Truth and error in sex coverage

Again and again the Arizona media come off as very anti-Latter-day Saint.

This is another example of such https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe-breaking/2019/05/31/lds-youth-secretary-brandon-hernandez-accused-sexual-encounters-with-14-year-old-girl/1305457001/

Look at this closely. A 20-year-old who has known a 14-year-old for seven years was arrested for having a sexual relationship with her. For the Arizona Republic to have established any reasonableness in mentioning the Church connection they would have had to establish things they did not establish. Was the "girl" in the same congregation as the accused? Was the "girl" even a Latter-day Saint?

Secreteries I would say are more of a leadership position than Hawkins admits, but leadership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very disperate. This is not a 35-year-old man having sex with a 14-year-old. In fact in light of current cultural practices, treating a 20-year-old as a full adult is a bit problematic.

This is not so much a case of sexual abuse of a minor, as broadcasting sexual infidelities of an individual. If a 20-year-old having sex with a 14-year-old is treated as a clear case of statutory rape than our laws are too inflexible. 14-year-old females are in almost all cases post-pubescent. 20-year-olds cannot legally purchase alcohol.

I will even grant there are issues here. Maybe a law against this is reasonable. However the Arizona Republic is as always trying to turn the inperfections of one person into a chance to attack The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the paper that turned a public school teacher having sex with one of his students into "Mormon Sunday School teacher accused of sexual abuse of minor". The fact the individual had a position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave the paper an out to attack the Church and to coddle their allies in the teacher's union.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Defending Oaks balanced calls

Suing the "Mormon Corporate Empire"

The first BYU grad