Protect Our Children is warning Miami Gardens that Pete Townshend is coming to town for the Super Bowl.
(USPOC)
Miami Gardens residents and schools received "sex offender advisory" postcards on Thursday to warn them that Pete Townshend is coming to town. The legendary guitarist is scheduled to perform with The Who at halftime during Super Bowl XLIV.
Protect Our Children, Inc. is conducting the community notification against Townshend, 63, who was accused in 2003 of cruising child porn web sites. Townshend said he was doing research to protect his son. (He did publish a report on how easy it is for pedophiles to access child porn online; see it at The Smoking Gun). He was not convicted on any of the charges, but because he had accessed the site, he was placed on England's list of sexual offenders for five years, until 2008, according to a Palm Beach Post report.
A Child Abuse Watch report states that Townshend "confessed and pleaded guilty to the crime of accessing and paying for viewing child pornography online." The report states that Townshend issued this statement, through his lawyer, at the time:
I accept that I was wrong to access this site, and that by doing so, I broke the law, and I have accepted the caution that the police have given me."
A British "caution" is similar to a U.S nolo contendere or "no contest" plea.
The facts of Townshend's case are arguable, but neither Protect Our Children, Inc. nor Child Abuse Watch want to take any chances on a man they insist on seeing as a sex offender and therefore a threat to children.
Read the Child Abuse Watch fact sheet on Pete Townshend.
Get a balanced perspective on the case from the Boston Rock Music Examiner.
Stay tuned to this developing story.
Comments
Oh, brother. You know, it is possible to take this "for the children" business too far ... and I think this is a splendid example thereof.
Maybe someone should investigate the people that are involved in this organization. Do you even know the story of what happened people? Maybe you should do some research. Long Live Rock! Rock on Pete.
Maybe someone should investigate the people that are involved in this organization. Do you even know the story of what happened people? Maybe you should do some research. Long Live Rock! Rock on Pete.
Great reporting. Anyone who excuses a sex offender - particularly a celeb - is f%$ked up. As for fiona64 - you are an ignorant pig. Children are what life is about.
This is a disgusting publicity stunt. This group can't possibly think Pete Townshend is an actual danger to children. They just want people to go to their website and hit their paypal button. As if anyone would give them a cent when they're wasting their money on fliers as ridiculous as this.
Not discounting abuse victims, or the work that various organizations have done to help, but you gotta love that this information was so urgent to get out to the public that it was only mentioned in the last few days and the Who has been the scheduled half time show for months! For those who are unaware...the only time these flyers are distributed is when an offender moves into the area - last time i checked it wasn't a crime to vacation or do your job.
Also, it should be noted that the city of Miami (broward or miami-dade county) can't be too concerned because they have not notified the public. The flyer being distributed came from Brevard county which isn't even one of the neighboring counties.
Townshend avoided going to court and facing formal charges by confessing to the crime listed in the advisory. This offense is part of Townshend's criminal record for life. He was caught dead to rights when the F.B.I. took over a kiddie porn website in Texas. One of the images he paid to view depicted the sodomizing of a two year-old boy. The organization which sent the flyers has challenged his right to legally enter the U.S.
we never had a problem with michael jackson why do we have a problem with peat townsend he has never done any thing and jackson alegedly did
People need to read "A different Bomb" written by Townshend.
It is a six page treatise on the easy availability of child pornography on the Internet.
-
Detroit Kayak Examiner
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!