# I am not a monster, dammit!!!!!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115 "2010-02-08T05:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115/221 "2010-02-15T15:02:12Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > I gotta admit, it seems weird that you’re conflating OCD with a paraphilia. Is there evidence that the two are linked that I’m not aware of? There is some research done about whether there is a link between pedophilia and OCD: Article [here](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8T-4KJ0T0G-1&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F30%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1207375041&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=87c19649ecfeb7fefd6e2bd7334a4f2f), information about the different opinions on this [here](http://www.brainphysics.com/paraphilias.php). ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115/222 "2010-02-15T20:08:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > While I do agree with this viewpoint to some degree, though mostly when dealing with actual convicted criminals who have served their time or are expected to return to society, if his idea of lashing out at people judging him is to molest a kid who’s got nothing to do with anything, well, then that is an awful lot of responsibility for a bunch of strangers. Sounds about as justified as some guy shooting up a mall because some women don’t want to date him. **Cat Fight** , that was my thought, too. I agree that we shouldn’t brand the guy a criminal when he has done nothing, but not because pushing him too far might make him molest a child. There’s nothing, IMO, to justify hurting a child. > [@Zeriel](#): > > Certainly you’d think that, but at the same time everyone has a breaking point. There are going to be people for whom enough preemptive punishment will tip the risk/reward scales in favor of actually committing the offense. > > Keeping in mind again, we’re talking about things like “the OP is allowed to pick up his kids from school without getting flack for being in an area with schoolchildren” but not “the OP should be allowed to spend time alone with unrelated 11-yr-old girls”. Reasonable precautions are perfectly acceptable, and I’m pretty sure the OP would agree. I get that. But I just don’t see why the answer to the breaking point should be “molest kid.” If you got really angry and lashed out by…I don’t know, screaming at or assaulting the people branding you “Child molester” when you’ve done nothing wrong, I could sort of get that, while not condoning it. If your answer is “I might as well molest a kid since they already think I’m a monster,” well…then I guess my response would be maybe they were right about you, if there is something in you that could do this horrible thing. It kind of reminds me of a debate we were having on Roman Polanski. Someone brought up the fact that often people will attempt to bait famous people–apparently bringing them underage kids and then blackmailing them (“Make my kid famous or I’ll say you raped her”). Don’t know how true THAT is, but the rationale that the poster had was that once in a while the famous person may just snap and do the rape anyway when they are placed in that situation. And my response to that was the same…if you were put in that situation, and your response was to commit this heinous unforgivable crime, then I don’t think you have any excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115/223 "2010-02-16T03:12:20Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I get that. But I just don’t see why the answer to the breaking point should be “molest kid.” If you got really angry and lashed out by…I don’t know, screaming at or assaulting the people branding you “Child molester” when you’ve done nothing wrong, I could sort of get that, while not condoning it. If your answer is “I might as well molest a kid since they already think I’m a monster,” well…then I guess my response would be maybe they were right about you, if there is something in you that could do this horrible thing. > …if you were put in that situation, and your response was to commit this heinous unforgivable crime, then I don’t think you have any excuse. So my only point is to not put them in that situation, I guess. We’re in agreement on blame/lack of excuse once they DO cross the line, but the fact of the line-crossing remains and that’s no good for anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115/224 "2010-02-16T03:14:56Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > There is some research done about whether there is a link between pedophilia and OCD: > > Article [here](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8T-4KJ0T0G-1&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F30%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1207375041&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=87c19649ecfeb7fefd6e2bd7334a4f2f), information about the different opinions on this [here](http://www.brainphysics.com/paraphilias.php). Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-not-a-monster-dammit/528115.md?page=11)