A couple weeks ago, I resisted the temptation to blog about the two Carolina Panther cheerleaders, Angela Keathley and Renee Thomas, who may or may not have been making out with each other in the bathroom stall of a bar. But then there was the story of 37-year-old Lisa Lynnette Clark, who got pregnant by and married the 15-year old friend of her teenage son. And now, this morning, I read about the case of Debra Lafave, the 25-year-old middle school teacher who plead guilty to two counts of "lewd and lascivious battery" for having had sex with her 14-year-old student.
It's making me wonder, just what-the-heck is going on back in America? What are these women thinking? The two boys I can understand. At that age, the hormones are fully raging, American culture fully encourages pre-marital sex (through movies, TV, advertising, and popular music), and the older women offering themselves would be an enormous temptation. But these boys are minors, and while they may have the intellectual and emotional capability to make a proper decision, they may not have enough worldly experience to understand the ramifications of their actions. (Unless Clark has an abortion, how is the 15-year-old going to cope with his impending fatherhood?) The women, on the other hand, are all of an age where they are expected (and legally obligated) to know better. So, are these cases of "desperate American women?"
And what do these three cases say about American men? Pro football cheerleaders who may be hot for each other instead of for guys? A thirty-something divorcee who'd rather bop and marry a teenage boy instead of trying to meet an adult man? And a 25-year-old newlywed who found a 14-year-old more interesting than her brand new husband?Weird.
Updates:
Click here for the latest on Angela Keathley and Renee Thomas.
Posts of mine on Lisa Lynnette Clark:
Debra LaFave has had all charges dropped against her in Marion County, Florida (although she will still be on probation for charges in Hillsborough County).
LaFave also has been interviewed by NBC's Matt Lauer.
6 comments:
What's wrong with American men? I posted about this on my blog several posts ago...A lot is wrong with American men. They don't value romance, affection and marriage; they don't even value sex that much; mostly they are interested in status and possessions. They are terrified of intimacy and family responsibilities. In addition, due to the increasing stupidity of the average American, smart women (such as myself and Maureen Dowd) have virtually no one we would even consider having a relationship with based on intellectual compatibility.
Elizabeth: First, thanks for visiting and for writing your two comments.
You wrote: "In addition, due to the increasing stupidity of the average American, smart women (such as myself and Maureen Dowd) have virtually no one we would even consider having a relationship with based on intellectual compatibility."
OK, assuming that everything else that you wrote about American men is true (and we won't argue the point too strenuously, even if we are an American male ;) ), this last sentence is rationale enough for adult women to chase after teenage boys? :)
Moreover, what you seem to be implying here is that, on the one hand, women like you and Dowd are so smart that there's no one to get into a relationship with (the guys are too dumb for you)... And yet, somehow the semi-educated teenage boys are smart enough (at least for Clark and Lafave).
I certainly don't condone adults having sex with teenagers. That's another issue. I would have to know more about these individuals to analyze why they engaged in this behavior.
Elizabeth wrote: "I certainly don't condone adults having sex with teenagers."
No, and I didn't think that you did. But both my wife and I thought your first comment was paradoxical.
The American Justice system is full of corruption. Hold a womans hand and next thing you know the dirty police are fabricating a crime against you saying you have raped the women that held your hand. After VT the media said let's do something about bullies. It was like a pop and a fizz. The media and the public have done nothing. They need to start fixing the problem of bullies with the largest group out their in our society and it's the people with power that get away with crimes of injustice. This is why America has the social problems that it has. It is just a matter of time before America suffers another VT. The police need to abide by the law for it to be upheld. Terrorist will not bring down this country it will be what built it, "the people."
I think in a way, this is good. That people are beginning to acknowledge that mis-treating young men is not right. And that these women should be punished the same as if they were doing these things to young women.
What I think it troubling is the comments we seem to often hear that because they're boys they like it. When it's much more probable that boys feel "they're supposed to like it" in order to prove their manhood.
Perhaps taking a closer look at expectations of manhood and attitudes toward boys in America would be a good thing.
As to elizabeth. It seems like you feel very alienated and unloved. I'm sorry to see that. I will say that sometimes when we feel that way as people we say things that turn off and push away people who might be really nice and good who are all around us. Just a comment.
Post a Comment