Re: You're right, Quoth. There is no justification for

But if it is true that Edwin was actually trying to help, then I think he could actually use some professional counseling.

It is one thing to provide counseling to those who seek it out, like B4UACT intends. It is another to force it down your throat.

And some community service might also be deserved.

Excuse me? How did he harm the community? Community service is supposed to compensate for community damage. I see no harm in what he did, but if there was any, it would be personal - to child and mother; not to the people of the state of Florida (bad choice of state, btw).

And for that, I say he needs to be told to mind his own business and at least be more rationally-minded in how and when to react to such a situation.

Or become a cop, as obviously the cops are as guilty of everything of the above as he is, yet you seem to approve of it.

Very peculiar behaviour, if you ask me. This dude (and his Mom) may actually be guilty of making an attempt at some type of foul-play here (yet to be determined).

Yes, and that guy over there might be a terrorist. Point being? I thought people prosecuted for thought crimes wouldn't have such a light trigger to speculate what others might be up to, least of all to propose police to get involved so they don't follow through with what they might be up to.

I noticed someone here basically saying that if there's time to do such a thing to a kid without it's guardian noticing (or without the kid putting up a fuss), then it's essentially okay to keep the kid, kind of like the principle of "finders, keepers, losers, weepers", and that the parent who "lost" the kid, has no right complaining. But that's some seriously fucked up thinking, in this regard, if you ask me. It's almost like saying that if any kid, "behind it's parent's back" (this very phrase wouldn't even exist if all parents' didn't, at some point, fail to keep a close eye on there kid), can be talked into going along with a stranger, than it's fair play/game. Bullshit, to that, though!

Actually, you made it longer than I had written it originally.

But I stand by it.

If you have a child you either never leave them unattended or teach them how to behave and react when they are alone. If you do neither, you are not a good parent and are basically asking for something like this to happen.

We have recently had several threads about girls in Latin America. All threads emphasized how girls walk alone, play alone, move around alone - and how that is so different to American girls.

Do you think Edwin would have been able to pull this on a Latin American girl?

Of course he wouldn't!

Think about why the Latin American girls can be so independent and American girls cannot. Then come back to me and tell me it's all right to leave a child alone when you know the child is vulnerable, and worse, you made them vulnerable.