# Weird pedo distraction **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 8, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591 "2020-08-08T14:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/41 "2020-08-10T16:15:48Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The point is that the photos you linked to could be entirely normal and appropriate affection, depending on the relationships between Biden and those families. In the real world, affection between adults and kids is pretty common and usually not creepy. > > Using such videos or pictures for political attacks, without context or consent from the children and families involved, is pretty creepy, though. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/42 "2020-08-10T19:22:00Z")
Well, I tend to agree with the DSM-V about that. If you are attracted to children and have never done anything about it, you should certainly be able to get treatment for your paraphilia with no condemnation or legal troubles. I have always figured that, for every person that does something sexual to a child, there are likely are five more (or ten more? I dunno!) people out there who have the same desires, but who are not sociopaths, and have been able to control themselves. You cannot help what you are attracted to, but you can certainly exert some self-control over the desires! That’s my two-cents’ worth, anyways… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/43 "2020-08-16T02:53:56Z")
> **[PolitiFact - Fact-checking the pedophilia attacks against Joe Biden](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/aug/12/facebook-posts/fact-checking-pedophilia-attacks-against-joe-biden/)** > > It’s no secret that political candidates running for office face a barrage of personal attacks on the campaign trail — t _Another shows Biden leaning in to kiss his grandson during his 2013 swearing-in ceremony as vice president… One often-used photo shows Biden touching a young girl’s arm as he leans in to whisper something as she looks slightly uncomfortable._ \*[The image shows](http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/New-Congress-Senate/ff857df3e10a4e15a62b75f11ca125b7/1/0) Maggie Coons, the daughter of Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, during her father’s swearing-in ceremony in January 2015. \* _After the clip went viral, Sen. Coons, a Democrat, [told](https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/12/politics/biden-maggie-coons-creepy/index.html) Fox News host Chris Wallace that Biden was simply offering her reassurance and that his daughter didn’t think he was creepy. Coons said that Biden, who held Coons’ Senate seat before resigning to serve as vice president, has known his children their whole lives._ _“I could hear him,” Coons [said in the interview.](https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/12/politics/biden-maggie-coons-creepy/index.html) “He was leaning forward and whispering some encouragement to her about how, when he was sworn in, his own daughter Ashley was 13 and she felt awkward and uncomfortable.”…Photos that supposedly support the claim are taken out of context or have been directly contradicted by the families involved._ _We rate this Pants on Fire._ So, your photos are not only debunked but the fact that you would share of a picture of Joe kissing his own grandson at a funeral calling it a photo _“of Biden being a creep towards children.”_ is disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/44 "2020-08-16T04:16:30Z")
An interesting thing we’ve all seen is how so many people, whether politicians or simply public figures, who have in the past been obsessed with gay people or gay rights have ended up being caught in situations where they are engaging in homosexual conduct. Closeted anti-gay homosexuals as it were. It makes me wonder to what extent all the folks worked up about these fake pedo pictures and stories, whether on FB, QANON or simply anonymous message boards are actually engaging in similar outrage in an effort to hide their own pedo desires or actions. Closeted anti-pedophile pedophiles as it were. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/45 "2020-08-16T18:57:11Z")
That we even have to discuss it and debunk it over and over is Mission Accomplished for the social media trolls. In some other forum someone posted the well-established stats that the majority of exploited and abused children in the USA are so by their own parents and not victims of “trafficking”, and that most “trafficking” that happens is not of children, and of course was accused of being a denier and enabler. It’s going to take FAR longer than we thought. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/46 "2020-08-16T19:30:15Z")
For unknown reasons some of my hillbilly in-laws have started up the “Satan worshipers are molesting our children” meme again. It won’t be long until this morphs into incontrovertible proof that Biden worships Satan. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/47 "2020-08-16T19:43:43Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > In some other forum someone posted the well-established stats that the majority of exploited and abused children in the USA are so by their own parents and not victims of “trafficking”, and that most “trafficking” that happens is not of children, and of course was accused of being a denier and enabler. I’m thankful I’ve not seen that. It just seems mostly that I’m being ignored–though at least one person seems to be posting more other content, so maybe she’s at least understanding that she’s getting too upset about it. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > That we even have to discuss it and debunk it over and over is Mission Accomplished for the social media trolls. I don’t disagree, but my current strategy is less about debunking and more using the same conspiratorial language–hence calling it a distraction. I’m saying stuff like “THEY want you all upset about pedos so you don’t notice X.” I mostly just agree with them that child molestation and sex trafficking is a problem, because they are. I also don’t think talking about how most sex trafficking isn’t kids would go well when the situation most are thinking of is Epstein, who did traffic minors. And they think pretty much everyone ever in the same photo with Epstein is in on it. I did just also push the idea that there are other people they need to #SaveTheChildren from. You know, those governors forcing school, those schools not keeping the kids safe, etc. And that the kids do get sick, as well as their caregivers. I also push the stat that they recently found nearly 100,000 kids with the disease in a rather short period of time. I don’t know if it’s the best strat, but I know debunkings never seem to go well. I’d hoped we’d be brainstorming tactics here in this thread, honestly. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/48 "2020-08-16T19:48:32Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > It makes me wonder to what extent all the folks worked up about these fake pedo pictures and stories, whether on FB, QANON or simply anonymous message boards are actually engaging in similar outrage in an effort to hide their own pedo desires or actions. Closeted anti-pedophile pedophiles as it were. “the lady doth protest too much, methinks” is older than even when Shakespeare wrote that line. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/49 "2020-08-17T00:16:33Z")
Pretty sure the highest ranking political figure to be convicted of sexual abuse of minors was Dennis Hastert, the former Republican Speaker of the House, who served in that position from 1999-2007. > **[Dennis Hastert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Hastert)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > John Dennis Hastert (/ˈhæstərt/; born January 2, 1942) is an American politician and sex offender who represented Illinois's 14th congressional district from 1987 to 2007 and served as the 51st speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007. The longest-serving Republican speaker of the House in history, Hastert resigned and began work as a lobbyist after the Democrats gained a majority in the chamber in 2007. In 2016 he w... As for the Qanon maniacs, it’s disturbing how many public figures they accuse of being pedophiles. Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Christine Teigen have all faced it with their evidence being things like zooming in on a picture of them out and about to suggest a bump in their socks is really an ankle tag. Recently there was an image of Obama that got spread around that indicated misconduct too. These people are the same low-lives who make videos saying Michelle Obama is really a man and are basement dwellers. > **[Fact check: Obama photographs with children altered or taken out of context](https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-obama-clooney-children-phot/fact-check-obama-photographs-with-children-altered-or-taken-out-of-context-idUSKBN23I29U)** > > Social media users have been sharing a series of photographs online of former President Barack Obama. Users are implying that he is acting inappropriately in the photographs with minors. These photographs have either been altered or taken out of... ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/50 "2020-08-17T01:42:52Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > As for the Qanon maniacs, it’s disturbing how many public figures they accuse of being pedophiles. Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Christine Teigen have all faced it with their evidence being things like zooming in on a picture of them out and about to suggest a bump in their socks is really an ankle tag. > > Recently there was an image of Obama that got spread around that indicated misconduct too. These people are the same low-lives who make videos saying Michelle Obama is really a man and are basement dwellers. Plus this is part of the broader pattern of seeding the population with the notion that true facts are unknowable and all evidence is subjective._“If that picture/recording/quote of Biden, Obama or Clooney was misleading or decontextualized or manipulated or faked, why, so could be this picture/recording/quote of Trump, McConnell or Jones.” “You really believe experimental science and I really believe in cosmic harmoniues and they are equally valid explanations of how to cure this disease.”_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/51 "2020-08-17T18:17:40Z")
The thing is- it is the GOP and their Kremlin buddys that post the made up crap. The Dems tend to mock, or exaggerate. They will make endless fun out of a trump misspeak, but at least the misspeak is real. I am sure someone can find a example of the dems making shit up vs Mitch or trump, but after scanning Politifact etc, it is heavily skewed to the MAGA folks. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/52 "2020-08-17T18:20:12Z")
Ah but that’s it: they are planting the notion that it’s all the same, so why believe what doesn’t fit your opinion to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/53 "2020-08-17T19:51:12Z")
A friend just posted some pics of Trump with Epstein. Someone replied with a collage of Biden “being inappropriate” with kids. I debunked the first two, using info I got in this thread actually. The lady then replied that Biden made women uncomfortable. I said I agree but her post was accusing him of being a pedophile. She said why would we want someone who makes women uncomfortable as president. I asked if anything Trump has done has given her pause. She has not replied. So, yeah, Pedophile is the new Email. Fun. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591/54 "2020-08-17T19:53:51Z")
I’m reminded continuously of an event I attended in 2012 or '13 where a top Google officer said the internet was good for the world because it helped bad ideas fail faster. I was skeptical at the time. Now I wish I could go back and punch him in the nose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-pedo-distraction/917591.md?page=2)