization which generates $100,000 to $170,000 a year by itself via ad sales. All of which goes right back to the University, who only allocates the paper $50,000 to $55,000 a year.
In essence, FAMU makes money off The Famuan.
So, isn’t this committee really suggesting that FAMU make less money in this instance?
Instead, the suggestion should be that all monies spent on campaigning should, like ads in The Famuan do, benefit the University and not outside vendors.