I almost didn't post this diary. I look at DK as a political blog and thus the subject matter here doesn't quite fit. But the title at the top of the mainpage says "State of the Nation." If this doesn't say something about the state of the nation, I don't know what does.
On its website CBS News has a story about the kidnapping and return of Shawn Hornbeck. Shawn was taken from his suburban St. Louis home four years ago when he was eleven. Amazingly, in the years that followed he was allowed quite a large measure of freedom, including a cell phone and internet access. He did not flee or beg for rescue. His captor was a 300-pound pizza manager who kept a houseful of guns, according to the report.
The first post to CBS's message board following the story was this:
Digital breadcrumbs? And the young 'victim' had a cellphone he could have called home with at any time?
Clearly somebody was enjoying a sexual relationship with their captor, and was thrilled to not have to go to school.
Posted by lambcannon at 07:10 PM : Jan 15, 2007
My stomach turned when I read this post. Is this what we have come to? Do we now blame eleven-year old kidnapping victims for their captivity and their terror? Do we accept abusive sexual relationships so much that we can refer to that child as "enjoying" one?
The post is so far beyond the pale that it makes one wonder about the poster. There's an undercurrent of satisfaction to the words that leaves the clear impression that the poster had no problem with what he was suggesting and possibly even some experience with it.
I wanted to report the comment to CBS and ask them to pass it along to law enforcement. I didn't do that. Something about the First Amendment.
I will question that decision forever.