Do Sexual Predators have a mental disease?

[trumad]

I'm just shacking my head at how stupid Foley was by leaving an electronic trail of his perverseness.

My thinking is that the disease is so powerful that it makes you do really stupid things like this.

[Der Blaue Engel]

1. This was sheer hubris

Repugnicons think they can get away with anything. (Because they so frequently do.)

[Midlodemocrat]

2. Speaking as someone who has dealt professionally with

pedophiles of both sexes who were attracted to both sexes, the pull is extraordinary.

Most pedophiles *I* treated believe that what they are doing isn't abuse, but practicing their love.

Hence NAMBLA and organizations like that. You and I, as rational adults recognize that the thought of sexual contact with a child is repugnant; they don't. They believe the child wants it and they are fulfilling a need.

I'm also firmly in the 'pedophiles can't be rehabilitated camp'. I just don't believe a person can change or alter that attraction.

[Syncronaut Seven]

3. Sexual identity tends to fix at a young age.

Pedophiles are pedophiles.

They also tend to be emotionally stunted, controlling and weak. You know, republican!

[tinfoilinfor2005]

4. I think the answer lies in the West Side Story lyrics:

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punks!
Gee, Officer Krupke, we're very upset;
We never had the love that ev'ry child oughta get.
We ain't no delinquents,
We're misunderstood.
Deep down inside us there is good!
There is good!
There is good, there is good,
There is untapped good!
Like inside, the worst of us is good!
That's a touchin' good story.
Lemme tell it to the world!
Just tell it to the judge.
Dear kindly Judge, your Honor,
My parents treat me rough.
With all their marijuana,
They won't give me a puff.
They didn't wanna have me,
But somehow I was had.
Leapin' lizards! That's why I'm so bad!
Officer Krupke, you're really a square;
This boy don't need a judge, he needs an analyst's care!
It's just his neurosis that oughta be curbed.
He's psychologic'ly disturbed!
I'm disturbed!
We're disturbed, we're disturbed,
We're the most disturbed,
Like we're psychologic'ly disturbed.
In the opinion on this court, this child is depraved on account he ain't had a normal home.
Hey, I'm depraved on account I'm deprived.
So take him to a headshrinker.
My father is a bastard,
My ma's an S.O.B.
My grandpa's always plastered,
My grandma pushes tea.
My sister wears a mustache,
My brother wears a dress.
Goodness gracious, that's why I'm a mess!
Officer Krupke, you're really a slob.
This boy don't need a doctor, just a good honest job.
Society's played him a terrible trick,
And sociologic'ly he's sick!
I am sick!
We are sick, we are sick,
We are sick, sick, sick,
Like we're sociologically sick!
In my opinion, this child don't need to have his head shrunk at all. Juvenile delinquency is purely a social disease!
Hey, I got a social disease!
So take him to a social worker!
Dear kindly social worker,
They say go earn a buck.
Like be a soda jerker,
Which means like be a schumck.
It's not I'm anti-social,
I'm only anti-work.
Gloryosky! That's why I'm a jerk!
Eek!
Officer Krupke, you've done it again.
This boy don't need a job, he needs a year in the pen.
It ain't just a question of misunderstood;
Deep down inside him, he's no good!
I'm no good!
We're no good, we're no good!
We're no earthly good,
Like the best of us is no damn good!
The trouble is he's crazy.
The trouble is he drinks.
The trouble is he's lazy.
The trouble is he stinks.
The trouble is he's growing.
The trouble is he's grown.
Krupke, we got troubles of our own! Gee, Officer Krupke,
We're down on our knees,
'Cause no one wants a fellow with a social disease.
Gee, Officer Krupke,
What are we to do?
Gee, Officer Krupke,
Krup you!

Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
© 1956, 1957 Amberson Holdings LLC and Stephen Sondheim. Copyright renewed.
Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company LLC, Publisher.