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Title: These Teens Kept Their Sexting Private, But Cops Found Out. Now They Face Sex Offender Registry, Jail.
Source:
Reason
URL Source: http://reason.com/blog/2015/09/01/t ... s-kept-their-sexting-private-b
Published: Sep 1, 2015
Author: Robby Soave
Post Date: 2015-09-02 10:24:48 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 3518
Comments: 83
Fayetteville, North Carolina, cops have charged 17-year-old Cormega Copening with sexual exploitation of a minor—his girlfriend, who is the same age—because the couple sent each other nude photos of themselves during their relationship. There’s no evidence the photos were ever sent to anyone else, and police only became aware of them because they searched Copening’s phone for unrelated reasons that haven't been specified. Even so, the teen—formerly the starting quarterback at his high school—faces decades on the Sex Offender Registry and up to ten years behind bars if convicted. He’s also been benched from the team while Jack Britt High School investigates the matter. Copening’s girlfriend—who remains unnamed in the news articles—is also facing charges, ABC11 reported. These teen-sexting witch hunts are almost always outrageous; they conflate child pornography with something far less sinister. It’s perfectly normal—and wildly common—for kids to express an interest in sex. Should authority figures discourage underage sexting? Sure. Should they ruin kids’ lives for doing it anyway? Absolutely not. But Copening’s situation is more outrageous than most. As far as I can tell, the pictures weren’t shared with anyone else—this isn’t a case where a boy texted a girl’s nude photos to all of his friends and caused her some considerable public humiliation. The photos were private, and remained that way, until the cops got hold of them. If there’s public humiliation here, police intervention is the cause. Consider as well that Copening reciprocated with photos of his own. Does not a mutual, voluntary exchange of photos undercut the notion that “sexual exploitation” is a factor here? It’s more than a little ridiculous to accuse these two of exploiting each other—although this is precisely what the authorities are doing, I presume (the specific charges against the girlfriend were not reported). Lastly, it bears repeating that these teens were 17. If they had waited until they were 18 to send the photos, no crime would have occurred. Eighteen-year-olds are recognized as fully-autonomous sexual adults. Kylie Jenner, who just turned 18, has been inundated with requests to make a sex tape (indeed, filmmakers began making these requests even before she turned 18). The law, by its very nature, permits no nuance: you are 18, or you’re not. But it’s ridiculous to think that teens are magically transformed into adults on their 18th birthday. Many of them—perhaps Copening and his girlfriend—might be ready for mature relationships that involve sex (or, at least, sexy pictures) prior to the government’s randomly-selected date. There’s one more disturbing angle to this story. If Copening is too young to send pictures of his own body, is he not also too young to be made a social pariah? Don’t news agencies often withhold publication of the names of crime victims when they are underage? Copening is a crime victim, according to the police, but multiple local news agencies reported his name and the full situation. They reported on his suspension from the high school football team. They showed his headshot. They pointed out the likelihood that he will have to register as a sex offender. The criminal charges and possible jail time are the worst consequences of the police investigation, but the smearing of Copening’s name and ruining of his high school experience are also unfortunate outcomes—each of them much worse than the harm from a nude photo swap that would have never come to light if the cops had minded their own business. 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 39.
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
(Edited)
Boo-freakin-HOO. Sorry. You (and author Robbie Soave) lost me at "teen-sexting witch hunts." And NO, teens who exchange texted graphic personal porno is NOT "perfectly normal" -- in as much as the freak whose opinion it is sez it is. If they had waited until they were 18 to send the photos, no crime would have occurred. Right. AND....that is the law. Author Robbie Soave seems....OBSESSED:
Right. AND....that is the law. And you see nothing wrong with the cops ruining a kid's life over innocuous private pictures sent between two 17 year olds. I guess that's not unexpected from you.
Are you the actual author of this untrue drivel? First of all, "ruining a kid's life"?? Can you be any more a Drama Queen? Secondly, he's a minor. Thirdly, the "private" self porno-pix weren't so "innocuous," were they? Fourthly, the cops are only enforcing a LAW that protects minors from predators. Even MINOR predators. Would you approve of this activity from you daughter or son? Last but not least, your personal comment ("I guess that's not unexpected from you") is baloney. Your problem is an odd obsession with anarchy masquerading as freedom. Without laws we HAVE no real freedom.
First of all, "ruining a kid's life"?? Can you be any more a Drama Queen? Good grief, I don't know what else you can call it There’s no evidence the photos were ever sent to anyone else, and police only became aware of them because they searched Copening’s phone for unrelated reasons that haven't been specified. Even so, the teen—formerly the starting quarterback at his high school—faces decades on the Sex Offender Registry and up to ten years behind bars if convicted. He’s also been benched from the team while Jack Britt High School investigates the matter. Fourthly, the cops are only enforcing a LAW that protects minors from predators. Even MINOR predators. Neither of the two kids are predators. Would you approve of this activity from you daughter or son? I would not approve, but I would not want to see either of them prosecuted as sex offenders or jailed for ten years because of an arbitrary state-determined age distinction. I can imagine you on the other hand wanting your child to experience the full force of the government - you know - to "teach them a lesson". I shudder to think what you would do if you found out one of your kids was homosexual. You don't get it yet, do you? The State is making even the most petty offenses into felonies - and you sit there and cheer the constant erosion of freedom and privacy. Maybe you could make a case if the boy was 18. Perhaps since you appear to support the surveillance state in matters that you find offensive, we should task the NSA with rooting out these evildoer teen boys and girls who send nude pictures to one another. Maybe you can petition them yourself. After all - it would just be more to add to your jihad.
Not enough information to determine such. Only this one sided article in support for the teens involved. Teens can be just as wicked and abusive to their peers as adults...probably worse. These High Schools have become microcosms of vanity, cruelty and exploitation. One only has to flip the channels and see the programming for ABC 'Family' and Disney and a host of others. Media and corporations are 'meeting' the demands of these teenaged oversexed cretans. The kids who just want to go to school, learn, get good grades and play some sports or do some activities are bombarded daily with the oversexed culture in public schools. And some of the teachers encourage it.
#53. To: redleghunter, Liberator (#39)
Ahhh yes stupid parents, TV, boob jobs, birth control pills and abortions have made this mess...
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThese teen-sexting witch hunts are almost always outrageous; they conflate child pornography with something far less sinister. It’s perfectly normal—and wildly common—for kids to express an interest in sex.
RELATED
#8. To: Liberator (#1)
If they had waited until they were 18 to send the photos, no crime would have occurred.
#11. To: Deckard (#8)
And you see nothing wrong with the cops ruining a kid's life over innocuous private pictures sent between two 17 year olds.
#17. To: Liberator (#11)
(Edited)
#39. To: Deckard, liberator (#17)
Neither of the two kids are predators.
Replies to Comment # 39. Teens can be just as wicked and abusive to their peers as adults...probably worse. These High Schools have become microcosms of vanity, cruelty and exploitation. One only has to flip the channels and see the programming for ABC 'Family' and Disney and a host of others. Media and corporations are 'meeting' the demands of these teenaged oversexed cretans. The kids who just want to go to school, learn, get good grades and play some sports or do some activities are bombarded daily with the oversexed culture in public schools. And some of the teachers encourage it.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 39.
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