What about the kids?

I made a post about Pastor Kenneth Kleckner back in July. He was arrested for soliciting sex with a minor girl and sending pictures of his genitals via email. After his arrest, he stepped away from his pastoral duties, and his church, Ocala West United Methodist Church, moved on without him. I was going to let his case go and perhaps post a note when he’s convicted. But something odd happened  and it caused me to change my mind. A Christian troll using the name What about the kids, accused me of hurting Kleckner’s children via my post. You can read the comments on the original post to get the original flavor. Here is a sample of Christian love:

You all are idiots who probably have no contact with children of the middle school age. They would wade through 20 pages if they are vindictive enough to want to hurt someone. Yes, because the child trusted me, she did come to tell me what was going on because she knew I would help her. Yes, she didn’t know how to look her father up correctly because unlike you guys she doesn’t tow through the internet to find criminals. She was unaware that you need a name but, the other kids told her about your “blog”. No, why would you want to take responsibility for your own actions! That is what the internet has come down to you can say whatever you want and take no responsibility…

Here is my valued added content from the original post.

Pastor Kleckner should know not to use the internet to find underage sexual partners. There’s always a chance it’s going to be officer Fred posing as 14-year-old Sally. How many more pastors will fall to this temptation?

Pretty tame considering what I am capable of writing, And then there was this:

Pastor Kleckner has a wife and four kids. Did you hear that toilet flush? It was your life slipping into the sewer…

Again, pretty tame. So why the vindictive comments? I honestly think it is because I did not agree with her. She said I was causing harm, I said no, it was the child’s dad who caused harm. She went a little nuts, and continued with post after post. My patience grew thin after her 2nd threat. I finally banned her. What she really wanted is for me to not post on this subject at all. Her rationale is that it might hurt somebody.

In her posts she release information about the mental status of Kleckner’s kids, the marital status of the family, and their future plans. All of which are inappropriate. I don’t report on the family in cases like this, I don’t think its nice and they deserve some privacy while they work through the trauma cased by the arrest.

I don’t think that what I am doing is harmful given that I am one voice among many. The press covers the case in far more detail than I do. I am interested in what my readers think on this, so please offer your opinion.

Plus, in a case like this, I am likely to report that Kleckner will cut a plea deal. It seems all but certain at this point. Unless the police screwed up on the procedures, Kleckner’s case looks pretty bad. I’m going to follow the case to the end now though, if for no other reason than to tweak the nose of a troll.

I don’t know the penalties involved in this case, I would hope the jail time is light given that there are no real victims. He is a father of four and will need to provide for his family after his conviction. I hope it is not as a pastor.

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