Now there’s a headline I never thought I’d write.
In one short week, it seems I’ve offended sadomasochists and great white sharks with my commentary. I feel an apology is in order.
Let’s start with the S&M practitioners. In a post about the recent problems of the TSA in Orlando, I made an offhanded reference to the those who derive pleasure from pain.
Earlier this week, a TSA officer at Orlando International Airport was arrested on charges of molesting a minor. Turns out he was reportedly a fan of bondage and sadomasochism.
The “turns out” section was actually a link to a follow-up story, and I didn’t really give it a second thought. Perhaps I should have.
Charles Henry Bennett’s MySpace profile identifies him as “Master Charles or Sir.” The online page shows the 57-year-old airport security guard has “many years experience” as a bondage and sadomasochism master and is looking to meet people, especially “submissive females.” The TSA’s blog said the agency was “deeply saddened and disgusted” by its employees actions. Bennett resigned on Monday.
The unfortunate juxtaposition of the TSA officer’s alleged crime and his sexual preferences drew an immediate response in the comments and in the blogosphere. In a post entitled, S&M practitioner = Minor molesting paedophile? NOT!! (warning: adult content) Chaz Antonelli commented, “The sort of discrimination expressed below could have been aimed in another direction (i.e. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, etc.) — we need to be ever vigilant to the subtle ‘joining’ of one lifestyle to another.”
Another reader demanded,
What does being a fan of bondage have to do with molesting a child? Are you trying to say that if you are into bdsm that makes you a molester?
As I clarified in the comments, I didn’t mean to imply a link. What you do in the privacy of your bedroom, or kitchen — as long as it’s legal, or course — is your business.
But the anger of the S&M community paled in comparison to the wrath of the Australians after I wrote about one woman’s ill-fated trip Down Under. The highlight of her tour was to have been swimming on the Great Barrier Reef. But the trip was just not meant to be; there were multiple airline delays and other problems. In my answer, I assured her she should have just stayed home:
Your trip really wasn’t meant to happen. Trust me on this. After two mechanical delays and a missed flight, can you imagine what would have awaited you in Australia? Think of that swim on the reef. Think great white sharks and box jellyfish.
Most people correctly read the last as a facetious remark. As a scuba diving instructor, I don’t for one minute believe Australia’s reefs are infested with sharks and jellyfish, waiting to devour tourists. But some literal-minded readers felt otherwise.
Peter Belmer was one of them:
I am very disappointed by [that] comment.
I live in Australia and have dived on the Great Barrier Reef many times and there are absolutely no problems with great white sharks of box jellyfish. It is a beautiful part of the world and I think it is irresponsible of you to portray it as a dangerous place. You provide a lot of good information and people trust the information you provide – what happened in this case?
What happened? Well, I guess my American sense of humor didn’t translate so well.
So to all the practitioners of sadomasochism and bondage and to the great white sharks and box jellyfish of the Great Barrier Reef, and to the great white sharks who practice S&M and the box jellyfish who are into bondage — I’m sorry.
(Photo of a great white shark whose sexual preferences are unknown by hermanusbackpackers/Flickr Creative Commons)
