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Jewish World Review March 31, 2011 / 25 Adar II, 5771 Breaking Trust By Cal Thomas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Let us have a "time out" from the wars and upheavals in the A report from the website "The Daily Beast" should get our attention. The story, written by A new film, not about hedge fund managers, but about online predators who scour the Internet preying on children, will help many parents (and teens if they'll listen) become more aware of the threat they face. It's called "Trust" and it is being released Friday in a small number of theaters. You'll have to look for it (or demand it), but it is a film all parents should see with their teens or preteens. The film is rated R for rough language and sexual content, but it is real and the shock value is appropriate for the subject matter. Directed by After weeks of email and chat room exchanges,
Annie's girlfriend learns about this and tells the school principal. He calls the police. Officers tell the parents and the maelstrom begins. Annie hates her girlfriend and her parents. Even though Charlie has committed statutory rape and clearly has exploited her, Annie can't bear to tear herself away from him. When the FBI identifies several other young girls he has similarly abused, Annie at first doesn't believe them until cruel reality sets in. The parents, who see themselves as protectors of their children, feel betrayed and suddenly powerless. Annie feels betrayed by her best friend. Trust is broken on several levels. The ending is not what you might expect, because there is no end to child exploitation, there's only awareness and an effective defense. In an age where every cell phone is a computer with Internet access, there are no "parental controls" that can fully protect our children and grandchildren from sexual predators. In this cyber age, the old parental warnings not to take candy from strangers or get into a stranger's car have limited effect, especially when pedophiles can slither directly into your child's bedroom via Internet connection.
"Our hope," says Schwimmer, "is that this movie starts a dialogue for parents and their children about Internet safety and how sometimes the Internet can be the 'scary uncle' that no one wants to acknowledge." We'd better acknowledge it and "Trust" helps us do so. It is a powerful and necessary lesson for parents and children. Go see it. It isn't entertainment. It's real life.
JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
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