New development: Justice Department can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records, judge says
Don't expect any significant revelations.
Friday is the deadline, will Friday be the MAGA's long anticipated awesome "Epstein Files Day" or will the DoJ refuse to release what they're supposed to release or release files so heavily redacted that it's a huge dud?
Epstein files deadline Friday: What DOJ is required to release, and what could be withheld
A good friend will bail you out of jail, but your best friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying "that was f***ing awesome"
It’s useful to delineate between men who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children and those attracted/prey upon later teen girls.
It seems possible some are hoping to somewhat normalize the latter behavior. Along the lines of it being a moral misdemeanor and not a felony.
If we agree both are abhorrent felonies, fine. I don't know I see a good reason to distinguish other than to somewhat justify. But so long as we do not attempt to justify, why the heck would I care.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/2002033715275497969?s=20
They keep shooting themselves in the foot.
Tons of redactions. I’d bet many originals will be leaked later.
At least we got a photo of Bill in a hot tub likely getting topped off by a minor.
https://twitter.com/i/status/2002147008430420284
Do you honestly not see the difference between men who are sexually attracted to a 5-year-old vs. a 17-year-old?It’s useful to delineate between men who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children and those attracted/prey upon later teen girls.
It seems possible some are hoping to somewhat normalize the latter behavior. Along the lines of it being a moral misdemeanor and not a felony.
If we agree both are abhorrent felonies, fine. I don't know I see a good reason to distinguish other than to somewhat justify. But so long as we do not attempt to justify, why the heck would I care.
@bradstevens are you saying 17-year olds are ok, 16, 15?
Minors need protected from predators. Here is what Google AI says:
Jeffrey Epstein's victims were primarily young girls and teenagers, with reports and court filings documenting abuse starting as young as 11 to 13 years old.
I am not in any way going to attempt turning 13 year olds, 15, or even 17, into prostitutes. If a woman of legal age chooses it voluntarily, that is something entirely different. I have not studied Epstein, I am under the impression many had no idea they were being recruited for that life. If that is accurate, that is wrong - full stop. Call it what you like so long it in no way normalizes it
If Clinton or Gates had sex with anyone under 18, I want them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I don't want a "she is 16 so it is OK" defense. That holds for any Republicans.
You have a son, if you had a 16-year old daughter would you have the same opinion? If your son were 16 and fell into an Epstein situation?
@bradstevens are you saying 17-year olds are ok, 16, 15?
Minors need protected from predators. Here is what Google AI says:
Jeffrey Epstein's victims were primarily young girls and teenagers, with reports and court filings documenting abuse starting as young as 11 to 13 years old.
I am not in any way going to attempt turning 13 year olds, 15, or even 17, into prostitutes. If a woman of legal age chooses it voluntarily, that is something entirely different. I have not studied Epstein, I am under the impression many had no idea they were being recruited for that life. If that is accurate, that is wrong - full stop. Call it what you like so long it in no way normalizes it
If Clinton or Gates had sex with anyone under 18, I want them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I don't want a "she is 16 so it is OK" defense. That holds for any Republicans.
You have a son, if you had a 16-year old daughter would you have the same opinion? If your son were 16 and fell into an Epstein situation?
If you're even implying that I have in any way suggested that it is "OK" for an adult to turn a teenager into a prostitute, you can go fuck yourself. If you're implying I have anywhere justified Epstein's behavior, again, you can go fuck yourself.
If that's what you meant by saying 17 year olds are "OK," there is your answer. If what you mean is, is it OK for a man to be sexually attracted to a 16 or 17 year old, then I'd ask what it is you mean by "OK." Is it moral? Legal? Taboo in our particular culture at this particular time? I'll note that historically it's pretty normal, and was part of popular media within our lifetimes--listen to some pop music by the Beatles, Sam Cooke, Led Zeppelin, etc. I think you'll notice no such songs are written about 5 year olds or 10 year olds. Why? Because the two situations are clearly different--probably in every society and culture.
You can find research on this stuff that documents it, too. Of course, lots of things that are "normal" human impulses are things we've built social inhibitions into our society to tamp down. I'm glad our society has done that. Others have not--do you find those societies abhorrent?
Now go back and read what I actually wrote and answer the question I asked.
By the way, I have an 18-year-old daughter. I've personally witnessed older men ogling her for years. If a grown man tried to hit on her, I'd probably punch him out.
@bradstevens look at the facts 11-13 year olds were in the group according to Google.
I think there is a fear that Trump IS in there more than people want, so the claim will be it was a 15 year old so nothing to worry about. But again, even if 17, what amounts to forced prostitution is dead wrong. Hell, even if 30.
Were there 11-13 year olds as Google AI says? I am not saying you think it is ok, I am saying anything you want to call it is fine so long as a society we don't think, "close enough, no harm no foul". And yes, I think that is what some want to do.
Young girls are developing secondary sexual characteristics at younger ages. So yes, there are 14-year olds that look 17 or 18. That is why we need to be very careful on this.
Call it what we want. I think being labelled a pedo has at least a little ability to try to convince older people from dipping into the mid teen pool. Maybe not.
But from what I have read, these ladies didn't all know what they were getting into. Bad enough with an adult, worse with a minor.
Let's move it from Trump, if Obama were in there some would go, "well, she was 16 so it isn't that bad" and I find that wrong.
Even pre-teens can and do have breasts and could pass for older. What cutoff is there for you.
I certainly don't mean to mean YOU are trying to make it OK, just that suddenly there was a concerted movement to stop calling Epstein a pedophile, that had been used for a long time. My posting is undoubtedly impacted by trying to post while watching our next opponent and full of NyQuil for my stupid cold. If I implied you specifically, I apologize.
But as a society, how much should we try to protect people from an Epstein at 9, 11, 13, 15, 17? Is it a sliding scale where 17 is a misdemeanor, maybe 15 too?
Should we vote for someone who visited a 17 year old, 16, 15?
We want IDs for voting, something I have no issues with, so maybe request an ID before sex if there is any possible doubt?
Maybe as a society we should make 17 year olds have consent, but again I am not sure these ladies had consent ability even if adults. But if we do, what about the 16-year old?