Child Consentually Victimized by Unabomber
This isn’t an issue I deal with much, and would have let this story fade away, but this op-ed in the Washington Examiner really bugged me. A 16-year-old Maryland girl met a 43-year-old man on the Internet and went with him back to Washington state to apparently get married. Now, I’m not gonna defend this guy, who knows what he was thinking, but he is no kidnapper. The girl choose to go with him.
The hysterics of the newspaper are what piss me off though:
Unfortunately, it was not law enforcement but the suspect’s own brother who ended the family’s ordeal by calling police to report Ayesha’s whereabouts — and later apologized to the victim’s family for his brother’s behavior. And make no mistake: Ayesha is a victim. Too bad she wasn’t treated as one by local officials, who had the gall to refer to the man accused of kidnapping her as her “boyfriend.”
A 43-year-old man has no business taking somebody else’s teenage daughter anywhere without her parents’ knowledge and consent.
“no business taking someone else’s daughter” Ah, the key sentiment. The author doesn’t truly care about Ayesha, and considers this stealing. Ayesha is her parent’s property, and them and only them can give their daughter away to an out of state 43-year-old. I wonder what the Examiner would have to say about the case then?
The paper goes on to compare the man to the Unabomber:
As difficult as it must have been to turn in his own brother, Phillipp Diehl deserves credit for doing just that. He joins David Kaczynski — the New York social worker who first tipped off police that his brother, Ted, dubbed the Unabomber, was involved in 16 bomb-by-mail attacks between 1978 and 1995 that killed three people and injured 29 others.
Such an obvious newspaper ploy. While not exactly making a direct comparison you implant that idea in the minds of readers. Then give terrible details of the strawman as if it has any bearing whatsoever on the case at hand. This is such a ridiculous article.
A child — and a 16-year-old is still that — who is suddenly missing is at serious risk of becoming the next headline. Better to cancel an AMBER Alert later than not to have called one when a vulnerable, endangered child most depended on it.
A 16-year-old is NOT a child. Say it with me. A 16-year-old is NOT a child. Did Ayesha depend on an AMBER alert? Well considering she choose to go with this guy (whether it was a wise choice or not is another question), I’m pretty sure she wasn’t very vulnerable or endangered. If she didn’t want to go, she wouldn’t have. But of course legally she is chattel with no legal ability to consent, as the article points out.
Furthermore I believe the age of consent in Maryland is 16. So it at least should be legal for her to consent. That is why they are throwing the “White Slave Trafficking Act” at him. Funny, forcing her to stay with her parents is alright, but giving her the choice to leave is slavery. Its like something out of 1984. Choice is Slavery. Slavery is Freedom. Punishment is Love. Love is Evil.
February 24th, 2005 at 2:41 pm
Now that was a great entry. Your writing could use some tweaks, but the substance is dead on. Keep it up.
February 24th, 2005 at 4:47 pm
I know, Alex. That pissed me the hell off, too. Grrr!
February 26th, 2005 at 12:20 am
Brilliantly written. I absolutely agree. But keep in mind that it is an editorial piece you are referring to, and not an actual news article.
It appears the article condone the idea that “minors”, like pets and slaves, are owned properties—objects, in other words. As if certain life forms have no free will—the price for the innocentization of children and youth.
February 27th, 2005 at 11:32 pm
I tend to use the term infantilization myself.
March 5th, 2005 at 10:51 am
The media doesn’t always get the story right.
There are a great deal of other factors to take into consideration that they don’t have access to. The media in Washington State blew things way out of proportion, going as far as to indicate that he had binoculars and a telescope in his 8th floor apartment that overlooks the tennis courts od a local school. He had these items before living in that apartment and only got the telescope when his brother (that would be me) received one for Christmas - astronomy was one of the things we both enjoyed together.
The media is primarily concerned about sales and doesn’t always have the best intentions when it comes to the victim or anyone else except what may interest the reader/viewer. I too was shocked to read the comparison to the Unibomber, while I do feel the life and safety of a child is very important, I also don’t feel that Ayesha was in any real danger from my brother.
Ayesha was 15 when she was recovered and turned 16 the following day. Was she able to make a consentual decision, I would have to yes, but my opinion isn’t what matters, nor does the legal age of consent in Maryland or Washington since it has been transferred to Federal Court the age of 18 is what matters.
Acording to the lawyers he is looking at from 5 to 30 years with lifetime probation. A little bit on the severe side, but I guess a lot of that depends on what sort of plea bargain is made, whether he is mentally able to be charged, or many other factors. Regardless, I do know that he does need intensive mental health counseling.
March 15th, 2005 at 8:07 pm
If you didn’t feel Ayesha was in any danger, why did you call the police on your brother?
btw, thanks very much for stopping in on my blog. Great to have the actual people involved in the case come in to say their piece.
March 15th, 2005 at 8:17 pm
I am not surprised about the media getting it wrong. They often run away with stories. I hope some kind of reasonable plea arrangement can be found.
The problem here still remains the laws as they are right now. There is no reason a 15/16 year old should not be in a position to determine for themselves whether they want to stay at home or run off with someone they form a relationship with. As long as it is all consensual no charges should apply.