The Mountaineer

Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News

An activist for the pedophile community was discovered working for the Mountaineer recently by an anonymous staff member.

The writer and designer, Damien Cole, 30, also known on the Internet as "Rookiee Revolyob", was the host of "Pedologues," a podcast with 36,000 listeners.

According to his defunct blog, "Pedologues is a podcast which offers a glimpse into the controversial and often taboo subject of child sexuality, the laws and social norms that surround it, and how it effects the lives of those in the adult world throughout society." It goes on to say, "Pedologues does not in any way encourage, advocate or promote illegal activity." Some of his 30 podcasts featured members of North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA ) and a mother who allowed her daughter to have a relationship with a pedophile. According to NAMBLA's website, their goal is "to end the oppression of men and boys who have freely chosen, mutually consensual relationships."

A hacker, who is attempting to expose NAMBLA members, allegedly revealed Cole's identity. After his identify was revealed on the Internet, Cole responded with another podcast.

"I just might be one broke little college student from So. Cal.," Cole said. "I might even be a perverted pedophile who lusts after children, but at least I have my dignity." Cole added the revealing of his identity made him "happy" because he was free of the fear of his identity being revealed.

But his popularity on the Internet may have been his downfall on the Mountaineer.

After boasting about his technical knowledge of the Internet, a Mountaineer staffer entered Cole's name into a Google search and discovered Cole's past Internet activity, Toni Albertson, Mountaineer adviser said. Albertson would not say the name of the staff member who entered Cole's name into a Google search.

After learning of Cole's past, the Mountaineer's editorial board decided to remove him from the staff.

Managing Editor Christina Ruiz said, "I was so surprised, you know these people are out there, but you don't expect to come across them."

Others had similar feelings.

"I think that most people would be shocked if you were listening to this podcast because of what the content was really about," Albertson said.

In an e-mail to Mountaineer staff members, Cole acknowledged his removal as a member of the Mountaineer staff and asked them to understand his reasons for producing "Pedologues."

Continued...

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