# Boycotting a pedophile's business **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 21, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462 "2005-04-21T19:10:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/121 "2005-04-29T19:39:01Z")
Haven’t done so yet. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/122 "2005-04-29T20:21:56Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > What if I don’t organize a campaign, but simply let my neighbors know, if they didn’t already, that the owner of Moe’s Tavern was a convicted pedophile and let them follow their own conscience? I actually think it would be immoral to spread your knowledge of this man’s convictions around. If you seriously thought their children might be in danger, you could alert the police, and warn them. Otherwise, I would suggest a WWJD? I think he’d forgive and support the guy’s business, in the hope he’d stay on the straight and narrow. May be idealistic, but at least moral. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/123 "2005-04-29T21:25:07Z")
I think its moral to support people who have been moral in the past. No one’s perfect, but most of us haven’t sexually molested children, been put in prision for rape, or been convicted of felony theft. This isn’t gossip, this is a matter of public record. You can decide for yourself if its moral or not to give him business, but you should be making an informed choice. If plenty of people believe as you do, the man’s business will not suffer too much from the lack of my patronage. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/124 "2005-04-29T21:32:40Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > If plenty of people believe as you do, the man’s business will not suffer too much from the lack of my patronage… And if plenty of people believe as you do, his business will fail, making it more likely that he will resort to the legal extortion I described. How would you feel if he legally purchased a house next to you, and planted a sign in the yard saying, “Registered sex offender living here. House for sale, 1 million dollars, FIRM”. Would you begrudge him the only way he can make a living? If everyone has “perfect information” about this man, he is unemployable, and cannot run a business. What options have you left him except to hold your own fears for ransom? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/125 "2005-04-29T21:36:51Z")
And then, as Siege said, he has made a poor choice of career. No one is obligated to support his business. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/126 "2005-04-29T21:43:27Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > And then, as Siege said, he has made a poor choice of career. Not if the house sells to your more frightened neighbors. Repeat in other neighhoods as necessary, and it could be a very comfortable living. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/127 "2005-04-29T21:54:12Z")
I suspect if the man tries that sort of extortion, he will make himself socially ostracized. I wouldn’t buy his house for a million dollars though, either. But I could see the city council suddenly deciding his property needs to be eminent domained for a nice watershed, if they care about getting reelected. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/128 "2005-04-29T22:15:57Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I suspect if the man tries that sort of extortion, he will make himself socially ostracized. You have already ensured that, by making sure your neighbors have “perfect information”. Can anyone (outside of prison) be more ostracized than a registered sex offender? He has nothing to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/129 "2005-04-29T22:42:50Z")
Three points: When he is preparing your meal think “Do I know where his hands have been?”. Then, eat hearty. Do you think the resturant \*employees \* are screened? If so, for what would they not be hired? What type of food does a pedo-resturant specialize in? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/130 "2005-04-29T22:51:18Z")
> [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > Three points: > > When he is preparing your meal think “Do I know where his hands have been?”. Then, eat hearty. As far as i know, all chefs need to crap, and hence have all had their hands in close proximity to their owngenitals, asshole, and fecal matter. Does that put you off? > [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > Do you think the resturant \*employees \* are screened? If so, for what would they not be hired? I don’t even understand what you’re asking here. > [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > What type of food does a pedo-resturant specialize in? How is this relevant? Do you have anything of substance to contribute to this debate? ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/131 "2005-04-29T23:01:12Z")
In so much as you have been promoted to Thread Police… yes. > [@](#): > > It is notable that the pedophile group on caseload had the highest rate of sexual recidivism relative to incest offenders or rapists. [FACTORS RELATED TO RECIDIVISM AMONG RELEASED FEDERAL SEX OFFENDERS](http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r49/r49e_e.shtml) And in closing, **mhendo** , eat shit. If I want your opinion… well you’ve no doubt heard the rest before. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/132 "2005-04-29T23:16:28Z")
> [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > In so much as you have been promoted to Thread Police… yes. I don’t consider myself the thread police. I truly was curious as to whether you had a point, because i couldn’t find one in your previous post. > [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > [FACTORS RELATED TO RECIDIVISM AMONG RELEASED FEDERAL SEX OFFENDERS](http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r49/r49e_e.shtml) Well, i guess that quoting a single sentence from someone else’s work sort of constitutes debate. > [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > And in closing, **mhendo** , eat shit. If I want your opinion… well you’ve no doubt heard the rest before. I sure have. Just not generally in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/133 "2005-04-29T23:31:28Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > If everyone has “perfect information” about this man, he is unemployable, and cannot run a business. What options have you left him except to hold your own fears for ransom? Wa-a-ait a minute! There’s a rather large difference between “unemployable” and “cannot run a business.” I’ve worked for enough small companies to know full well that I don’t have what it takes to run a business. I sincerely hope, however, that I’m not unemployable and that my employer agrees with that. There are any number of jobs which don’t bring one in contact with the general public as a rule; there are any number of jobs in which one doesn’t interact with kids as a rule, including running a wide variety of businesses. In fact, I think I’d have to go back to when I was working in tourism in Hawaii to go back to a job when I would interact with kids as part of the job. Then again, I’m a translator turned programmer, and one advantage of being a programmer is I don’t have to deal with the general public every day. A restaurant owner, however, is more likely to deal with the public and to come in contact with kids unless his is a four-star type restaurant. If he’s in it for the joy of running a business, there are other types of businesses he could run, including, depending on which state he lives in, a bar which people under 21 aren’t allowed to enter. If he’s in it because he loves the restaurant business, there are back of the house jobs and I understand being a top-of-the-line chef can be a great way to make a living, complete with a certain amount of prestige. I’ll go so far as to say the guy’s probably safe, especially if his past is well known. On the other hand, there’s still that little voice inside of me which puts me on guard and which would lead me to suggest going somewhere else if his restaurant was suggested, especially if there were kids in the party. Fortunately, I’m picky enough about food that I could probably avoid his place without having to go into why. > [@rjung](#): > > Then the problem is with social perceptions, not with the businessowner. Given how many examples of incompetent CEOs or antisocial bosses are out there, there’s no reasonable basis to believe “business owner == better.” **rjung** , I agree with you completely. One lesson I learned back when I was a teenager is that those given the most respect aren’t necessarily the best people and those given the least aren’t necessarily the worst. Back then I was determined to change it. I still haven’t quite given up, but, as the saying goes, “It’s taking longer than we thought.” 😉 Hell, my ex-boss was incompetent and a bit of a bully, but I suspect people would be a lot more likely to brag about the CEO of XYZ company than the admin assistant who worked like blazes to keep him on track. That’s the way life is. I wish it were otherwise. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/134 "2005-04-29T23:34:39Z")
My point is directed at the recurring theme of pedophiles are a low-occurance group… which is untrue. Also this site [“Pedophilia not curable, data show.”](http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/etzioni/B388.html) talks of: > [@](#): > > The puzzle was solved when I came across reoffense data, which sounds similar to rearrest data but is not. Reoffense figures concern how often the same criminal act has been repeated by the same person - whether or not they have been caught. > > We know that on average, pedophiles commit 13 abuses before they are caught. We know this because once they are arrested, they admit to the other offenses or other victims come forward. This one is directed to the “so he’s had a couple of abuse cases” type of arguements. I think the treat and release does not work far too often and the children are suffering needlessly. My statements you questioned were made because: First: IMO, you can’t scrub 5 year-old neice off your hands Second: If you can be a pedophile and work at this joint, is there anything an employee might be fired for? Third: It’s a joke. I don’t really want to know. Sorry. I’ll have to put a little smiley face behind them from now on. Either way, here’s a couple of sites to breeze over. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/135 "2005-04-30T01:45:03Z")
> [@](#): > > And in closing, mhendo, eat shit. If I want your opinion… well you’ve no doubt heard the rest before. First, this Forum is about informed opinions, if you do not want to see them, don’t read the threads. More importantly, Do Not order any other poster to “eat shit” in **GD**. Take it to the \*\*Pit \*\* if you cannot control yourself. [/Moderator Mode] ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/136 "2005-04-30T02:37:29Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > First, this Forum is about informed opinions, if you do not want to see them, don’t read the threads. > > More importantly, Do Not order any other poster to “eat shit” in **GD**. Take it to the \*\*Pit \*\* if you cannot control yourself. > > [/Moderator Mode] I apologize. I was put off by the dismissive tone of what seemed an unjustified attack. But, that is no excuse and I do apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462/137 "2005-05-01T14:33:32Z")
I don’t get what all the fuss is about. If you don’t want to eat at a particular restaurant becuase you don’t like the food, or the prices, or the decor, or the owner’s race, or the owner’s criminal background or because the name has bad Karma, don’t eat there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotting-a-pedophiles-business/300462.md?page=6)