Blog Assignment 7

To the Editor,
I recently received a request on Facebook to join a cause that would prohibit convicted sex offenders from joining the social networking site. As a mother of two, I think this is a wonderful idea! Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are extremely popular with adults, but they are even more popular with teenagers and younger children. I did some checking around and found a document published by the Office of the Attorney General for the state of Idaho. In the document it states that “according to NetSmartz.org, 61% of 13-to-17-year-olds have posted a personal profile on a social networking website.” That is an astonishing number and it is unrealistic to attempt to stop teens from accessing these sites. Most of the sites do have filtering software that keeps young children’s profiles from being visible, but there are ways around these filters, and teens, as well as pedophiles, are using them. Even if all parents had the best of all possible precautions in place, it does not guarantee that a predator will not find their children. Most of us parents do our very best to protect our children, but these social networking websites bring the pedophiles right into our own living rooms. There is nothing and nobody there to stop them. Looking to the sites themselves to stop this from occurring is also impractical. Yes, they have security in place, but teens can, and do, lie about how old they are, and, adults can, and do, lie about how old they are, making themselves younger in order to lure children into “friending” them. Even those adults who do not lie about their ages are still gaining access to kids by simply striking up a friendly conversation and gaining their trust. What would appear to be the best possible solution would be to prohibit convicted sex offenders from obtaining access to all social networking sites. I know many will say that these people have rights just like all of us. I counter that with this thought: do we explain to a young girl, raped, brutalized, and forever changed because an adult that she met online, who had been convicted before, was allowed on the site simply because HE HAD RIGHTS!? By restricting access of those adults whom we know have preyed on children in the past, we are avoiding serving our children up on silver platters to the exact people who seek to harm them. I would ask that anybody on Facebook who receives a request to join this cause, support it, and pass on the information to everyone they know. For my family, we will be supporting this cause wholeheartedly!

Description of Rhetorical Situation

Timing: With social networking sites being as popular as they are right now, the issue of keeping our children safe on these sites is very socially relevant.

Context: The context of this request is as is stated above; I received a request to join a cause that would ban convicted sex offenders from being on Facebook. I was especially motivated to take an interest in it due to my son wanting to be on Facebook.

Target: My target audience is primarily families with children, but absolutely includes anybody who has any kind of interest in protecting our youngest citizens from harm. This issue is not restricted just to those without children, but includes many people who have no children. Every teenager I have met in the recent past has a profile on at least one of these social networking sites. My own nine-year-old son wants a profile. We have an obligation as a society to protect our children from those who wish to do them harm.

Intention: It is my intention that many others will take an interest in this problem and support the cause of eliminating this threat from a public forum. I am hoping that with luck and enough support, those who are responsible for making and enforcing our laws will step up and take whatever actions are necessary to make this happen. Kids cannot always be expected to do what makes the most sense; therefore, as adults, it is up to us to do what we can to protect them.