Comments on: Who’s Next https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:59:16 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BuckGalaxy https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52778 BuckGalaxy Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:09:39 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52778 During the Me Too period I was discussing that issue with a woman I was freinds with in high school. She was ranting that Al Franken was the same as a rapist. I pointed out that, back in his comedian days, he took a tasteless photo of himself gawking at a sleeping woman. He did not assault or touch her in any way. It didn't seem to matter to her. I then pointed out there are degrees of murder, FFS. Obviously not every single crime or infraction are all the same. David Bowie was accused of sleeping with a 16 year old groupie. He was a rock star in his mid 20s at the time. I certainly don't condone that but I also don't hold that on the same level as Michael Jackson having naked sleepovers with 10 year old boys. My impression of Townsend's crime was it involved very young children, not late teenagers. Child abuse is always bad but some cases are obviously worse than others. During the Me Too period I was discussing that issue with a woman I was freinds with in high school. She was ranting that Al Franken was the same as a rapist. I pointed out that, back in his comedian days, he took a tasteless photo of himself gawking at a sleeping woman. He did not assault or touch her in any way. It didn’t seem to matter to her. I then pointed out there are degrees of murder, FFS. Obviously not every single crime or infraction are all the same. David Bowie was accused of sleeping with a 16 year old groupie. He was a rock star in his mid 20s at the time. I certainly don’t condone that but I also don’t hold that on the same level as Michael Jackson having naked sleepovers with 10 year old boys. My impression of Townsend’s crime was it involved very young children, not late teenagers. Child abuse is always bad but some cases are obviously worse than others.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52777 ER Thu, 14 Dec 2023 03:22:31 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52777 I may not agree with it, but I am in no position to contradict it. Some of my favorite film directors, all undeniable geniuses, have been accused of sexual predation, some with children. Roman Polanski, John Huston, Woody Allen, Alfred Hitchcock. Although I can never know for certain, the allegations are credible. Should I stop watching their movies? I may not agree with it, but I am in no position to contradict it.

Some of my favorite film directors, all undeniable geniuses, have been accused of sexual predation, some with children.

Roman Polanski, John Huston, Woody Allen, Alfred Hitchcock. Although I can never know for certain, the allegations are credible. Should I stop watching their movies?

]]> By: BuckGalaxy https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52766 BuckGalaxy Wed, 13 Dec 2023 20:00:44 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52766 Townsend admitted to signing up to a child porn site. He claimed it was a result of his "rock star arrogance". What a crock of shit. By signing up for the child porn site, he is enabling the scum who make child porn. By creating the demand for child porn he is encouraging the supply of it. Plain and simple. Yes we all have our pecadillos, but then there are some who have pecados. I draw the line at child abuse. Artisitic merit or not. I didn't forgive Michael Jackson and I won't forgive Pete Townsend. Townsend admitted to signing up to a child porn site. He claimed it was a result of his “rock star arrogance”. What a crock of shit.

By signing up for the child porn site, he is enabling the scum who make child porn. By creating the demand for child porn he is encouraging the supply of it. Plain and simple.

Yes we all have our pecadillos, but then there are some who have pecados. I draw the line at child abuse. Artisitic merit or not. I didn’t forgive Michael Jackson and I won’t forgive Pete Townsend.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52746 ER Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:48:47 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52746 But first we need to know for a fact that they do indeed exploit children. That's why we have courts and laws and rules of evidence. "Innocent until proven guilty" isn't just a quaint principle of English common law, its just common sense. As disturbing as the allegations are against Townsend, as far as I know he has not been convicted guilty of any crime. Even if he is guilty of collecting child porn, should he be held to account for it if he has never acted on his perversion? Fantasizing about something is not quite the same as doing it. I think if we are honest with ourselves, all of us are capable of believing and wanting things that we don't want anyone else to know about. As long as we don't actually hurt anybody, does just thinking about it merit punishment? Besides, I noticed a long time ago that artistic merit has little to do with moral or ethical righteousness. Some of the artists I admire most are pretty unpleasant people. But first we need to know for a fact that they do indeed exploit children. That’s why we have courts and laws and rules of evidence.

“Innocent until proven guilty” isn’t just a quaint principle of English common law, its just common sense. As disturbing as the allegations are against Townsend, as far as I know he has not been convicted guilty of any crime. Even if he is guilty of collecting child porn, should he be held to account for it if he has never acted on his perversion? Fantasizing about something is not quite the same as doing it.

I think if we are honest with ourselves, all of us are capable of believing and wanting things that we don’t want anyone else to know about. As long as we don’t actually hurt anybody, does just thinking about it merit punishment?

Besides, I noticed a long time ago that artistic merit has little to do with moral or ethical righteousness. Some of the artists I admire most are pretty unpleasant people.

]]> By: BuckGalaxy https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52743 BuckGalaxy Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:42:50 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52743 Give him the benefit of the doubt? People who exploit children are the lowest lifeform on the planet. He's scum and should be locked up. Give him the benefit of the doubt? People who exploit children are the lowest lifeform on the planet. He’s scum and should be locked up.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52739 ER Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:58:38 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52739 No, I'm not sure I believe that either, but we should give him the benefit of a doubt. No, I’m not sure I believe that either, but we should give him the benefit of a doubt.

]]> By: BuckGalaxy https://habitablezone.com/2023/12/10/whos-next/#comment-52736 BuckGalaxy Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:54:38 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=102120#comment-52736 Had to turn it off because I couldn't stand looking at Pete Townsend's face after he was arrested for child pornography. Had to turn it off because I couldn’t stand looking at Pete Townsend’s face after he was arrested for child pornography.

]]>