Is the WHO’s Pete Townshend a sex offender? Depends on who you believe and what constitutes an offense. Was he dumb enough to use his credit card to access a child porn site? Yes. Was he cleared of Child porn charges? Yes. So what’s the big deal? Despite an investigation that turned up no child porn evidence in his home or computer, Pete Townshend still used his credit card to access a site which had child porn on it; he told the authorities it was for research he was doing. And for that offense he had to register as a sex offender in the United Kingdom from 2003 to 2008.
So who else is guilty of being stupid in this case? How about the NFL. The NFL decided it would be a wise thing to hire the WHO to play the halftime show at the Super Bowl in Florida. Probably good for ratings, but not so good for the public image as family advocacy groups descend on the Pete Townshend sex offender angle. The NFL has an image problem as it is, (see Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, thug football players and screwing over Rush Limbaugh as examples) they surely don’t need to add Pete Townshend sex offender to the list as well.
Townshend claims that he inadvertently came across child porn on the internet and decided to document how easy it is for the real pedophiles out there to access the horrid content. Here is a link to Pete Townshend’s six page dissertation of what he found and how he found it. It also describes how easy it is for the real criminals to obtain the pictures and content they desire.
Now here comes the rub; this piece is not to argue whether or not Pete Townshend’s a sex offender or just somebody trying to do something good but went about it the wrong way. I don’t know. But no matter what he was a registered sex offender in the UK and because of that he is required by Florida law to be taken into custody upon arrival and register as a sex offender in the state of Florida.
The other interesting nugget to this story is how exactly will the NFL play this? Will they allow Pete Townshend sex offender extraordinaire to play the Super Bowl or go with someone a little safer like, I don’t know……Lady GaGa.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
The Who is doing the halftime show? That’s sure to draw the younger fans. I’m pleasantly surprised that townshend is still able to get around without a walker.
December 28th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Excellent article!
December 28th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Did Pete Townshend access a child porn site? He says he did. He also reported what he found to Scotland Yard and child abuse groups. Yes, he was stupid to do what he did and he has paid dearly for it in having his name and reputation dragged though the mud. Shame on you for piling on, Shannon. Perhaps you should go after someone more deserving of your ire.
Phoenix Media Statement RE: Pete Townshend:
Initially, Phoenix Survivors (a web based support group run for and by victims of child sexual abuse) loudly condemned Mr Townshend.
However, moved by an overwhelming response from Mr Townshends fans, calling for us to take a ‘much closer look’ at this case, we did, and it became absolutely clear that Mr Townshend did indeed do ‘a very stupid thing ‘ which we do indeed condemn, however, it was also absolutely clear to us that Mr Townshend is by no means, any kind of child molester.
We feel the justice system got it wrong on this occasion and was far too heavy handed, we do not believe that his name belongs on the Sex Offenders Register, (as it makes a complete mockery of what the SOR is supposed to represent) and we wish Mr Blunkett would remove his name from it.
Mr Townshend’s suicide would have been both a terrible loss and a terrible injustice, he is a good and decent man who did a very stupid thing and has MORE than paid for it. He has always been very honest about what happened and we feel he deserves our trust. We hope he can recover from this and we wish him well for the future.
Shy Keenan
Britain’s Children’s Champion
Last month Shy Keenan (our spokesperson and founder) was chosen as Britain’s Children’s Champion BBC .
Ends
…………………………………………………… ………………………
Phoenixsurvivors.com
December 28th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Pete Townshend shouldn’t have to be punished all over again for an incident that’s over and done with. As for the website he accessed containing any actual child porn I don’t think that was ever actually proved.
December 28th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Yes, I do believe Pete Townshend when he said he was doing research. He is an intelligent artist who writes about painful, real-life situations. Anyone who is familiar with his work knows that child abuse has been a consistent, enduring theme throughout his long career. Listen to Tommy or Quadrophenia. Watch his movie White City. Child abuse is what he writes about! Though his music, he has helped many, many children work through their psychological problems caused by abusive adults. These “protest” groups are simply looking for a famous name to exploit, regardless of the truth. They harm the very cause they supposedly support.
December 28th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I was going to protest the Child AbuseWatch watchdog groups idiotic campaign to stop the Who from playing the Superbowl, but I’m afraid if I do, they will come after me and try to ruin my life too.
December 28th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Excuse me but how is going after someone who’s case was resolved seven years ago helping to stop the abuse of children? If Daly and Gillick are so worried about child abuse why are they spending so much time and money on this? Judging them by their actions and not their words, they don’t seem to be doing much of anything constructive to safeguard the lives of children. Charities that are privately and publicly funded are supposed to be focusing on the most pressing and severe issues. Could it also be that possibly these protestors are nothing more then socio-paths who align themselves with charitable organizations to mask their own perversions?
By the way, Pete Townsend is no longer entered on the violent and sex offender registry. Due to a very unfair technicality in the law similar to California’s now proven flawed, Three Strikes Law, even a someone found not in possession like Pete was still has to be placed on the list. It’s that technicality that these groups seem to who subsist off of private funds are grotesquely exploiting and manipulating to attack when they should be going after TRUE, violent child abusers or putting the private funds they receive towards battered women’s shelters and foster children.
What a joke!
December 28th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
11-year-old Sarah Haley Foxwel was just found murdered by a registered sex offender on Christmas Day. What are Evin Daly and Kevin Gillick doing to protect vulnerable children like Sarah by going after Townshend? Answer: Absolutely nothing. And by thew ay, Kevin Gilick’s “organization” as far as I can tell is nothing but a cheap looking blog with a paypal donation button. Who is keeping tabs on the tab keepers? The Catholic Church?
December 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
This is what happens when you have the excessive laws of a near police state. Monitoring and tracking of citizens without their knowledge, thought criminalized, self-defense criminalized, etc. Regardless of his motives, the mere fact he had intention to access a site that could contain child pornography was criminalized. What a horrible state to live under.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Interesting what Evin Daly of AbuseWatch thinks about sex:
http://www.content4reprint.com/women-s-issues/men-sex-n-porn.htm
December 29th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Townshend’s case was resolved in 2003. He’s been honored by VH-1, The Kennedy Center and toured the US at least three times since then. I want these two guys to stop their self-promotion campaign at the expense of Pete. Kudos to David Whitley for getting it right.http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/12/29/who-are-you-to-ban-townshend-from-super-bowl/?synd=1
December 29th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Some facts about Pete’s arrest and the total flop of the Operation Ore:
http://hiptowaistratio.blogspot.com/
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:27 am
Good article Shannon. What’s up with the NFL?