Real Harm

“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.” – John Stuart Mill

My last post touched on the concept of elder abuse – exploiting people in their declining years. It should be clear that abusing the young is inexcusable but apparently there are some who defend those who choose to exploit children. And pointing out that there is a difference between a 15-year-old child and a 5-year-old child is not a defense. We have laws to protect the young in part because of such ridiculous equivocations.

Let’s be clear. It is wrong to exploit anyone who is too young (or is otherwise unable) to give informed consent. It is wrong to allow one person to harm another. If some people really are “entitled” to harm others we are indeed living in a morally bankrupt society or at least are allowing persons with money and connections to place themselves above the law. Further, it takes a certain amount of depravity to equivocate about the safety or wellbeing of children.

We have “pro-life” supporters who turn a blind eye to children who lack adequate nutrition, housing, education, or healthcare, children whose parents aren’t paid a living wage, children who are murdered in schools or churches, children who are orphaned by war, or children forced into slavery. We politely call it, “human trafficking,” but it amounts to enslavement. And it often happens before the child is old enough to understand what is happening.

It seems to me the rich and powerful must be held to a higher standard because, in the words of my mom, they “ought to know better.” At least that’s what she told me when I acted like the rules didn’t apply to me. After all, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” [James 4:17] The rich and powerful often claim to know more than everyone else or to be more capable than everyone else yet somehow expect to receive a free pass for decadent or sometimes abhorrent behavior. An average Joe will go straight to jail. A real estate tycoon can afford a legion of attorneys.

The Epstein affair has taught us that what was once a matter of right and wrong has devolved into a matter of politics. I don’t care what party the perpetrators belong to or what their position is. They and their accomplices should be held accountable. Crimes against children must not be dismissed as a hoax or a political witch hunt. That said, there are differing opinions about “justice.” Political parties define justice according to whether the accused is one of their own or is part of some other faction. Our guy deserves a break. Their guy does not. And so on.

According to Robert Heinlein, “Examined semantically “justice” has no referent—there is no observable phenomenon in the space-time-matter continuum to which one can point, and say, “This is justice.” Science can deal only with that which can be observed and measured. Justice is not such a matter; therefore, it can never have the same meaning to one as to another; any “noises” said about it will only add to confusion. But damage, physical or economic, can be pointed to and measured. Citizens were forbidden…to damage another.” [Revolt in 2100, p. 178]

While we might struggle to define justice, we all should be familiar with damage, aka harm. This is not the same as having our feelings hurt or being “offended” by words we don’t like. Real harm – physical, economic, and I would add psychological, has serious consequences. My wife and I had a friend who was gang-raped by some medical students when she was in high school. In many ways she never recovered. She could not be convinced she had self-worth, no matter how much her friends and family tried to reassure her. She committed suicide in her thirties.

Our friend was assaulted. There is no excuse for what was done to her. Sexual assault on a child cannot be explained away, no matter what party we belong to. Even so, children are routinely harmed by people who believe their wealth, fame, or power entitles them to do whatever they desire. And children will continue to be harmed in a society that remains indifferent to their quality of life. We can change their lives for the better if we want to. But first we must stop equivocating.