Mary Kay Letourneau: What does everyone think?

[trotsky]

She served her time, her victim (now 21) wants to reunite with her, and yet there is a restraining order forbidding contact between the two.

They're both adults now - and if neither party wants the order, why can't it be abolished?

It's atrocious what she did, but everyone's grown up now, can't these adults choose to get on with their lives the way they want?

[MichiganVote]

1. Sure, they'll get together and I'll bet they are done in 6 months

[democratreformed]

2. My vote is that it will be less than that.

I can't fathom any type of relationship between those two when it ocurred. I can't understand how there could be one now.

[CaTeacher]

4. yeah--whatever--it is hard to believe that

the kid hasn't moved on--I certainly didn't like the same kind of person at 22 that I did at 14. But--hey--if they are both consenting adults--doesn't bother me a bit. And of course no matter what they will have some contact because they have 2 children together.

[warrior1]

9. what

if their sexes were reversed.

The girl now 21 wants to see her molester. Sounds very icky.

True, they are adults, but she still is his molester. If I had a say in it, which none of us really do, I would think they needed some counseling. Together and alone.

[CO Liberal]

45. ABSULUTELY CORRECT!!!!!

It's horrible that so many people have a "way to go, kid" attitude when it comes to this case.

She was in a position of authority, and used it to get what she wanted. She's a sexual predator - pure and simple.

[Misinformed01]

The young man can go to court and get the order

rescinded--this was addressed in the news stories yesterday.

This whole story is just so sad; I hope that all the people involved can somehow resolve all their issues.

[smada]

8. He's already asked to have the order rescinded

I saw a mention of it on the news last night.

[Misinformed01]

11. Well good--I hope they can work things out privately

I wish the press would leave them alone now.

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

3. If I were the judge....

I would order the boy evaluated. If a shrink said lifting the order was okay, then I would.

[MercutioATC]

15. But he's not a "boy" any more. He's an adult, and should be able to

have contact with whomever he wishes. I don't see the need for any "evaluation".

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

21. I should have clarified.

I survived childhood sexual assault, and it leaves permanent damage. The prohibition on contact's ostensible purpose is to protect him, the victim, from MORE damage. If he wants the prohibition lifted, and I were the judge, I would ask a shrink to verify that the reason for the prohibition in the first place -- his protection -- was no longer necessary.

This is not without precedent. Women (adults) who have received orders of protection against male partners (adults) and later want them lifted frequently have to undergo some sort of third-party assessment to verify that they're making the decision for reasons other than a death wish.

[MercutioATC]

22. Ah, I see.

I still don't agree with the evaluation, but I do see your point.

[calico1]

5. Yes, they are both adults

And they can do whatever they want now.

But what bothers me about the attitude of a lot of people (they are in love, its a real love story, etc.) is that this would never have been accepted if it had been a 34 year old man having sex with a 12 year old girl. Can you imagine? Its a double standard. An adult having sex with a 12 year old is sick in my opinion. I don't care who does it.

[smada]

13. I agree

The way I think about it is this... would you be so easygoing about it if it was YOUR 12 year old son and his 34 year old teacher. I wouldn't. I'd want her in prison also.

[TeacherCreature]

26. I'd want to kill her

but I wouldn't. I would still want her dead now.
I was molested as a child about the same age. You never stop paying the price for someone elses perversion.

[Warpy]

17. You're right, and she went to prison for it.

Not only was she locked up, she was unable to raise her children, so the punishment was much harder than it would have been on a man (sorry guys, I know you love your kids, but mom is different in this case, a more intimate caretaker of infants and toddlers).

She's done her time, the judge and prison authorities don't think she's a danger to children, the kid is now and adult and wants contact with her. I don't see what the problem is at this point. There's no indication she's a pedophile. It seems to be a sexual attraction to one specific individual, instead of children in general.

I have a feeling that people have trouble with this now because the age difference is going the wrong way, that there would be no problem if it were a 40+ man and a 21 year old woman.

I intend to look the other way, thanks.

[calico1]

19. So if it had been a 34 year old

man having sex with a 12 year old girl, you'd be fine with it too?
Of course if it had been a man he'd still be in jail.

[shrike]

28. That was my point on another thread. But, he is 21 now

If he wants to see her, let him. I daresay their "love" will not survive long in the real world. Let's hope those two little girls somehow get a good upbringing in all this.

[JCMach1]

6. The woman who put the BOY in boyfriend

:)

[truthspeaker]

7. I don't know enough about her victim's state of mind

His idea of what love is could be permanently warped by what she did. He may believe he has no chance with anyone more suitable. But without being able to read his mind I just don't know.

[dryan]

12. Questions about her trial...

was their any evidence given about her background. Mary Kay's father was a member of Congress and also a John Birch member. He was later involved with a teenager. When it came time for re-election he was defeated but B-1 Bob!!! I'm sure that with that kind of publicity, you would be a little off kilter too.

[Magrittes Pipe]

30. John Schmitz also ran for president.

His wife was my father's aunt's sister-in-law.

Hence, Mary Kay is my cousin by marriage.

She stayed at my house when I was young (no, she did not try to sleep with me). She did, however, have a very fucked-up childhood; and is probably emotionally stunted at a junior-high-school level.

[Zen Democrat]

10. All the kid has to do is go to Court and ask that it be rescinded.

It's merely a formality.

[patricia92243]

14. They have children together and contact cannot be avoided

[KharmaTrain]

16. Guess Petersen, Kolby, Utah Jogger, Nancy Grace...

...isn't enough. Sheesh. Here comes another oldie but goodie.

FWIW...if she's served her time and had been paroled, and he's 21...that's double-legal (as we used to say), unless he requests a restraining order, I can't see a judge who can prohibit them from having some form of contact.

If she's been released as a sexual offender, and depending on the laws of Washington, I'm sure she could be prohibited from being near other "youngsters" and would be put on a neighborhood watch list...but once her parole is up...and she's kept her nose clean. It's time to move on. She's paid her debt.

Whether she and the "kid" stay together 2 months or 30 years, that now should be a strictly personal matter between two consenting adults.

- off soap box and thinking he's had too much coffee

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Entertainment for the masses while the world burns.

It's a big deal only because it's a woman and boy rather than the usual man and girl.

[hlthe2b]

20. I think they are adults now and the court has no defensible grounds

for keeping them apart. However, I do not think the children born to Letourneau while in jail should be returned to either one of them, but should stay with the boy's mother until such time intensive counseling and court-ordered assessment strongly supports their return.

I'd be willing to bet when the restrictions are removed from their relationship, that the "novelty" will quickly wear off. Sad case through and through...

[noonwitch]

23. I feel so bad for that young man's mother

I'll bet this whole thing has driven her nuts over the past ten years or so that it's been going on. I understand her wanting to keep the children in the family, but I also feel bad for the kids-they may have been better off adopted by strangers.

Why do boys/men never think that it is sexual abuse for a grown woman to have sex with a preteen or teen boy? His poor mother has had to deal with this for all this time, trying to explain to him why the relationship was wrong, only to have him pick up with her when she gets out of jail. How frustrating for her.

[sendero]

24. She's a pedophile...

... and he's not a pedo any more. This "relationship" has about as much chance of happening as an asteroid hitting the Earth tomorrow.

[Magrittes Pipe]

31. Villi was post-pubescent when she molested him.

Evidence? Their child.

Hence, she is NOT a pedophile (which is defined as someone who is sexually stimulated by pre-pubescent children).

She is a criminal, a child molester, and she went to prison (deservedly so) because of it. But one should use the proper terminology when discussing things.

[Susang]

32. While I wasn't going to wade into this cesspool

You are somewhat incorrect in your assessment. She began her relationship with the boy when he was 12, but did not become pregnant until he was 14. At least according to this ABC news article and all of the other news reports I have been assaulted with in the past few days due to this woman's release from prison.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040804_462.html

[Magrittes Pipe]

33. True.

It is possible that her particular pathology does indeed incorporate true pedophilia. That said, whatever one would diagnose, she is certainly a very disturbed woman.

To be clear, I wasn't trying to excuse anything she did. Mary Kay is sick. But she's also my cousin, so I feel the need to do whatever I can to... I dunno, I certainly don't wish to "shield" her -- for Christ's sake, she fucked a child. But she's still family.

[Susang]

44. I didn't think you were making excuses

The situation is messed up for everyone involved and no matter what anyone here or on television may say, there are no easy answers. I feel horribly for all involved, even MK.

on edit: oh, and by cesspool, I meant this thread, not your post. For some reason subjects like this bring out the worst in DU. :-(

[BiggJawn]

25. "No shark attacks? Guess we better run with THIS story today..."

"Gotta keep the heat offa Dubya, like Mr. Rove told us to..."

Heard in newsrooms all across the Frooted Plane...

[edbermac]

27. I bet she'll be starring in a FOX reality show soon! Good titles, anyone?

:bounce:

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[yellowcanine]

34. I would just as soon not hear anything more about her. Enough.

.

[SoCalDem]

35. She should serve out her parole (if she has one) and then

she and the 21 yr old should move or whatever..I never want to hear about her again..

She committed a crime..she was convicted..she served the sentence..

Sounds like all involved here, have some serious psychological problems, but I am tired of hearing about it..

The children...all of them.. will be the ultimate losers in this whole sad thing..

[arwalden]

36. She's Just Misunderstood... It's True Love

He's more mature than his years. She's immature for her years. They meet somewhere close to the middle. It's a match made in heaven. The'll make the perfect couple and perfect parents. They did nothing wrong. It's our Puritanical society that punishes them for loving each other.

[JVS]

37. Are you joking around?

[JVS]

38. Even discussing this issue is engaging in the rankest misogyny

Or so one might led to believe in GD

[Pithlet]

39. Bull

You missed the point of that thread. That is not what Ripley, or anyone else in that thread was saying.

Please.

[JVS]

40. Keep it in that thread, eh

But it is when people downthread say that the 1st response proves the point.

[Pithlet]

41. Follow your own advice

Why did you bring it up in this one?

[JVS]

42. You are the one who mentioned the thread and named a person

[Pithlet]

43. It was what you were talking about

any one else participating in that thread would know what you were referencing.

[bookfreak]

46. What she did was hideous....

...but she has done the alloted time in jail and the young man is now of consenting age. Therefore the law has no right to keep them apart should they wish to be together.

[JSJ]

47. ain't nobody's business...

...what they do.