Stories on child abuse with the Scouts are increasingly being heard, particularly after discovery in a recent lawsuit. One shocking account involves a brave 14-year-old counselor named Adam Steed (shown left) who refused to allow leadership to allegedly cover up the presence of a molester in their ranks. Steed and counselor Brad Stowell were part of a Mormon-based scouting program.
Steed confronted the director at a camp with the accusation that “Brad Stowell is molesting Scouts.” Stowell was an individual who was trusted within the community despite his habit of sleeping with the boys and massaging them. What is fascinating is that, while Steed complained that Stowell was touching them inappropriately, he says that the director Elias Lopez assured him “We’ve talked to Brad. He promised me he doesn’t massage below the waist.” When Steed asked to leave, he says Lopez told him to stay. What he asked to call his parents, he says Lopez told him not to tell them about Stowell.
Eventually Stowell was arrested and pleaded guilty due to Steed’s organization of kids to force a call to the police. He was, however, only sentenced to 150 days despite accusations that he molested 24 boys.
Stowell, 32, is now planning to attend law school. He remains an Eagle Scout with five palms. Steed never made it to Eagle Scout.
For the full story, click here.
It’s important to recognize that people can be both a pedophile and have an adult sexual orientation. Many people are heterosexual in their adult sexual orientaiton, and when it comes to pedophilia they molest bisexually, or male children only, not just female children.
It is important to recognize the adult sexual orientation of these individuals is heterosexual, not homosexual. The pedophilia orientation is really secondary, it doesn’t mean these people are repressed homosexuals or bisexuals when it comes to who they are romantically attracted to.
Similarly, someone mentioned bestiality. If we would compare to bestiality, then that would mean that a man who is married to a woman and has sex with critters is both into bestiality and is heterosexual. If the animals he molests are generally male animals, that does not mean he is a repressed homosexual who really wants to leave his wife for a man.
You should never call someone who molests male animals a homosexual/bisexual… because the person is not choosing them based on gender. This is the same for pedophiles, they do not choose youth based on gender, but based on age. If you want to use the terms heterosexual or homosexual to describe people’s pedophilia or bestiality, then do so, but do not mistake that it carried over into how they view romantic attractions with adult humans.
Gingerbaker:
You’re not only obtuse, but a fool. And any such nonsense in the article is foolishness. It is inconceivable that you can so safeguard the virtues of homosexuality and divorce it’s existence when used for criminal conduct. If you promulgate any right, then accept that such rights (sexual preference) can be abused, but such abuse does not dispatch the descriptive terminology. This guy was clearly a bisexual – heterosexual in his public life and a homosexual pedophile in private. Get over it.
Ginger,
I think Jack’s point is, any sexual contact between two males is homosexual contact. If a married, straight man had molested me as a boy, I would have said that he’d had homosexual contact with me. If a woman did it to me, I’d say she’d had heterosexual contact with me. If a man raped my kid sister, that’s heterosexual contact. If a woman raped her, that’s homosexual contact. I’m sorry if this frustrates you. It’s how language works.
If you eat veal, you may be many things, but a vegetarian you ain’t, no matter how often you eat your broccoli.
Jack–good word, obtuse… I don’t want a witch hunt against gay men, but muddying the language is no way to go about preventing that.
Queen of Sheba–good point.
Margaret–we need more kids like him.
I still don’t understand why the BSA is eligible to receive federal funding (i.e., my tax dollars). Not only do they discriminate against homosexuals (whether in the membership or the leadership), but they also discriminate against anyone (whether in the membership or the leadership) who do not possess a “god-belief.” Now I don’t really care whether the BSA is a “good” organization that fosters good works or a “bad” organization that protects or condones pedophiles – I have no dog in this fight. But I resent like hell having even one mill of my tax money going to an organization that discriminates against homosexuals and/or atheists. The BSA makes a point of claiming to be a “private” organization, yet lobbies for federal money – and gets it! If they’re private, let them raise their money privately; if they want taxpayer money they should be required to cease their discriminatory policies.
Adam Steed is a hero. How sad that the adults in this story failed him so miserably.
we=she*
Gingerbanker:
You are being obtuse. If an individual has a willing sexual experience with another of the same gender – legal or not – it proves a homosexual inclination. It doesn’t matter if the individual is married or family status. Such would only indicate bisexual preference. Stowell was a pedophile. A visible heterosexual and closet homosexual. How the hidden/illegal nature of the homosexuality limits a characterization to heterosexuality is illogical, untenable, and an irresponsible adulteration and characterization by over-zelaous (and intellectually bankrupt) gay advocates.
Willy: Try telling a woman who has been raped that we was not sexually violated.
Did you read the article I linked? It covers this issue – these are real heterosexuals – they self-identify, they are successfully married, have kids, etc.
Your previous rejoinder about these being three “genders” is a lot closer to the mark than your hypothesis that a heterosexual male pedophile who preys on boys is not a true heterosexual.