Mark Berndt, age 61, was a teacher with over 30 years experience at the Miramonte Elementary School in south Los Angeles.  He’s recently been charged with molesting 23 children.  This pedophile’s vile behavior finally came to light when a photo processing facility passed along to the police suspicious images of this pig’s photos of his students.  After their investigation, Berndt was arrested.

I’m not going to describe his disgusting actions but I’m sure if anyone is interested in the complete story, it can easily be found.  Let me just say that his DNA was found on objects in the trash in his classroom which means his activities were done on the school grounds.

But this scumbag wasn’t the only one who took advantage of these little children.  During the investigation, Martin Springer, another teacher, was arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts on a child.  As a result, the School District, decide to re-staff the entire school.

As a former prosecutor and an attorney for over two decades in the area of child abuse and neglect, I’ve seen some horrible things.  I also know that someone at 61 years of age doesn’t wake up one morning and say I’m going to start molesting some children today.

Berndt’s activities had to have been going on for a very long time and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that more of his victims will be coming forward in the next few months.

What I don’t get is how this guy got away with it for so long.  This is not the case of sexual abuse within a family which is often cloaked in secrecy.  Children within a family often don’t say anything because they don’t know that the behavior is wrong or, if they do, they keep silent for a variety of reasons.

But in this case, Berndt’s access to children was at the school and if evidence of his despicable behavior was in his classroom, then how many people had seen something or suspected something throughout this guy’s 30-year career and said absolutely nothing.

We’ve all read enough about the horrific actions of Jerry Sandusky at Penn State where people actually saw him molest children and either said nothing or failed to report the behavior to the police.  We saw Joe Paterno fired from his job because of his belief that someone else would do the right thing, tarnishing his otherwise honorable career.

I’m sure we’ll learn a lot more about Berndt as the story unfolds and more victims come forward.  We already know that he fondled a little girl back in the early 90s but the prosecutor didn’t have enough evidence to go forward.

According to news reports, his entire career was at Miramonte School, so the idea that no one knew what he was doing is absolutely implausible, especially because of the girl’s claim in 1993.

When so many people in today’s society are offended by the slightest grievance, it amazes me how many people can look but not see what’s going on before their very eyes.  Why people won’t/can’t/choose not to take a stand against the abuse of the most vulnerable in our society is something I will never get.  Just like the mother who chooses to close her eyes to the molestation of her own child by the man in her life, far too many people choose not to get involved and report the criminal actions of disgusting people like Berndt.

I don’t get it, but if you do, God bless you.

Former Mayor of Chicago, Rob Blagoyevich, recently got sentenced to 14 years for trying to sell President Obama’s Senate seat as well as other crimes.  I understand that as an elected official, the public trust is paramount and the “People” in People vs. Blagoyevich means that the crimes he committed were, indeed, crimes against the People.  And, if the judge wanted to make him an example that this type of behavior is not to be tolerated, I get it.

But I also think that crimes against a person are in a different class, with greater penalties being easily justified.

For example, back in 2005, Devon Weinstein, was sentenced to 21 years for deliberately breaking eleven bones, including the legs, of his girlfriend’s 7 month-old baby girl, in the presence of her 5-year old brother, because she cried during a Denver Broncos football game.    She also suffered a separated left elbow and facial burns.

I have no idea what the sentencing parameters were for these crimes but, if I had anything to say about it, I would have given him life.  He probably only got 21 years because he didn’t kill the baby – but not for lack of trying.  But that’s just me.

But in November, his attorney made a motion to have his sentenced reduced for seven reasons:  he was a model prisoner, he participated in the prison dodge-ball team, he maintained excellent behavior behind bars, the child has fully healed, his sentence wasn’t consistent with other cases, her mother got a lighter sentence and his own daughter submitted a letter on his behalf.  To all this, I say big deal!  (I actually said something a bit stronger but I’m trying to keep my composure while I’m writing this.)

I think any reasonable person would say, “On what planet would any of these reasons justify a sentence reduction for this guy?”  I’ll tell you.  Planet Hannen.  That’s right.  Arapahoe District Judge Mark Hannen, in Denver, agreed that the adjustment of Weinstein’s sentence was justified.  He didn’t taken off the ten years this pig’s attorneys requested, but he did reduce his sentence by seven years, which means that Weinstein could be released as soon as next year but no later than 2019.

Here are a few other egregious examples of light sentences reported by Bill O’Reilly.

In Rhode Island, 18-year old Josh Maciorski was convicted of having sex with a 13-year old girl, but sentenced to probation.  Two years later, he molested a 14-year old girl and served just one year.  Then when he got out, Maciorski raped a 16-year old girl.  His sentence after this third strike – an unbelievable three years in prison.

In Missouri, 19-year old Darrell Jackson received only four months in prison and five years probation after pleading guilty to repeatedly sexually abusing a little girl from the time she was eight.

In Minnesota, Joseph Duncan was accused of a molesting a little boy.  Even though the judge knew he had served 16 years for raping another young boy at gunpoint, the judge released him on $15,000 bail.  He promptly left the state, went to Idaho where he allegedly kidnapped, raped and killed a 9-year old boy, molested his sister and killed their family.

Perhaps if Jessica’s Law was in effect at the time of these crimes, things would’ve been different.  Jessica’s Law was named in memory of Jessica Lunsford, who was abducted and sexually assaulted before being brutally murdered in Florida and mandates a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison for first-time child sex offenders.

Yet, Idaho, Colorado (where Weinstein’s sentence was reduced), Illinois, Hawaii, Vermont and New Jersey, won’t pass Jessica’s Law.

I have to say that Rob Blagoyevich is a lovable scoundrel.  It was amusing to watch his legal maneuverings and shenanigans and his adamant denials of any wrongdoing.  Plus he had great hair.  Yes, he violated his oath of office and yes, he should be punished.  But, in my world, the sexual and physical abuse of the most vulnerable victims ranks far greater in terms of harm to our society.

I don’t get it, but if you do, God bless you.

According to the conference’s brochure, the event examined “ways in which minor-attracted persons [pedophiles] can be involved in the DSM 5 revision process” and how the popular perceptions of pedophiles can be reframed to encourage tolerance.

Minor-attracted persons?  Are they nuckin’ futs?  These bozos want to encourage tolerance of criminal activity against children?

While doing my research, this whole idea is nothing new.  Back in 2003, the American Psychiatric Association sponsored a symposium in San Francisco to discuss the removal of pedophilia from the DSM.  Other long-recognized categories of mental illness known as “paraphilias,” included exhibitionism, fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism and sadomasochism.

Back then, Dr. Charles Moser of SF’s Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality and co-author Peggy Kleinplatz of the University of Ottawa presented a paper in which they wrote, “the situation of the paraphilias at present parallels that of homosexuality in the early 1970s.  Without the support of political astuteness of those who fought for the removal of homosexuality, the paraphilias continue to be listed in the DSM.”

I don’t know how anyone can make a comparison between homosexuality and pedophilia.  Quite honestly, I really don’t want to visualize any sexual activity between men and women, men and men or women and women.  But as far as that goes, that activity is presumably between consenting adults.

Homosexuality may have been removed from the DSM and may have been decriminalized but it has not been completely accepted by mainstream America.  If it was, there’d be no reason for some people to remain “in the closet,” yet plenty do.  At best, homosexuality is tolerated.

On the other hand, pedophiles are predators of children, who are unable to consent to anything.  Children are simply prey.  There’s no comparison.

Child advocate Dr. Judith Reisman, a visiting professor at Liberty University’s School of Law, said the August conference was part of a strategy to condition people into accepting pedophiles.  In other words, the intent is for all of us to stop thinking that these people are the worst of the worst criminals but empathize and see their behavior as merely reflecting their emotional state.

Dr. Reisman believes that declassification of pedophilia as a mental illness could result in the repeal of child-protection statutes because, in her opinion, the law always follows the input of psychiatry.  I’d like to think that’s not going to happen.

We’ll have to wait and see how the powers that be will revise the DSM in 2013.  I doubt whether child advocates will be silenced from protecting the vulnerable in our society and I’m going to guess that legislators will think hard and long before de-criminalizing the sexual abuse of children.

Dr. Richard Kramer, B4U-ACT direction of operations, wrote in 2009 on the website ReformSexOffenderLaws.org, “What purpose does calling someone a ‘pervert’ or ‘predator’ serve anyway… How is this productive?  It certainly doesn’t protect children…. Stop demonizing a whole class of people and start learning the facts.”  What a crock. 

Well, I have no problem whatsoever demonizing a whole class of people.  I’ve read books, seen movies and heard stories about how pedophiles are treated in prison.  There’s a hierarchy of evil in prison.  When even those who’ve murdered and eaten their own parents consider pedophiles the scum of the earth and make each and every day of their lives behind bars a living hell, I say good for them!  I have to believe that civilized society, will continue to protect the innocents.

I don’t get, nor do I ever want to understand “minor-attracted persons”, but if you do, God help you.