It may well be that the terms “pedophile” and “pedophilia” are the most confusing, least understood terms in the general public’s vocabulary. It was therefore refreshing to click on a link and see an article titled, “Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime,” by Margo Kaplan, and, even more refreshing, to see it in The New York Times.
This article is exactly the type of publication that warms our collective hearts. Well written by a law professor and published in the prestigious Times, it espouses exactly what RSOL advocates for: information based on facts and evidence.
RSOL responded with this letter to the editor expressing our appreciation:
National RSOL (Reform Sex Offender Laws, Inc.) is a non-profit organization that advocates for legislation that is based on objective truth, facts, and statistical evidence. Our specific focus, as our name suggests, is legislation that affects the ability of those who have sexually offended in successfully reintegrating into a law-abiding community.We wish to express our appreciation to the New York Times and to Margo Kaplan for the recent piece “Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime.” This is exactly the sort of factual information for which our organization advocates. One of our greatest obstacles is the proliferation of pejorative, inflammatory language, and the wide-spread misuse of the word “pedophile” is one of the more frustrating to us.
We applaud your coming down on the side of facts and truth. The message is even more meaningful coming from a publication as prestigious as the Times.
Thank you.
