this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2025
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I agree with the underlying sentiment.
However, this seems like one of those comments that’s going for outrage over rationality.
I disagree that it matters, but the point of the controversial statement was that there’s a different term and level level of moral culpability between a person having sex with a 17 year old and the same person raping a 2 year old.
A tweet responding that they’re both illegal misses the point completely.
Genocide is illegal and jaywalking is illegal. We don’t equate them morally just because they are both illegal.
Just like how a person who rapes an infant isn’t morally equivalent to a person having sex with high schoolers even if it’s illegal to do both in your state/country.
A distinction without a difference for the purposes of the conversation surrounding this insanity.
Both are illegal. Full stop. That's where the conversation needs to end when discussing whether or not someone should be prosecuted here.
The varying levels of severity aren't relevant at this stage.
They should be prosecuted. At the same time, public debate on whether the law should be as it is currently or whether it should be changed is a fundamental pillar of democracy.
I don't know much about how these laws work in the US, but I think that an 18yo having sex with a 17yo is morally no different than a 19yo having sex with an 18yo, and laws should reflect that. At the same time, a 50yo having sex with a 17yo is just as icky as the 50yo having sex with an 18yo.