Many of the TG stories on this and other sites that deal with a comeuppance theme assume the worst about people. So it is really easy to see that people who spend time on these sites and stories might expect that was the author's intent. "Ahh, now the just desserts to the cad who raped the child in the beginning!!" That such was the intent of the author left me more than a bit disquieted, but little information was presented to show the intentions of the man who found Amy. And the description of the man who carried out the transformation as having been hurt by the loss of family, possibly due to that man, and his name as a serial -- something, helped set up that expectation. The science behind such a transformation is so far from our present knowledge as to be the same as magic, and could as well have been.

I am providing a link to a site that may be of interest in several ways to think about your statement of Rush to Judgement. It is rather technical and a bit long, but I ran across this article recently, another strong and recent thesis on the differentiation of gender, and of sexual preferences:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7542/is_200901/ai_n323...

Perhaps in view of the slim but increasing evidence that sex preferences may be inborn, can we even think about the possibility that even paedophilia could be inborn and unalterable, not a moral choice? The revulsion that most people feel about paedophiles, even hardened criminals convicted of violent crimes against adults, is hard to overcome. Perhaps in terms of survival of the species, not something that should be overcome since that behavior and abuse may directly affect the continuation of the species, Remember,in the real world, murder often accompanies the "sex act" as the perpetrators attempt to escape capture as long as possible.

However, should the ability to regress a person at the genetic/cellular level to "correct" a birth defect that might produce a predilection for children as sex objects ever be found, what would be judgemental society's view of doing such a thing? Would they see it as a kind of "pound of flesh" or justice, or as a reward? Would the choice be to make the male paedophile a little girl, or a little boy? Given our prespective on being born in the wrong body, what effect could the forced sex change have on the new little girl? Would she remember or would the technique actually make a new person? Would it be better to make the child male again with the correction of the defect that makes him a paedophile to potentially avoid the mind body mismatch? Would not making "him" a girl be potentially very harmful and an expression of "just desserts"?

Many of the great unwashed (homo mundanus ) would deny US the ability to become "normal" by way of expensive surgery out of misplaced morality, much less anyone who commits crimes against children. Interesting question, too, as to what uses that technology might be put, given the attitude of being above others that governments, and people of power in our society most often express (while having feet of clay and performing monumental and often global feats of stupidity).

CaroL

RAMI

Even, if I did not actually state it, in my comment, which talked about the initial punishment, I did reach the same conclusion, that a monster would strike again.

In defense of those who did reach that conclusion, in my opinion, any man (or woman), acting alone (not a member of a rescue organization or the likes of the Salvation Army or working with a team of rescuers), walking the streets of an area in a city as you described, coming across a homeless waif, who decides to offer to take that child home, is acting irresponsibly and dangerously.

If the individual, is a good Samaritan, and has only the best intentions, he should call the authorities, police, child services, or even, a private rescue organization, (church, synagogue, private shelter, etc.) and report his finding the girl and bring her to a hospital, the police,
a shelter, etc.. If he then wants to adopt her, fantastic. But go through the proper procedures.

So, in my opinion, the set up at the ending, leads almost exclusively, down a dark and dangerous path.

Nuke, there is plenty of good in the world and in the U.S.A., we have some of the best and kindest people, unfortunately evil does exist and acting potentially recklessly does not mean we are depraved.

RAMI