# Pete Townshend: pedophile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 11, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003 "2003-01-11T20:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Deptford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Deptford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deptford)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/101 "2003-01-16T15:07:48Z")
Re: the **Goverment Ministers** and embarassment for the current goverment. Are they supposed to be ex-ministers from the current Administration? There’s a number of ex-ministers from labour goverments in the 60’s and 70’s still around after all. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/102 "2003-01-16T17:40:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by everton \* > \*\*What revelations? Innocent until proven guilty etc. > > In any case, the police have explained that there’s no connection between Kelly’s arrest and Operation Ore.\*\* Fair enough, although I did say “allegedly”. > [@](#): > > \*\*Brace yourselves for a rash of e-mail jokes along those lines in the coming weeks. I also suspect that far fewer people are going to begin their comments about Kelly on the SDMB with “I hope these allegations aren’t true”. \*\* I suspect Kelly is known to far fewer Dopers than Townsend; however, I do hope that the allegations aren’t true. Heck, I wish all the reports of abuse weren’t true. Personally I’m still hoping that Michael Barrymore wasn’t involved in that man’s death, although he seems to be doing everything possible to make his life more difficult than it is. Despite his rather naff demeanor I like Matthew Kelly and have no reason to wish him ill. But hard on the heels of the Operation Ore reports, he’s going to get hit with some of the mud currently airborne, guilty or not. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/103 "2003-01-16T17:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\*I suspect Kelly is known to far fewer Dopers than Townsend; however, I do hope that the allegations aren’t true. Heck, I wish all the reports of abuse weren’t true. \*\* Yes, I often take that line in conversations myself and I’m always shocked how hard it is to get that point of view across. It’s strange and sad how many people seem to _want_ an accused person to be guilty of some terrible crime, even in preference to wishing the crime hadn’t been committed at all. The Barrymore development is particularly interesting too. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/104 "2003-01-16T18:01:27Z")
Here is a website that has a paper Townshend wrote about his investigations and the reasoning behind them. [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/petetownshend1.html](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/petetownshend1.html) It is almost enough to convince me that he is telling the truth. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/105 "2003-01-16T22:33:43Z")
From Townshend’s paper linked above: “However, what many people fail to realise is how – by visiting this (pornographic) website – we directly and effectively subsidise pornographers.” Unless the press is mistaken, they “caught” him by following the credit card paper trail. Will the real Pete Townshend please stand up? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/106 "2003-01-17T01:12:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\* > Unless the press is mistaken, they “caught” him by following the credit card paper trail. Will the real Pete Townshend please stand up? \*\* If Townshend’s been telling the truth, the essay cited may have been written _after_ his brief investigation into the world of Internet child pornography. If he realized while in the process of playing the anti-kiddie-porn crusader that he was supporting the very thing he was hoping to stamp out then he may well have wanted to warn others to avoid his mistake. I realize I’m putting this in the best possible light, but I don’t think it’s too improbable. From what I know of Townshend’s personality, it is in character for him to get angry, do something rather foolish, and then regret it. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/107 "2003-01-17T01:33:19Z")
I didnt know if you guys knew this or not but all those file-sharing programs such as Kazaa, and Imesh are literally filled with videos and images of child pornography. I really think something should be done about it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/108 "2003-01-17T03:04:28Z")
After reading as much as I can about this and weighing the issues, I think that I believe Pete townshend. as laughable as the “research” excuse usually sounds, I have to say that something about the way PT has presented his case just rings true to me. The fact that he only visited one website one time (at least that’s all we’ve heard about) coupled with his previous and long-standing public crusade _against_ child sexual abuse, I think lends his story credibility. Remember _Tommy_ addressed the issue of child abuse long before it was fashionable to do so. Really, it just comes down to a gut feeling for me. I _believe_ him. This may be wishful thinking on my part. I’ve always liked and admired PT and his music. I once opened up a gash on my thumb trying to imitate his windmill routine on my guitar. I don’t want to stop playing Who songs on my accoustic for my three-year old daughter (she likes to head bang to "Baba O’Reilly). Unless we find out that he has more in his files than he has admitted to, I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/109 "2003-01-17T16:38:24Z")
Me too. If he’s proven guilty, I’ll have to deal with that. But I think he’s sincere. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/110 "2003-01-17T16:45:41Z")
Pundit, you still have to address your claim that he perpetuated the myth about homosexuality and paedophilia. Where did you get this impression form? ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/111 "2003-01-17T21:43:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > **I don’t want to stop playing Who songs on my accoustic for my three-year old daughter (she likes to head bang to "Baba O’Reilly).** Just curious. Would you (or anybody else out there) quit listening to your old Who albums if he is found to be guilty of this offense? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/112 "2003-01-17T22:34:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Just curious. Would you (or anybody else out there) quit listening to your old Who albums if he is found to be guilty of this offense? I don’t think I would be able to enjoy them any more. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/113 "2003-01-18T09:26:50Z")
It is I would think entirely possible _both_ that he is a genuine anti-kiddie porn campaigner and someone who is drawn to kiddie porn. Many victims of pedophiles become perpetrators. It is not at all inconcievable that he is a moral person who hates his own compulsions. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/114 "2003-01-18T14:47:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wartime Consigliori \* > \*\*Just curious. Would you (or anybody else out there) quit listening to your old Who albums if he is found to be guilty of this offense? \*\* Purely an emotional response on my part, but, no, I would not be able to enjoy the music anymore. I react that way when a Michael Jackson song comes on the radio now–it puts me off (and I used to love his music). ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/115 "2003-01-18T18:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Just curious. Would you (or anybody else out there) quit listening to your old Who albums if he is found to be guilty of this offense? A bit off topic, but how many people have ever quit listening to an artist because of **criminal behavior in general**? For example: heroin use, wife beating, etc? Where would you draw the line? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/116 "2003-01-19T00:25:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yawndave \* > \*\*A bit off topic, but how many people have ever quit listening to an artist because of **criminal behavior in general**? For example: heroin use, wife beating, etc? Where would you draw the line? \*\* Damn straight – I had to throw away all my Gesualdo records when I found out about him killing his wife and her lover. Oh, and the bit about literally rocking his infant son to death. And there was that thing about cutting all the trees down around his castle (to keep his wife’s family from sneaking up on him and attacking him), cause you just _know_ that he’d destroyed some endangered species habitat or another. I just couldn’t respect the man after that. And there was Wagner and his anti-Semitism, and Mozart who cheated on his wife (and had a fouler mouth than Ozzy, judging from his letters), and Stockhausen who made that rather tasteless remark about the WTC attack, and Busnois who paid to have a priest beaten up, and Andrew Lloyd Webber for crimes against art too hideous to mention… Let’s face it: composers are all bastards. I’m off to listen to my Pat Boone records. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/117 "2003-01-19T01:33:44Z")
People who have posted preemptive condemnations of Pete Townsend ought to bear in mind that it is perfectly feasible for him to have broken English Law in this instance without him being a paedophile. I certainly won’t be ditching any records if that happens but Townsend has already expressed his fear that people may not be able to tell the difference. I’ve been reluctant to post to this thread because so much of what has been written about the case here has been based on guesswork and conjecture. Another thread elsewhere (closed for breaking SDMB rules) even mentioned the _wrong celebrity_ and connected him to the _wrong police investigation_. Such is the eagerness of some individuals to spread manure. There will be no hard evidence forthcoming until the police are ready to present it. In the meantime, I felt that [this article](http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,877201,00.html) has described the need for caution pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![soulburnz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@soulburnz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulburnz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/118 "2003-01-19T01:34:16Z")
Let’s say someone, theorectically purchase some illegal drugs “just to see how the process works” for research or to write a book or to somehow do their part to stop drug use. They didn’t partake of said illegal drugs they threw them out. They get busted and charged somehow. It doesn’t matter what their motive was for buying the drugs, they still broke the law when they purchased them and should be charged accordingly. Even if they had a noble agenda behind the purchase in the first place. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/119 "2003-01-19T14:54:23Z")
I often wonder how investigative journalists get away with this stuff. “We bought $10,000 worth of illegal drugs, firearms and Cuban cigars just to see how easy it was, and then blamed the DEA and ATF for letting us do it!” Is there some sort of “Get out of jail free” card these people have? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003/120 "2003-01-19T14:58:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by soulburnz \* > \*\*Let’s say someone, theorectically purchase some illegal drugs “just to see how the process works” for research or to write a book or to somehow do their part to stop drug use. They didn’t partake of said illegal drugs they threw them out. They get busted and charged somehow. It doesn’t matter what their motive was for buying the drugs, they still broke the law when they purchased them and should be charged accordingly. Even if they had a noble agenda behind the purchase in the first place. > > Just a thought. \*\* I don’t see the relevance. There can be little doubt that Townshend violated the letter of the law – he freely admitted to it. But since when do people care about celebrities violating the letter of the law? In the past Townshend has purchased plenty of illegal drugs, and not for innocent academic research either, but there are precious few people who’d refuse to listen to his music because of it. The public doesn’t care whether or not rock musicians use drugs; it’s practically expected of them. But people do care about celebrities being pedophiles, and there are plenty of people who’d refuse to listen to Townshend’s music if he proved to be a kiddie porn fiend. That’s why his intent matters to the public. It is also a matter of some interest to the law, and will probably be the primary factor in deciding his sentencing if he is ever charged with anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townshend-pedophile/148003.md?page=7)