Dutch paedophile party has a right to exist

The right of a political party actively pursuing a pro-paedophilia agenda to exist has been confirmed by a Dutch judge, according to this BBC news item.

I am not a paedophile. I have no sympathy for paedophiles. I think paedophilia is disgusting and cruel and I am comfortable with paedophile acts of various kinds being treated as criminal offences. Paedophiles are stigmatized by society and that, too, is all right by me.

Nonetheless, I applaud this brave judge's decision, which reinforces freedom of speech and freedom of association for the lucky Dutch. Paedophiles are citizens too, and have a right to their freedoms. More to the point, this demonstrates the innate fairness of the Dutch approach to democracy.

What do other members think?

I'm all for freedom of speech and the like, but if I told you what I think, I'd be banned from ATS for life. Not to mention the women and small children that I may offend.

My nice side however, says that these people aint' wired right and need some serious professional help.

[edit on 17-7-2006 by madhatter]

My cousin and her friend was raped and killed at the age of 8 and 10 respectively, 6 years ago. I have absolutely no sympathies for anyone who claims taking sexual advantage of kids should be allowed by law. Also, it's a proven fact that children who are abused often grow up with mental disabilities as a result of it.

The entire party should be jailed for life.
This isn't freedom of speach, it's a threat to society.


[edit on 17-7-2006 by Panzeroth]

Although it sounds outrageous at first thought, from a reading of the article it seems like there are only three members and doesn't seem like much of a clear and present danger at the time. Not sure what would happen here in the U.S., but political parties that are openly against drug laws and advocate the use of drugs are legal, so would this be any different?

But yeah, these people are pretty sick!

I think that it's a great idea to actually allow the pedophiles to form a politcal party and to exist. It's a great idea! I only wish that every nation was a far-sighted as the Dutch have been in ruling that pedophiles have a right to have a political party.

.....this way, when the pedophiles gather to attend their political convention, they could all be rounded up and placed somewhere on a deserted island.....perhaps somewhere in the vacinity of the Sea of Japan, where the North Koreans test fire their missiles.

I know, this is uncharacteristic for me to be so negative minded but, frankly, I view pedophilia as a disgusting mental/emotional disorder that is effectively treated through the use of high explosives.

I can understand the Dutch Judge's decision, based upon the Dutch constituition and the typical Dutch sense of tolerence but I am sure that this decision was something akin to American judges granting the American Nazi Party with the rights to assemble and march at various events over the years. Still, compared to pedophiles, in my opinion, I almost consider the American Nazi Party as being "mainstream" and preferable -- though barely.

Shouldn't evil people have the same rights as others?

I'm not talking about convicted criminals, who forfeit certain rights as a penalty for the crimes they have committed. I'm talking about people who have attitudes, tastes, practices etc. most of us would regard as wicked, nasty, repellent, etc., but who have not been convicted of any crime.

Leaving aside the gut reaction expressed by some of you (which I understand and even sympathize with), why shouldn't these people's rights be respected? What harm would it do? Might it not be more harmful (to society, ie to us) to deny them representation?

let them have there party, it makes them easyer to track and prosecute

Originally posted by Astyanax
Shouldn't evil people have the same rights as others?

I'm not talking about convicted criminals, who forfeit certain rights as a penalty for the crimes they have committed. I'm talking about people who have attitudes, tastes, practices etc. most of us would regard as wicked, nasty, repellent, etc., but who have not been convicted of any crime.

Leaving aside the gut reaction expressed by some of you (which I understand and even sympathize with), why shouldn't these people's rights be respected? What harm would it do? Might it not be more harmful (to society, ie to us) to deny them representation?

You pick up your phone, call your boss' daughter and tell her that you are going to rape her because your boss is an idiot. You repeat this every single day for a year. Eventually, this kid gone mental and the police are involved, they track your number and you are taken to court.
Are you guity of killing her? No.
Are you guilty of threatening her? Yes.
Is that legal? No.

Allowing a paedophile political party to exist is a threat to each and every one of us. A 12 year old won't be able to decide whether or no he/she wants to have sex with a complete stranger. Paeodphaelia is illegal for a reason, and spreading it's word should have equally hard punishments.

much

America does have an equivalent, it's called Manla or some such thing. I didn't want to do a search. Men for the advancement of sex with children or young boys. It's a lobby group not a political party.

I think it's a bad idea. Children are already lacking rights, disregarded as witnesses, easy to influence and vulnerable. I think people who want to have sex with children are rapists - basically cowards afraid of intimacy with equals and interested in excercising power over people unable to question or threaten their egos.

It's one thing to advance humane discussion of the issues and another to subtly insert it into cultural norms. Every time these politicos broach a subject, survivors of childhood sexual abuse should be present to voice a rebuttal. But in the real world, victims often don't care to discuss their experiences - drawing out defenses and strategically quelling the justifications of their attackers. Nor should they have to.

I don't want pedo's to have rights. I want animals to be treated more humanely than them. I want alll Pedo's to be locked in a cell with Murderers, so that the murderers will kill them.

That being said, in countries where it's been the social habit to marry off your prepubescent daughter to a realtively well-off childhood friend, as a way of ensuring her wellbeing, this gets a bit trickier. A laotian friend asked my father if he could marry me when I was 8 or 9. My dad explained why this isn't done here in America, and he never asked again. Even at that age, I could tell the diffrence between guys who were willing to sexually assault you, and those who had a healthy respect for what you're going to be. He never asked again, and he never made any sexual advances towards me.

Originally posted by Panzeroth
Allowing a paedophile political party to exist is a threat to each and every one of us.

This was roughly the argument used by the prosecution in the Dutch case. As you see, the judge didn't buy it.

A 12 year old won't be able to decide whether or no he/she wants to have sex with a complete stranger...

I don't see how this follows. Could you explain?

Well, NAMBLA has been around for years, maybe decades. (National A?? Man Boy Love Association) No, I'm not a member!! Just makin a point.

Pedophilia is a disease or disorder of the mind. The pedophiliac has an "un-natural" sexual attraction for children. In the mind of a pedophile, his love is pure and that his "love" for the child is something that is, somehow, "good and decent" and even of genuine "benefit" for the prepubescent ofject of his affections. That said, it would be important to note that there is a very real difference between such an attraction and similar attractions that have been developed by cultural norms that allow for young children to marry older men. The main difference here is that the pedophile cannot restrain himself. The pedophile is gripped by genuine obsession.

The strong obsession that a pedophile hold for prepubescent children is evidenced by the fact that, in spite of intense counseling and even drugs to diminish or even eliminate the sexual drive, pedophiles will continue to "re-offend" at a very high rate. This is not a simple "desire" or habit. This is a mental disorder which the present day health sciences have not been able to deal with or control to any satisfactory level.

While it is the right of every citizen to become involved in politics and to make his or her views known, I find the concept that a group could actually come together to form a political party promoting such an abhorent behavior to be not only repugnant and insensitive for the countless victims of childhood sexual abuse but that it borders on the criminal. The Nazi party is banned in many countries as a political entity. That a political party of pedophiles could be legally formed is a further affront to society.

this is absolutely pathetic...!!

couldnt believe my widdle eyeballs when I read the Judge allowed them to form a political party.

My bet is the Judge is a paedophile himsel????????
certainly makes you wonder!!

so sickening...

Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when you need him.


PS Before anyone says it wasn't him I know...