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Stupid Charge of the Week

By TChris, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Sun May 29, 2005 at 03:18:04 PM EST
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by TChris

Reasonable parents differ in their approach to sex education. Anette Pharris, a Nashville mother, thought her 16 year old son was old enough to enjoy a parentally supervised striptease. Many may disagree with her decision to hire a stripper for her son's birthday party, but there should be much broader disapproval of the government's decision to charge Anette with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

"I tried to do something special for my son. It didn't harm him," Pharris told The Tennessean newspaper Friday.

As the boy's mother, Anette thinks it should be her job -- not the government's -- to decide whether her son is sufficiently mature to enjoy adult entertainment. She's right.

< Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches | Stupid Poultry-Related Charge of the Week >

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    Stupid Charge of the Week | 12 comments (12 topical)
    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    The arresting officer's rationale was "it's illegal for him to go to a strip club, so it should be illegal for him to see a stripper at home". Just another example of the over-zealous over-reaching of the Religious Reich, and their attempt to turn back the clock to "Puritan" times. Do I disagree with what the Mother did? Yes. Is it any of my, or the state's business? Nope.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#2)
    by jarober on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    So... by the same token, a parent should be allowed to permit or forbid an abortion for a minor daughter, correct? It's not the responsibility of the state to either enable or disable that decision, IMHO.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Exactly, the state should not require parental notification of an abortion. As you said, the state should not enable or disable that decision. Somehow, I'm sure that's not the point you were trying to prove.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Mr Robertson, Your comment reveals something I often assume about so-called 'pro-lifers.' In locating a strip-tease and an abortion in the same moral neighborhood, you imply that the anti-abortion position has nothing to do with life or health, and everything to do with sex (or the lack thereof). Apologies if I am incorrect in my assumption that you're making a point in favor of requiring parental notification before a doctor may perform an abortion for a minor.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#5)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    The state shouldn’t be involved in this, but; it should decide which retirement plan I invest in or how much I can even invest, what drugs I can take, when I should wear a seatbelt or life-vest, which charity I donate to, what insurance I can buy, what medicines I should invest in to bring to market, what fundamental research I should support, what medical procedures I can have, where and when I can gamble or buy the services of a hooker, how much I pay for gas or booze, when I can buy booze, what kind of booze I can buy, that I should financially support the sodium advisory board, or subsidize insurance for some halfwit who builds a home in hurricane alley, or insert any of a the millions and millions of stupid nonsensical things government regulates and supports (with the fruits of your labor).

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#6)
    by clio on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    I was horrified by this report. Has this mother done anything to her child in the past to warrant this intrusion into her custody of her son? Not sure I would do this only because my own kids do not usually want Mom so openly approving of their sexuality. What's the fun in sneaking off to the local gentleman's club with your friends?* That's the point, though isn't it? They're my kids. I hope that this mother can prove that other parents knew the nature of the entertainment, and that she wins big time. *Although the oldest, who did it, came to ask, in strictest secrecy, for "tip line" etiquette. Thank the gods, I knew some! I also realized that it was his way of "checking in" on the whole enterprise.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#7)
    by clio on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Oh, and pigwiggle. with the possible exception of buying sexual services, none of the examples you cite are analogous.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#8)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    “Oh, and pigwiggle. with the possible exception of buying sexual services, none of the examples you cite are analogous.” Well, I would rather not have government involved in any of the intimate details of my life.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    What I find most hypocritical about this story is that if this same 16 year old boy (considered too young and immature to see a naked woman) was charged with a serious crime, he would be tried, convicted and sentenced as an adult to an adult prison. In fact, until recently, in a few states he would be eligible for the death penalty! As far as I am concerned, if a youth can be considered an adult if he does something wrong, then he should be considered an adult if he doesn't!

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#10)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    and there's just this thing called being able to make the right call in the situation. this cop did not have the intellect to make the right call. that seems the real problem here. i hope the same cop writes himself speeding tickets, too.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    Unbelievable...things are worse than I thought. I got a lapdance at my bro-in-law's bachelor party when I was 17, I should consider myself lucky that my dad wasn't arrested.

    Re: Stupid Charge of the Week (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    I was in charge of the 'entertainment' at my son's bachelor party....LOL Now he was in his 20's at the time, but my other son was a teenager. I have no regrets... even when they all pitched in & bought me a couple of 'dances'! Jesus we are getting too nuts here aren't we?

    Stupid Charge of the Week | 12 comments (12 topical)