What if your LBS owner was a felon?

[Adventure Girl]

Somewhat off topic, but I'd like to get your opinion on a rather odd subject.

A former pro cyclist owns a bike shop near me. To the cycling community, his name is fairly well-known. (I've even heard Phil and Paul talk about him on OLN during TdF coverage). The shop sells pretty high end bikes and equipment.

He was convicted of 10 felony counts including performing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years and sex penetration with foreign object: victim under 16 years. This is a matter of public record, not just rumor or speculation. He served his sentence and is now on probation. He is now a registered sex offender.

So here's my question. Some of my cycling friends still patronize his shop. Would you?

[maillotpois]

Sounds like Jock Boyer.....

My feeling is, he did the crime, he did his time. Let him move on and run a bike shop. (If it is Boyer, he also just did RAAM). I would patronize his shop if it had good products and good service. That I don't know about.

The real question is, would I let my daughter patronize him shop, unsupervised. Em often walks into town by herself and goes into shops - the high end pet supply shop is her favotire. But if this person's bike shop was in town and she could walk there (at age 10) - would I let her? And I am just not sure. Most likely it would be fine - and certainly there would be other employees/patrons there. So I probably would. With some specific direction to her on the issue.

[Denise223]

No, I wouldn't.

When you hurt a child in that manner, you lose your right (in my opinion), to be a trusted "human being" <<-- I use that term lightly, too.

It has been proven again & again that child predators cannot be reformed.

There's really nothing to prevent him from hurting another child again!

Denise

[Nanci]

No, I wouldn't. I would feel like vomiting or ripping his willie off every time I went in there.

Nanci

[bcipam]

No, I wouldn't.

When you hurt a child in that manner, you lose your right (in my opinion), to be a trusted "human being" <<-- I use that term lightly, too.

It has been proven again & again that child predators cannot be reformed.

There's really nothing to prevent him from hurting another child again!

Denise

Denise - I'm right there with you. Just on moral principal I personally would not patronize the shop.

Of course my not patronizing the shop has nothing to do with the fact he would or would not hurt a child again. If I had the power, I would make sure others knew of this situation and that their children are protected. Sounds mean I guess, but a child's innocence is worth it! I would let others who patronize the shop know about the situation so they don't bring their children in there. I also believe he needs to be watched when he's away from the shop.

[maillotpois]

Maybe I am soft on crime.

I guess my response has to do with me knowing something about the case - if we're indeed talking about Boyer. My understanding was that he wasn't a serial child molester. While there were many counts, my understanding was it was all related to an incident with one specific minor. If those are the facts - then what he did was terrible and wrong. But I would probably go to his shop.

If he had been a serial molester, then the response would be more along the lines of what others have said.

[pooks]

One victim is one victim too many for me to want to spend money at that store.

[bcipam]

I second that!

[snapdragen]

I'm with MP on this one, I read up on the case. Things aren't always what they seem.

[Geonz]

I agree. There are lots of people doing things that cause egregious harm to others... they just don't get caught, or we don't react as viscerally. (Sweat shop products for starters?) If I, personally, **know** the story, I can decide. What am I supporting with the alternatives?

[KnottedYet]

If I knew he'd molested even ONE child, there is no way I could go into his shop, let alone spend money there.

Doesn't mean no-one else should, just means I wouldn't/couldn't.

I've done more than my share of work with child-molestation victims and seen the effects of a grown-up's uncontrollable obssession with children. From a personal gut-level stand point, I would not go to the shop, no matter how famous or good a biker he is.

[bcipam]

This is an interesting debate and I have to admit some ignorance - I don't know Jock Boyer so I looked him up. I know he was arrested for child molestation. If merely arrested and not convicted, then I would give him the benefit of the doubt (but still would not bring children to his shop). If convicted, and someone please confirm whether or not this is the case, then that would be it for me. Even if there are some "grays" to consider, I would choose on the side of caution and just not visit that LBS. But that's just me.

I also make a concious choice not to patronize certain business for certain practices I consider to be immoral.

Nice thing about this country - I always have a choice!

Back to the debate - I have heard grown men attempt to argue there is nothing wrong with having a sexual realtionship with a 16 year old because the relationship was consentual. Yes I understand there are alot of silly, ignorant girls out there but as an adult, we are burdened with making the choice and we have to say NO, period, just can't go there regardless of how willing the young girl is. AND if in the Boyer case, the girl made up some of the claims, then just don't put yourself in a position to have someone make up claims about you. He did something wrong even if it was to just inappropriately befriend a young girl, then that's still wrong.

[Selkie]

I'm with MP on this one, I read up on the case. Things aren't always what they seem.

I agree w/you, Snap.

[snapdragen]

Unfortunately, there are bad people out there. Unless I know for sure the history, I am wary of the sex offender label. Here is why.

A friend of mine had an aquaintance, a young (in his 20's) gay man. This man met another young man, the attraction was there, and they both went home to young man #2's house. They had sex, then young man #2 left the room, and came back in with his mother.

They informed man #1 that #2 was under age - and if he did not pay them a certain amount of money, they'd call the police and have him charged. So he had a choice, be blackmailed by this boy and his mother (for who knows how long), or be branded as a sex offender for the rest of his life. His word against theirs. How would you choose?

[mimitabby]

Unfortunately, there are bad people out there. Unless I know for sure the history, I am wary of the sex offender label. Here is why.

A friend of mine had an aquaintance, a young (in his 20's) gay man. This man met another young man, the attraction was there, and they both went home to young man #2's house. They had sex, then young man #2 left the room, and came back in with his mother.

They informed man #1 that #2 was under age - and if he did not pay them a certain amount of money, they'd call the police and have him charged. So he had a choice, be blackmailed by this boy and his mother (for who knows how long), or be branded as a sex offender for the rest of his life. His word against theirs. How would you choose?

so what did he choose?

I will put in my 2cents here too. i would not trust the owner of this LBS with my children, but I would give him a go with my bike. Lots of trusted
citizens do lots of nasty stuff but just haven't been caught. the guy did his time. he deserves to be able to have a chance to earn a living honestly.