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Re: Pete's conviction without a crime



As for me, who's an attorney who has...albeit reluctantly, but with legal professionalism...defended child molesters in my capacity as a public defender, I, for one cannot see why in the hell Pete was required to register as a sex offender when he was never CONVICTED of any OFFENSE. While Pete made one foray into the horribly forbidden world of child porn & pedophilia was not one of MALFEASANCE; thus, his branding as a sex offender, which is tantamount to being convicted as a criminal, should not have happened. The scarlet letter stamped upon him...and the resultant scorn, which is coming from some quarters, like the Phoenix people, is just plain bullshit.  Why? Because the concept of "proportionality of justice" matters here. Pete's stupidity, combined with his high star profile, doesn't merit Phoenix's incendiary whining about Pete's so-called sentence. They think he got off easy just because he's a rock & roll star. Frankly, he was sentenced too harshly in light of the fact that he did nothing more than patronize a forbidden site once and did no down-loading of that site and no down-loading of other sites...at least that's the story I'm hearing from the media. Pete abused no child, nor committed any other sex crime worthy of prosecution. All he did was visit one forbidden child porn site. And for that, he was still required to register as a sex offender, give a DNA sample, and will be forbidden to travel...thus preventing any us from seeing either him or The Who here in the USA for the next 5 fucking years.  Child pornography is horrible. I've seen it as evidence in some of the trials I've participated in. Murder is even more terrible. As a former deputy prosecutor, I've even participated in an autopsy and held the still heart of the murdered victim while the pathologist did his job. Like Clarice in "The Silence of The Lambs," I helped do what had to be done in the terrible work of collecting evidence in trying to catch criminals...and I've been on the other side of the fence in trying to defend those!
  crimina

ls. But in seeing what's been done here to Pete, that man is no criminal: I shook his hand after The Who's gig in Chicago last August; I've looked into the man's eyes and judged his demeanor from top to bottom. After 22 years of judging thieves, murderers, child molesters, and other outlaws, I can tell you Pete Townshend is not a criminal.  And those of you who lambast him for being guilty for making one payment towards the financing of child pornagraphers...yeah..well....those of you are guilty, cast the first stone at a man who has in many ways made you happy more times than he's pissed you off just once. We are all guilty for using our credit cards by indirectly financing the scum bags who use credit card companies to finance their kiddie porn sites in the first place. We are all accomplices and anyone who has a credit card and yet slings an arrow in hatred of Pete Townshend is nothing more than a fucking hypocrite. It's just degrees of separation...but hypocrisy all the same.  I support Pete Townshend and while he made a mistake...a really stupid mistake...I still support him...and I hope he learns from this experience. And from all this, we can kiss off any Who tours for the next 5 years...which means buy up what you can on Eel Pie because this is it folks. If you didn't catch'em last year, buy up what you can because I have a feeling The Who won't be seen on these American shores as long as John Ashcroft is Attorney General.... Crazy Joe P.S. Happy Birthday, Pete. I love you as much as a fan can.... 

The Who Mailing List Digest <TheWho-Digest-Owner@igtc.com> wrote:
The Who Mailing List Digest
Thursday, May 8 2003 Volume 10 : Number 144



In this issue:

BBC video report
Phoenix Survivors' harsh statements.........
A Curious Line
Re: Godfrey Townsend injured
last nights listening session (tuesday night)
Re: age
Independent: Townshend U.S. travel ban "likely"
Re: Independent: Townshend U.S. travel ban "likely"
Re: Independent: Townshend U.S. travel ban "likely"
Today's news
Today's news
Today's news
Re: Godfrey Townsend injured
Re: Phoenix Survivors' harsh statements.........
Fury at Townshend Let-Off
Visiting Entwistle's treasure trove
Pete: "Free But Branded"
Re: Independent: Townshend U.S. travel ban "likely"
The Clouds Thicken
Re: Pete: "Free But Branded"
Today's news 
PETE NOT GUILTY

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 12:07:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Cady 

Subject: BBC video report

BBC has a reporter outside The Wick as well, but their
report is pretty general after the beginning. They do
have an expert saying that an admission of visiting a
child porn website guarantees a five-year stint on the
sex offenders list.
Page link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3007871.stm
Direct Real Player link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39189000/rm/_39189693_townsend18_nisbet_vi.ram


=====
- -Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com

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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 15:53:37 -0400
From: "O'Neal, Kevin W." 
Subject: Phoenix Survivors' harsh statements.........

"A spokesman for Phoenix survivors, a group which represents victims of child abuse, said: "We are appalled at the leniency of the punishment Townshend has received."

"He gave money to child molesters, which doubtless paid for the next child rape photo session."

"He still insists that curiosity is a fair excuse for the sexual exploitation of children."

"As the justice system fails child victims yet again our only hope now is that Mr Townshend seeks professional help."


The above statements are not fucking fair! A group like the Phoenix Survivors discredits their cause by lashing out at Pete, or anyone else who is innocent of pedophilia, in this way.
If anyone has a good E-mail link to this group, I'd be very interested.
There are just so many affiliations and related sites and organizations, I don't know where to write to.
Piss....me.....off.

Kevin in VT 

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 15:54:57 -0400 
From: "Schrade, Scott" 
Subject: A Curious Line

Here's a curious line from the BBCNews.com article about the Sotheby's
Entwistle auction:

"The Who, whose hits include My Generation, Substitute and Baba O'Riley, 
were one of the biggest bands in the world in the early 1970s."

Early 70's? They were Rolling Stone Magazine's Band of the Year in 1979!
What gives?


- - SCHRADE in Akron

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 16:35:25 -0500
From: Alan McKendree 
Subject: Re: Godfrey Townsend injured

>Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 11:49:22 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Brian Cady 

>
>From DClark at alt.music.who:
>
>Folks,
>I just heard that Godfrey Townsend [ex-John Entwistle
>Band guitarist] severely injured his guitar hand in a
>table saw accident.

Isn't *either* hand one's guitar hand?

In any case, that's bad news. Assuming this is true, all good wishes 
to Godfrey for a swift and complete recovery.

Cheers,
- -- 
Alan
"That's unbelievable, if that's true."
--Howard Stern, 5/25/00

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 May 2003 17:42:53 -0400
From: "Andy C" 
Subject: last nights listening session (tuesday night)

SCHRADE, re:
>Really? I've loved The Who's "Melancholia" since I first heard it. It's 
>got great lyrics, a depressing feel, >& a raucous angry ending.

As I said, I like the WHO's version but I just think PT's demo is slightly 
better. I do think Daltrey does a remarkable job on this one though, esp. 
the octave jump for the last verse. And Keith's drumming makes it for me 
too. Those snare rolls in the chorus get me everytime! And Pete plays 
slightly better on the WHO's version too. I just dont't think it was totally 
right for the WHO at the time.

>"Faith In Something Bigger" I'm still struggling with, though, lately I've 
>been
starting to appreciate it more. The backing vocals irk me a bit; Pete's
"down, down, down, down..." Too.....goofy?

Yeah, when I first heard this one I thought "oh, this must be where Pete 
found God (Baba)" For the time it sounds like it would've been ok what with 
the peace, love, spirituality thing happening at the time but I'm most 
suprised that Daltrey even let himself sing that! I'd love to get my hands 
on PT's demo for that! I used to hate the song "DOGS" but then I heard PT's 
demo and loved it!

>Can't be. I'm a Kenny fan but I've never been fond of his playing on "The
>Real Me." What about "The Quiet One?" *There's* a better Kenny 
>performance.

Ahh Scott, I stand corrected...how about the live version (shea, 82) on the 
FD reissue?

>Man, it's all go at your house! I love "Hiding Out!" (It's a guilty 
>love.)

You said it, man! All go at my house haha! I love the whole album but 
"HIDING OUT" is definately the stand out for me. I'm not a big Gilmour fan 
however.

"...that you could be my pet, my dove
so live with me and be my vole."
- Keith Moon

"I don't talk to musicians...
they might influence me."
- Pete Townshend
Mansfield, Mass 7/26/2002

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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 17:55:22 -0500
From: Alan McKendree 
Subject: Re: age

I'm 46. Anybody keeping tabs? Pie charts to follow? Histograms? :-)

Cheers,
- -- 
Alan
"That's unbelievable, if that's true"
-- Howard Stern, 5/25/00

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 15:58:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Cady 

Subject: Independent: Townshend U.S. travel ban "likely"