Letters to the Editor
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Letter of the day: Dr. Brown's dark compulsion
None of us should take any comfort from the sad story of Dr. Ross Brown and his conviction on child pornography charges. Brown became addicted to pornography and was unable to break its hold on his life. From media reports it appears that Brown did not produce or distribute child pornography -- he simply became addicted to seeing it.
Women will find it difficult to understand how an otherwise decent person could become controlled by something so disgusting to most of us. But every man knows the pernicious appeal of pornography and its constant availability through media and the Internet. If women doubt its power to attract, they should ask the men in their lives.
As a society we have decided that pornography featuring children is so potentially harmful that we regard watching it as criminal. That is not the case for pornography involving rape, incest or bondage, all of which may be watched within the bounds of the law.
Despite the fact that some images of children in sexual situations may have been produced in Europe decades ago, by watching these images one is regarded as promoting or participating in them.
Something here is wrong. In our rightful anger against child exploitation and abuse we are treating the addicted as though they were the dealers in this sordid material. At the same time we turn a blind eye to those who may spend hours watching graphic images of sexual violence against women.
Pornography is pornography. It is evidence of evil as a power in this world and we should vigorously oppose those who create or distribute it. But to single out for punishment only that sad sliver of humanity that succumbs to the addiction of watching it ignores the greater problem. It also punishes those who deserve mercy, help and therapy to escape from addiction to this dark compulsion.
BRIAN KELLY
Winnipeg
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 11, 2009 A12
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6 Comments
Posted by: Jenny
September 14, 2009 at 11:58 AM
He is a grown man with recognition. He's a doctor; higher standard. As soon as he got addicted or found himself compulsively seeking child pornography, he should have realized that he had a problem and sought help for it, either through cognitive behavioral therapy, medication if he must, etc. instead of allowing it to escalate. We all have that responsbility--helping ourselves. Perhaps he was too embarrassed to come forward and get help for this issue, or had too much pride. For example, if I had an alcohol problem, I would actively seek help before I killed myself--or someone else (ie: impaired driving). It's no different when you find yourself sexually exploiting young children!
Posted by: Jason Wayne
September 12, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Who is the actual writer of this?
Posted by: reality man
September 11, 2009 at 11:14 AM
I believe the media said ross brown's name and address was on the website ; " According to justice officials, Brown's name first surfaced in June 2006 during an FBI probe of a child-abuse case involving a 12-year-old Georgia girl. The FBI discovered a website containing modelling-type photos of the girl and learned the administrative contact was listed as a "Ross Brown." Brown's street address in Winnipeg was also listed " (Winnipeg Free Press 3/09/2009 )Being the "administrative contact " sure seems like a distributor to me.
Posted by: wolfrom
September 11, 2009 at 10:29 AM
There is an obscenity law in Canada that is interpreted (by customs officials at least) to ban the consensual types of pornography mentioned, which involve simulations of incest and rape.
Even if a reasonable person wants to debate the strength of obscenity law enforcement, or the existence of such a law, it will NEVER be acceptable to rationalize the abuse of children as just another type of extreme pornography. From my layperson point of view, knowingly possessing child pornography is illegal because the offender is an accomplice after the fact to CHILD ABUSE, because they have not reported the crime and are profiting from it (through sexual gratification or occasionally through financial gain). There is no statute of limitations on child abuse, so it does not matter when the abuse occurred. It is also not acceptable for any Canadian citizen to be an accomplice to child abuse in other countries.
I sometimes question whether or not our obscenity law is contrary to our belief in free speech, but I do not believe that any reasonable person would ever question the need for laws against child abuse, or question whether an accomplice to that abuse should be held accountable.
Regan Wolfrom
Posted by: SeeTheOtherSide
September 11, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Brian: your examples do not relate to each other at all. The reason child pornography is harmful and criminal is because a child cannot understand why they are being touched how they are. why it hurts and why it is wrong if you dont want them to do that but they continue. It is criminal because it is harmful and if you watch it you are adding to the supply and demand. It is different watching people being raped and incest and bondage as these are women who understand what is going on and either enjoy it or are acting. If any of those images are real it would be just as criminal to watch those as child porn.
Posted by: gnome888
September 11, 2009 at 9:15 AM
There are so many things wrong with this letter that I'm almost speechless! Almost.
That Brian Kelly doesn't feel that children deserve extra protection, beyond what we offer adults, due to their very nature of being so vulnerable and easily damaged, is mind-boggling.
That Brian Kelly is CLEARLY unfamiliar with the concept of supply and demand is astounding. Let me explain it Brian... without these poor people who "need" to look at these photos, the need to produce such photos would dry up. These consumers of child porn are keeping the business of producing it alive. You seem so incredibly clueless, I'm just baffled. Your logic reads like that of a 10-year-old. I take that back... I know more logical 10-year-olds.