But Mom, he got to sail around the world!

We spend millions needlessly because parents are overprotective. Go look at an elementary school's bike racks. They're almost empty, because parents worry their kids can't go half a mile without them.

Good gosh, an NYT writer was ripped for letting her 10-year-old ride the subway alone. Even though it was common for her to do it at that age.

 

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/executeZipSearch.html

There 313 are in my zip code and neighboring zip codes. Type in 23116 and see what pops up.

Ink, there are a lot of sick, evil people in this world.

 

If her parents were Taliban, this would be a perfect thread. As it is, it is just the stupidest.

 

Thank whomever you want to make up for her parents' lack of parenting skills.

 

There were just as many in the 1970s. We just didn't know it.

And those registries include all sex offenders. Peeping Toms, flashers, dudes on the downlow caught in a men's room and pedophiles.

 

We don't do that because of honest risk analysis about what's most likely to keep them safe. We do that to deal with our own emotions.

 

Sex offender does not mean pedophile.

If you want to protect your child from pedophiles, don't worry about how many are in your neighborhood. Teach them *exactly* what the boundaries are and make it very clear that they can talk to you if an adult they trust does something. The odds of some random neighbor doing something are infinitesimal* compared to a teacher, family member or sports coach.

* - yeah, I know, don't reach for a word if I can't spell it

 

What is that based on?

 

A 16-year-old girl is a child. Legally and figuratively. For instance, if one afternoon this girl got bored and decided to post pictures on her blog of herself sunbathing on her boat -- nude -- we would call that child pornography. But it's okay to let this child sail alone around the world?


It's been proven time and again that a 16-year-old's brain is not nearly as fully-formed as an adult's. And at 16, her parents are legally responsible for her and they should not have been allowed to pull this stunt with her.

Wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Gloria Allred file a complaint with CPS today. And in this case, she'd be right!

 

Gator is disappointed.