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Aspens misguided praise

Dear Editor:I do not accept the thoughtless words in The Aspen Times editorial Feb. 6, regarding Brad Moore, who was convicted for storing 119 images and videos of children being raped and otherwise sexually exploited on his personal computer (A fair sentence). According to the editorial, Moore is a truly exceptional person who happens to have a thing for child porn.Aside from minimizing the situation by declaring that Moore did not pay for the images [on his computer] the editorial misses the point that many child molesters deliberately and manipulatively make themselves into pillars of the community so that they can perpetrate their crimes without suspicion. They maneuver themselves into positions that allow them to be near our children with our blessings. To be fooled by their guise is understandable since they are experts at doing whatever it takes to gain our trust. But, to exonerate a person after we know their contrivances, because we still fall for the act, is an inexcusable misunderstanding of a grim reality.Endowing Moore with accolades and granting him support eases only our own unspeakable fears of things we cant imagine anyone giving action to, yet it doesnt change anything that has, or might still, happen. An award winning teacher with a sexual attraction to children has a resume that highlights only one of these things.Yes, Brad Moore deserves our compassion and prayers, but not our confidence. He has not earned the right to have leniency exercised towards him when it comes to allowing him proximity to any child based on trust alone. If Moore was granted a light sentence primarily because of what it appears he has contributed to our community, he was pardoned for setting up the crime he perpetrates. If the Times believes that is fair, they are wrong.Roger MaroltSnowmass Village