Replies to '03/07 Dr. Phil Now: Sex Offenders Next Door'

I feel I have to make this point, although it is not a popular one.  A very close friend of mine is a "registered sex offender."  He received this label because when he was 18 he had a 14 year old girlfriend.

Loonnngggg story short, he got into some trouble ( I should say they)and to keep herself out of trouble with her parents, never refuted the story her parents wanted to believe.  He went to prison for assault,(not against her)and statutory rape and now he has to register as a sex offender.

I am ALL for sex offender registries, don't get me wrong, but I do feel that along with the picture and the label, there should be a way to find out the circumstances.

Granted maybe an 18 and 14 year old shouldn't be dating, but when I was 14 I dated an 18 year old.  Maybe legally a 14 year old can't make the decision to have sex, but in real life many do make that decision all by themselves, I did, and I can't be the only one.

I do want to add, before I am attacked, that I don't believe they can be rehabilitated.  Frankly, as far as I am concerned pedofiles should be shot and that would be the end of that.    It is just like they  have found innocent men on death row after DNA testing, not EVERYONE who has to register as a sex offender, is a sex offender.  Just my 2 cents.