Should Society Implement Thought Crime Laws For Paedohiles.

Immediately a majority of you will instantly think about the slippery slope argument against such an idea.

Which is understandable on the surface, as it’s a common concern for many issues brought to the fore, but because the slippery slope argument is not a guarantee but instead an assumption, often a paranoid one, try to consider the argument in favour of such a Law.

So why would anyone advocate for this.
& how would you prove it to even convict if such a Law was implemented.

Well with many paedophiles, maybe even the majority, it will probably be impossible.

But what about the brazen ones, who have no shame and do not deny or even hide their perversions?
Like NAMBLA, for instance. Or the myriad of groups like them across the Planet?
Oh yeah, by the way, I definitely think it’s should be a Planetary Law. Sort of like International Law and the way Nations act against War Crimes.

Now, the only true argument you will have against my position is the notion of “they’re not hurting anyone, so to punish them would be immoral.”...

There isn’t many things I can say to counter that argument, but there are a few things I can say.

Firstly, how do you know they do not hurt people already, and just haven’t been caught or exposed for whatever reason, whether use of a position of power, influential friends or the use of fear to silence a victim?
It’s not far fetched to believe that someone who has these thoughts and beliefs (like NAMBLA) isn’t already acting upon them.

Secondly, and my most important argument (imo) for such legislation, is it really worth taking the risk of leaving these people in amongst society, based on an illogical trust, or perhaps even complete ignorance of what they are capable of, that they won’t act upon their deviancy one day?

I don’t really like the risk factor involved in this...
Because the consequences of the risk becoming a reality is ultimately the worst consequence to society/families/potential victims that we can imagine... that being the destruction and violation of the most innocent among us, who rely on us as adults and society’ builders to protect them.



Well, I’ll leave it at that.
& hopefully I’ll return soon to engage.



Peace!

a reply to: Hazardous1408

Have you ever read the Bill of Rights?

we should have prison farms. and we should castrate proven paedophiles, nobody can change what turns them on, but we can change how the desire works... and then they should be employed at a reasonable rate on said prison farms. all their earnings to go to their victims. and the food they grow can feed not only themselves but schools and hospitals too. the fact that this hasn't happened is unfortunately indicative of how many paedophiles are in positions of power.

The simple answer is no. Thoughts should never be a crime.

a reply to: ladyteeny

How do you give a wrongfully convicted man his balls back?

a reply to: Hazardous1408

We already have thought crimes for Muslims. Why not everything else?

Their thought processes are sick but it's not like they can help them. That's not to diminish the sickness but to punish them for thoughts they cannot control is a little extreme. As long as they don't act out their fantasies they shouldn't be punished in my opinion.

Even if we ignore the moral argument against criminalising thought. Is it really a good idea to make it an offence rather encouraging people who have such thoughts to seek treatment.

There is world of difference between someone thinking something, no matter how abhorrent, and seeking help compared to someone acting on those thoughts.

originally posted by: ladyteeny
we should have prison farms. and we should castrate proven paedophiles, nobody can change what turns them on, but we can change how the desire works... and then they should be employed at a reasonable rate on said prison farms. all their earnings to go to their victims. and the food they grow can feed not only themselves but schools and hospitals too. the fact that this hasn't happened is unfortunately indicative of how many paedophiles are in positions of power.

Should we also castrate people for other attractions society deems inappropriate? I am sure there were times when the idea of castrating homosexuals appealed to the masses.

Should we try to 'cure' people's deviant attractions? Do people WANT to be cured? I mean these are all real questions and not easily answered.

Maybe we provide them with an outlet for their attraction that doesn't harm anyone? Maybe we help them with impulse control?

Only if Tom Cruise is an agent.
2nd

a reply to: Hazardous1408

Why only for sex abuse against children? Don't sex crimes against adults matter enough? Dont you care about frail, elerly ladies who get sexually assaulted? You gonna let those perverts off??

Etc etc

It's just a mode-ish emotional appeal. We can all virtue signal our way to introducing thought crimes.

There are a gazillion other reasons why its a terrible idea too. You probably thought of them already. Surely. Please dude.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

Right! A "slippery slope" right down into the Minority Report movie. But you need not be so specific, generally work toward obtaining that sort of mental processing (even remotely) is being done so we'll all be placed into little niches of whether we're bad or nice and being noticed as really bad will get you up causing a warning box flashing on a monitor, at the airport, bank or MacDonalds.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

There are no victims of someone's thoughts, only their actions.

If there is no victim, there should be no crime.

Thoughts are an internal, personal thing. I've thought about driving many a person off of the road because they're driving like a jackass, but I don't ever (and will never) follow through with it--should there be a law against me daydreaming about doing it?

Your questions, honestly, are a direct affront to liberty.

a reply to: Hazardous1408
Well if someone is diagnosed psychotic and judged to be a danger, they are locked up.
I don't see why the same shouldn't apply to paedophiles, not really a thought crime so much as a mental illness.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: Hazardous1408

We already have thought crimes for Muslims. Why not everything else?

So how does that compare to the two political sides and their criticism of the thoughts of their opponents?

I really wonder how some people can operate on such a high hypocrisy level without it triggering alarms.

ETA: Not specifically targeted at quoted poster, it's just a jumping off point for the irony of what the vast majority of people here do every day.

a reply to: Hazardous1408
I can only support your position if it is not handled by Law Enforcement beholden to Constitutional values. Therefore, simply create an underground vigilante network, provide them with necessary details, and allow them to work around the law where it is unable to do so in order to safeguard the fundamental values of liberty.

In this way, we can have our cake and eat it too. The very same concept that even allows the USA to even exist. Everyday we are allowed to protest war while at the same time supporting it with out taxable income. Having the cake and eating it too is the very foundation of our country, and therefore we can still punish thought crime as long as it is done by forces outside of traditional law enforcement.

Why would you do that? They are just born that way. Same as homosexuals.

a reply to: Hazardous1408
Well let me give you a real scenario to think about. I'll send round the law and they WILL arrest you for murder, you will be convicted and spend the rest of your life in prison. ERGO in relation to your argument. It is a proven scientific fact that in certain situations EVERY man would kill somebody (add your own reason there like if you caught a peadophile raping you baby daughter). So in your instance just the future scenario that you have the capability to kill your guilty.
In answer to Slapmonkey. There are numerous laws that regularly are used to prosecute people that has no victim but are quite emotive. EG. someone drinking and driving, maybe completely drunk but gets home without incident. If caught, without a victim, the law WILL jump on him severely. These such instances are Technical crimes, no victim but crimes non the less.

Everyone in the US is given the freedom of speech, yes, even in this stick and twisted sense. Remember equality.

Fortunately, we're not always given the freedom to act, as in this case.

Think all they want but try it and pay the price.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

To be honest i think that someone who thinks the way that you do is just as scary. Thank god that even the crazy people we currently have in power don't have the extreme opinions that you do.
You 'cannot' consider this without considering the 'slippery slope' so it's a nonsense to ask people to not consider it.
The fact that you would do this just to pedophiles and not those that have murderous thoughts or rapists of adults shows you not only have an incredibly narrow mind but also a disturbing one, possibly obsessed with pedophiles ?
What lead you to post this thread ?