Sexual Abuse
I didn’t want to watch the Stephen Collins interview with Katie Couric but my wife wanted to so it was inevitable. As parents we look at the issue of sex offenders somewhat differently. She would simply have all pedophiles executed. It’s pretty straight forward, gets rid of the current problem and sends a message. It’s also not going to happen. While having a similar initial reaction I know that this is a problem of society that you can’t simply weed out the offenders. You have to find a way to deal with them. Almost every day I see cases of children that are sexually abused as well as children who sexually abuse others. In some respects they are different sides of the same coin. And since you can’t have a coin with only one side, you have to have a strategy for both.
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Sexual Abuse
Dear Amazon.com,
It’s November 13, 2010 and you have a unique opportunity to make a powerful statement in support of children’s safety. I realize you are currently dealing with a public relations mess since CNN and others have noted the pedophile how to guides on your site. I give you credit for removing the material, but your time to act, and your position on the issue still leaves people wondering about why it took so long and what you intend to do in the future.
Your Letter
I realize corporations often don’t respond as quickly as they need to, but now is the time to act. If you are stuck looking for the right words, here is a starting point:
“Amazon.com has always worked to provide the largest selection of appropriate materials available to our customers. Recently several books made it on to our site that should not have been listed due to their exploitive nature. We regret the incident and are working to improve our screening process. While we do not censor, we take every effort to exclude material that may advocate criminal activities. Amazon.com takes protection of children seriously. We recognize that none of us can ensure the safety of children alone, and we welcome our customer’s input to improve our efforts. “
Feel free to adjust as needed, but please respond soon. Your customer are waiting!
