Should The Who (and Pete Townsend) be allowed to perform at the Super Bowl

[smart blonde]

This topic got me to thinking (and I hope this is not terribly off topic) - do those of you who think this artist (Pete Townsend) should not perform because of your concerns that he is a child molester also think that, say, Alice in Wonderland should be taken out of libraries and movie stores because Lewis Carroll was a pedophile?

I'm just interested in the mindset behind such a boycott.

(above bolding by smart blonde)

Lewis Carroll was a pedophile? I didn't know that!

 

[believe09]

I believe that an attorney might advise a client not to confess to the sites he visited, but the rest seems a little silly to me. You have to believe that the police would have accepted any reasonable version of the truth...as long as it made sense. JMO of his "story/explanation."

If you are on an SO registry, and so publicly I might add, I wonder if it is a difficulty to travel? For example, what if the Who decided to do a world tour and started out in Thailand?

 

[Isabella]

I believe that an attorney might advise a client not to confess to the sites he visited, but the rest seems a little silly to me. You have to believe that the police would have accepted any reasonable version of the truth...as long as it made sense. JMO of his "story/explanation."

If you are on an SO registry, and so publicly I might add, I wonder if it is a difficulty to travel? For example, what if the Who decided to do a world tour and started out in Thailand?

I have n o idea about Thailand but he probably would have needed special permission to visit America which would involve a visit to the Embassy in London.

 

[Isabella]

I suppose the thing i dont get it ..it was said well any of us could accidentally look at a site like those and yet...admittedly ive never ever tried to search for one but i would imagine you would have too put certain words in the search bar for it to come up. When the site does come up...I am sure the images on the home page show exactly what the site is about. And STILL he entered and paid to do so after seeing these pictures. Seriously how can anyone think it was all by accident?

 

[southcitymom]

(above bolding by smart blonde)

Lewis Carroll was a pedophile? I didn't know that!

Totally - he made up many of his stories in his attempt to seduce little girls.

 

[aheddle]

He clicked on the site to see what was there? Huh? Maybe he was doing research for his book. I really don't know what to think - whatever his excuse. Well...I just hope we don't get fooled again....

He more than clicked on a site, He joined using a charge card and that is how he got caught. I don't think that someone who was once abused as he said he was would need to "see" a child *advertiser censored* site for research....could have found people to interview IMO. I don't like the who and never have. I think anyone who has to register on a sex registry in lieu of further police investigation is just a lucky man who cut a deal......he still did the deed and that is what should be remembered. I cannot think of any other man on a national sex registry being invited to participate at such a public venue.Just my opinion.....:twocents:

 

[believe09]

He more than clicked on a site, He joined using a charge card and that is how he got caught. I don't think that someone who was once abused as he said he was would need to "see" a child *advertiser censored* site for research....could have found people to interview IMO. I don't like the who and never have. I think anyone who has to register on a sex registry in lieu of further police investigation is just a lucky man who cut a deal......he still did the deed and that is what should be remembered. I cannot think of any other man on a national sex registry being invited to participate at such a public venue.Just my opinion.....:twocents:

This is exactly where things went wrong for me with his story to be honest. he would have been better off talking to an attorney first, LE first, journalists first...There are all kinds of ways to do research. It does not fly that he was embarrassed about being discovered to be a victim of child sex abuse-his claim was that he was writing a book or articles. I read his treatise when it was published by the Smoking Gun-I think he has a prediliction perhaps that he was trying to work out. Again, there are all kinds of ways to do that, like with a psychiatrist, that does not involve victimizing other children when you claim you were victimized.

There is NO MISTAKE here-paying for a site that shows russian babies being raped keeps the wheel turning.

 

[aheddle]

(above bolding by smart blonde)

Lewis Carroll was a pedophile? I didn't know that!

He was supposedly a celibate pedophile who took many photos of female children.....pics are online but his family stopped short of allowing his personal journals to be made public......

 

[Nyla4]

So do you object to Pete playing because you think it will lead to more people worshipping someone like him or because you think children will be in danger? - or both?

If you felt like Michael Jackson was a molester, did you feel the same about him performing when he was alive?

Do you think it leads to hero worship of a dead author when their books and poems are part of almost every child in the world's library?

You don't have to answer these questions - I'm not spoiling for a debate, just genuinely curious.

I object because if I don't I feel like I am saying it is ok for him to view child *advertiser censored*. It may sound silly but that is how I feel. Also, I don't want a pedophile to become more famous or get any richer.

 

[Filly]

(above bolding by smart blonde)

Lewis Carroll was a pedophile? I didn't know that!

O/T, but SCM is right. My DD did a paper on this particular photo Carroll took of Agnes Weld as Little Red Riding Hood. I'm not well read or anything, but supposedly LRRH is based on the theory of a girl losing her virginity this picture haunts me. The look on this little girls face is something else.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._riding_hood'_(Lewis_Carroll,_18.08.1857).jpg

 

[Boyz_Mum]

(above bolding by smart blonde)

Lewis Carroll was a pedophile? I didn't know that!

I didn't know this either. (If I pay attention, I could learn something here at WS everyday!)

As far as "The Who" is concerned and after reading more here, I don't think "The Who" is a good choice for Super Bowl. The controversy could create more chaos than necessary. JMO.

 

[Spurser]

I was thinking the same thing as Songline. It seems all of his charity work is with children's organizations. That's a great thing. But, if he is truly a pedophile, he is either feeling guilty or he has found a legitimate way to be around his desired objects (pedo's view of children).

I truly hope he is innocent. I really do.

They should just let KISS perform instead. Problem solved!

 

[arielilane]

Halftime show
The NFL formally announced on November 26, 2009, that British rock band The Who would headline the halftime show.[4] The show will be produced by White Cherry Entertainment.
[edit] Controversy (Bolded by me)

Controversy has arisen over the inclusion of The Who in the halftime show due to musician Pete Townshend's placement on the UK's sex offenders register, after he admitted to accessing child *advertiser censored* online. Florida state law says anyone with a sex offender background must register with police and provide fingerprints, DNA samples and a mugshot; but US authorities have already cleared him to perform.[5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XLIV

 

[believe09]

Halftime show
The NFL formally announced on November 26, 2009, that British rock band The Who would headline the halftime show.[4] The show will be produced by White Cherry Entertainment.
[edit] Controversy (Bolded by me)

Controversy has arisen over the inclusion of The Who in the halftime show due to musician Pete Townshend's placement on the UK's sex offenders register, after he admitted to accessing child *advertiser censored* online. Florida state law says anyone with a sex offender background must register with police and provide fingerprints, DNA samples and a mugshot; but US authorities have already cleared him to perform.[5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XLIV

Wonder how the band feels about the controversy?

 

[southcitymom]

O/T, but SCM is right. My DD did a paper on this particular photo Carroll took of Agnes Weld as Little Red Riding Hood. I'm not well read or anything, but supposedly LRRH is based on the theory of a girl losing her virginity this picture haunts me. The look on this little girls face is something else.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._riding_hood'_(Lewis_Carroll,_18.08.1857).jpg

I majored in English and learned a lot of little-known behind the scenes stuff about Mr. Carroll. He was definitely a freak for little girls and I have my doubts that he was celibate.

MANY esteemed authors of great literature were drug addicts, alcoholics and sexual deviants of every stripe.

 

[Morag]

In 'Tommy" , there was a character called Uncle Ernie who occasionally baby-sat for the young "deaf, dumb and blind kid" Tommy. Played in the movie by Keith Moon, here are some of Uncle Ernie"s lyrics:

I'm your wicked Uncle Ernie; I'm glad you won't see or hear me, As I fiddle about, fiddle about, fiddle about. Your mother left me here to mind you, And I'm doing exactly what I bleedin' well want to, Fiddling about, fiddling about, fiddle about. Down with your bedclothes, Up with your nightshirt...

Uncle Ernie was portrayed as a scary, unlikeable and repulsive character.

 

[annmarie62]

i love the WHO but i thought everyone knew that pete townshend has long been "outed" for what some would call a sexually deviant lifestyle. and i am NOT referring to his homosexuality. but i don't think the WHO should be banned, it's not like PT got caught molesting a kid. yet i DO believe he likes looking at some kiddy *advertiser censored*. which is disgusting. yet michael jackson had a house FULL of pics of very young boys and he was allowed to perform.

 

[Melly53]

Sorry I don't have the multiquote thing down yet but wanted to respond to a few of them.

Regarding his sexuality: For many years Townsend refused to confirm or deny rumors that he was bisexual. In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, however, he explained that, although he engaged in some brief same-sex experimentation in the 1960s, he is heterosexual. Townsend currently lives with his long-time partner, musician Rachel Fuller, in Richmond, England. He has three children from his prior marriage to Karen Astley, Emma (b. 1969), who is a singer/songwriter, Aminta (b. 1971), and Joseph (b. 1989)

Regarding the child abuse/*advertiser censored* charges: As part of the Operation Ore investigations, Townsend was cautioned by the police in 2003 after acknowledging a credit card access in 1999 to the "Landslide" website alleged to advertise child *advertiser censored*. He stated in the press and on his website that he had been engaged in research for A Different Bomb, a now-abandoned book based on an anti-child *advertiser censored* essay published on his website in January 2002 and his autobiography, and as part of a campaign against child *advertiser censored*. (note that this was prior to the investigation.)



During the investigation the police searched his house and confiscated 14 computers and other materials, and after a four-month forensic investigation confirmed that they had found no evidence of child abuse/pornographic images. Consequently, the police offered a caution rather than pressing charges, issuing a statement: "After four months of investigation by officers from Scotland Yard's Child Protection Group, it was established that Mr Townsend was not in possession of any downloaded child abuse images." In a statement issued by his solicitor, Townsend said, "I accept that I was wrong to access this site, and that by doing so, I broke the law, and I have accepted the caution that the police have given me. As a statutory consequence of accepting the caution, Townsend was entered on the Violent and Sex Offender Register for five years. (2003 to 2008)



A later investigator stated that Townsend was "falsely accused". After obtaining copies of the "Landslide" hard drives and tracing Townsend's actions, investigative journalist Duncan Campbell wrote in PC Pro Magazine, "Under pressure of the medias filming of the raid, Townsend appears to have confessed to something he didn't do." Campbell states that their entire evidence against Townsend was that he accessed a single site among the Landslide offerings which was NOT connected with child *advertiser censored*.



I would also like to point out that he has done a huge amount of charitable work, a great deal of which has nothing to do with children: Here are a few highlights of Pete Townsend's other charitable efforts:


-A 1972 Tommy performance which raised nearly £10,000 for the Stars Organization for Spastics charity.

-A 1979 "Rock Against Racism" benefit concert, organized to raise money to pay the legal costs of those arrested in a London area anti-racism demonstration.

-In 1979, Townsend became the first major rock musician to donate his services to the human rights organization Amnesty International when he performed three songs for its benefit show.

-A 1981 "Rock Against Unemployment Benefit concert", part of the People’s March For Jobs campaign.

-A 1982 Prince’s Trust Gala Benefit performance.

-Performing with The Who at the 1985 Live Aid concert.

-Involvement in fund raising supportive of Nelson Mandela's "African National Congress".

-Performing in a 1986 "Royal Albert Hall Benefit" show for the victims of a Colombian Volcano disaster which killed over 25,000 people.

-A 2001 benefit show for San Diego's LaJolla Playhouse which raised approximately $100,000.

-Performing in "Rock the Dock", a 1998 benefit for striking Liverpool dock workers.

-Organizing an online auction in 2000 to raise funds for "Oxfam's Emergency Services" to help those affected by floods in Mozambique and a combination of drought and food shortages in Ethiopia.

-Performing with The Who at the 2001 all-star "The Concert for New York City" honoring policemen and emergency personnel killed in the September 9/11 attack.

-Performing in the 2004 Royal Albert Hall tribute show which served as a fundraiser for Lane’s family and "Multiple Sclerosis" research.

-Performing with The Who at the 2005 "Live 8" concert.

-Performing with The Who in Detroit in 2008, donating all profits to "Focus:Hope" and "Gleaners Community Food Bank".

Regarding public venue appearances: Townsend, along with fellow band member Roger Daltry were chosen to receive life time achievement awards in the arts at the Kennedy Center Honors program which was broadcast by CBS in December 2008.

Personally I have no problem with "The Who" performing at the Super Bowl because I am not convinced that he is a pedophile or that he ever possessed any child *advertiser censored*. JMO

 

[annmarie62]

Totally - he made up many of his stories in his attempt to seduce little girls.

I usually love your posts, SCM, but this one is a bit simplistic, imo. I majored in English, BA and MA, and am well aware of how much LC obsessed over the real 'Alice." However, to say that he only created his brilliant body of literature to seduce little girls totally ignores his incredible genius. There is much more to the man than that, imo.:twocents:

 

[Isabella]

Sorry I don't have the multiquote thing down yet but wanted to respond to a few of them.

Regarding his sexuality: For many years Townsend refused to confirm or deny rumors that he was bisexual. In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, however, he explained that, although he engaged in some brief same-sex experimentation in the 1960s, he is heterosexual. Townsend currently lives with his long-time partner, musician Rachel Fuller, in Richmond, England. He has three children from his prior marriage to Karen Astley, Emma (b. 1969), who is a singer/songwriter, Aminta (b. 1971), and Joseph (b. 1989)

Regarding the child abuse/*advertiser censored* charges: As part of the Operation Ore investigations, Townsend was cautioned by the police in 2003 after acknowledging a credit card access in 1999 to the "Landslide" website alleged to advertise child *advertiser censored*. He stated in the press and on his website that he had been engaged in research for A Different Bomb, a now-abandoned book based on an anti-child *advertiser censored* essay published on his website in January 2002 and his autobiography, and as part of a campaign against child *advertiser censored*. (note that this was prior to the investigation.)



During the investigation the police searched his house and confiscated 14 computers and other materials, and after a four-month forensic investigation confirmed that they had found no evidence of child abuse/pornographic images. Consequently, the police offered a caution rather than pressing charges, issuing a statement: "After four months of investigation by officers from Scotland Yard's Child Protection Group, it was established that Mr Townsend was not in possession of any downloaded child abuse images." In a statement issued by his solicitor, Townsend said, "I accept that I was wrong to access this site, and that by doing so, I broke the law, and I have accepted the caution that the police have given me. As a statutory consequence of accepting the caution, Townsend was entered on the Violent and Sex Offender Register for five years. (2003 to 2008)



A later investigator stated that Townsend was "falsely accused". After obtaining copies of the "Landslide" hard drives and tracing Townsend's actions, investigative journalist Duncan Campbell wrote in PC Pro Magazine, "Under pressure of the medias filming of the raid, Townsend appears to have confessed to something he didn't do." Campbell states that their entire evidence against Townsend was that he accessed a single site among the Landslide offerings which was NOT connected with child *advertiser censored*.



I would also like to point out that he has done a huge amount of charitable work, a great deal of which has nothing to do with children: Here are a few highlights of Pete Townsend's other charitable efforts:


-A 1972 Tommy performance which raised nearly £10,000 for the Stars Organization for Spastics charity.

-A 1979 "Rock Against Racism" benefit concert, organized to raise money to pay the legal costs of those arrested in a London area anti-racism demonstration.

-In 1979, Townsend became the first major rock musician to donate his services to the human rights organization Amnesty International when he performed three songs for its benefit show.

-A 1981 "Rock Against Unemployment Benefit concert", part of the People’s March For Jobs campaign.

-A 1982 Prince’s Trust Gala Benefit performance.

-Performing with The Who at the 1985 Live Aid concert.

-Involvement in fund raising supportive of Nelson Mandela's "African National Congress".

-Performing in a 1986 "Royal Albert Hall Benefit" show for the victims of a Colombian Volcano disaster which killed over 25,000 people.

-A 2001 benefit show for San Diego's LaJolla Playhouse which raised approximately $100,000.

-Performing in "Rock the Dock", a 1998 benefit for striking Liverpool dock workers.

-Organizing an online auction in 2000 to raise funds for "Oxfam's Emergency Services" to help those affected by floods in Mozambique and a combination of drought and food shortages in Ethiopia.

-Performing with The Who at the 2001 all-star "The Concert for New York City" honoring policemen and emergency personnel killed in the September 9/11 attack.

-Performing in the 2004 Royal Albert Hall tribute show which served as a fundraiser for Lane’s family and "Multiple Sclerosis" research.

-Performing with The Who at the 2005 "Live 8" concert.

-Performing with The Who in Detroit in 2008, donating all profits to "Focus:Hope" and "Gleaners Community Food Bank".

Regarding public venue appearances: Townsend, along with fellow band member Roger Daltry were chosen to receive life time achievement awards in the arts at the Kennedy Center Honors program which was broadcast by CBS in December 2008.

Personally I have no problem with "The Who" performing at the Super Bowl because I am not convinced that he is a pedophile or that he ever possessed any child *advertiser censored*. JMO

I guess it depends on your opinion of what a paedophile is. He DID look at child images and has in fact confirmed that in interviews since the issue. To me he is a paedophile.