Congress Passes Bill to Jail Parents Up to 15 Years if Kids Caught “Sexting”

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) introduced the bill in March and was passed last week by the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority. The bill was opposed by only 53 Democrats and 2 Republicans, Rep Justin Amash from Michigan and Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Parents under this bill will face a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence if their children get caught “sexting”.

What is “sexting” legally defined as?

Sexting is defined as the act of transmitting sexually explicit messages, primarily through the use of cell phone text messaging. The messages usually contain illicit photographs or video links depicting the person sending them.

The Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act of 2017 (HR 1761) criminalizes the visual or verbal transmission of sexually explicit conduct of minor children.

But the teenagers who are caught “sexting” are not the only ones who will be punished. The bill also states that “any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor” who “knowingly permits such minor to engage in, or to assist any other person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct knowing that a visual depiction of such conduct will be produced or transmitted shall be punished.

Knowing your teenager received or sent a message falling under the legal definition of “sexting” without disciplining or reporting the incident will be a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter whether the teenager successfully convinced a friend to send a sexually suggestive image or just suggested the idea. The mandatory minimum sentence applies equally to both attempt and conspiracy.

Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) feels that this bill is just ridiculous and will only serve to hurt both parents and children.

“While the bill is well intended, it is overbroad in scope and will punish the very people it indicates it is designed to protect: our children,” Lee said.

Let’s contrast this with the actual terms outlined under which Parent’s will be prosecuted for their teenager children sexting.

The key words here are “knowingly permits.”  This language would apply to any parents who discover that their teenager is sexting with a romantic partner and then fail to cut off the child’s phone and internet access.

It is certainly justifiable for parents to take such decisive action when they catch their children sexting. But it is also understandable that some parents might prefer a different approach.

Phones and the internet are essential to modern life, and parents might reasonably choose to tolerate sexting while warning their teenagers against it. Indeed, experts advise that parents should supervise their kids’ phone and internet use, but also caution that “throwing the book” at teens when they’re caught won’t do much good.

Those liberal experts referenced above might benefit from abandoning their professional advising careers and instead shove that proverbial book mentioned up their arses as a viable alternative livelihood.

Really disciplining kids doesn’t do much good? Maybe discipline isn’t effective if you’re lazy out-of-control hysterical liberal who’s concept of discipline and child-raising constitutes throwing a book. Parents should be teaching their children to be responsible and avoid stupid things that will negatively impact the rest of their lives. And yes, sometimes that includes deliberately and calmly punishing your children. It’s called being a truly loving parent.

Here are just 3 darn good reasons you child shouldn’t be “sexting” and you the parent taking the time to investigate what is going on and set them straight.

1. 61% of teenage girls who “sext” state they felt pressured, bullied and forced into sending the explicit images and messages.
2. 15% of “sexting” teenagers are sending nude images to strangers they’ve never met before on the internet.
3. Almost 50% of “sexting” teenagers state it is common for nude images to be shared with multiple people other than the person the image was originally intended for.

Sexting is serious because it’s much bigger than teenagers messing around. Sharing explicit sexual content with strangers online puts young women and men at high risk of trafficking, sexual abuse and exploration overall. Additionally, nude images never truly disappear once posted on the internet. Sexting will continue to come back and influence these teenagers in there future professional and personal lives.

Source: Activist Post