Last night during the big storm in northern Indiana, our internet connection went out for a while. So, to track the progress of the tornado warning we had to break our weekday TV fast. Once the sensationalized weather coverage finally went back to network programming, I found myself watching this show called something like, Dateline--Predator.
The whole thing was a sting operation to catch guys chat with 13 year old girls on the internet and make arrangements to come have some sexual liaison with them. There are hidden cameras and microphones so we get to watch as some fifty year old guy comes to rendezvous with the girl (who is played by a very girlish, petite 18 year old). Then the Dateline host comes waltzing into the scene and springs the trap. Policemen come jumping out of the bushes and handcuff the guy while holding him facedown on the ground. It's quite gripping television (and another reason to keep the TV fast going!).
I haven't been able to sort out my thoughts on this yet. I guess I'm not surprised to know that there are otherwise fairly normal guys trying to do this sort of thing. I was pretty surprised to see it in action. I'm a bit repulsed by the slick, holier-than-thou host of the TV show (I wonder what his private life is like?), and it almost feels like entrapment. It is probably a healthy accountability mechanism for what people do on the internet. What was hidden and secret is laid bare for the world to see.
Oh, that we would have the character to be able to do the right thing even when no one is looking!!
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