The Netherlands cemented its reputation as Europe’s most socially liberal country today when a new political party formed by paedophiles was told it could contest this year’s general election.
A Dutch court rejected an attempt by anti-paedophile campaigners to ban the Brotherly Love, Freedom and Diversity party, which wants to cut the age of consent from 16 to 12 and to legalise child pornography. “The freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly and the freedom of association should be seen as the foundations of the democratic rule of law and the PNVD is also entitled to these freedoms,” the court in The Hague said in a statement.
The contradiction that confronts me — after reflecting a bit on this story — has nothing to do with democracy. It’s that there are a number of nations where child marriage is perfectly acceptable. But, thinking about sex with a child isn’t. These are nations with religious rule; but, that’s as much a part of the anthropology as anything else.
Not as an American, but rather as a human, I find the notion of this political party to be repulsive. But I support the idea that any group, no matter how bizzare or repugnant their ideas, should be allowed into the political discourse.
The reason I’m comfortable with that is that I believe the population of Holland to be reasonable enough to reject these guys at the polls anyway. Bizarre fringe groups tend to be self marginalizing anyway. So let them run for office as it isn’t likely anyone is going make child porn legal no matter what they do.
According to the artical, 82% of the population opposes the party’s very existance. I’m sure of the 18% who didn’t (were I from Holland, I’d be in the 18%), the majority of them would still oppose whatever that party stood for (as I would, were I from Holland).
I guess I just think its better to let nutbags display themselves out in the open. That way, their idiotic ideas get stamped out all the faster.
Lot’s of things that are part of longstanding cultural and religious traditions are wrong. It is (to me) a priority of civilization to rationally decide what is no longer acceptable and to ban it.
Slavery, murder, racism, sexism (etc. etc.) are all things that have been part of the human experience from the beginning (and still exist), but we are learning as a species (however slow) that they are WRONG.
I believe exploitation of children for adult’s sexual needs falls under the WRONG catagory as well. Marriage between an adult and child rationally falls under the “slavery” issue.
As to the exact ages of what’s adult and what’s a child, I’d be conservative 15 or 16, and allow developmentally advanced children a chance to petition FOR THEMSELVES for lowering the age.
Allowing this party to exist is a great idea. Just make the list of the party members public and then parents will know who to keep their children away from.
There are lots of tiny political parties in the Netherlands, mostly with only one point on their agenda. The token idiots of our democracy I call them. Though, according to the polls, the party for animal rights could win one seat in our 150-seat second chamber in the coming elections of November 22.
There’s also a party that wants to make transcedental meditation compulsory at schools. Etcetera, etcetera.
However, the only reason I can think of why paedophiles wanted their own party, is because they feel any other kind of organization may soon be forbidden.
[There’s a funny backstory about the party’s name. Originally it was called NVD. However, there’s already a security company called NVD, with guards that became afraid to wear their uniforms after people began to react violently to the acronym on it.]
Thats just sick.
3. Outstanding idea. posting pictures on the web of those who attend party rallies would be a fine idea as well.
And it should also be noted that this is a very good sign – since the pervs have to form their own party, it is obvious that every other party is rejecting their ideas.
Is that that Glitter guy???
The pn;y weirde thing is that while allowing this party, their leaders complain about parties in other countries, like the guys who won the elections in Austria. Any party that wants to cut back on immigration they reject.
“The pn;y weirde thing”
AB CD, could you please translate?
Very sharp, joshua. I always wonder if someone will catch one of my subtle[?] references.
Gary Glitter was just sentenced to 3 years in the slammer in VietNam for child sexual abuse.
Well I can respect the right and privilege of forming a party, that does not mean I would have any support for them. At the same time, I am more worried that some commentators feel the need to threaten or intimidate the members of a political party. That is not cool. Everyone should have the right to form a political opinion and find others of like mind without interference. Simply because if you can punish this political group for what they believe in, then your’s can’t be too far down the road.
#11 – “I am more worried that some commentators feel the need to threaten or intimidate the members of a political party. That is not cool.”
No sir, not cool at all 🙂 Especially when the only thing this minority political party advocates in their agenda is the God-given right of every adult to enjoy the pure bliss and splendor having forced intercourse with a 12 year old boy or girl of their choosing.
I mean, what greater expression of love is there than that? :-\
Seriously, I agree with your point, but these guys are kinda hard to defend 🙂
No one mentioned that US Supreme Court member R.Bader Ginsburg openly advocate(d/s) the same for USA… There are cooks everywhere.
As to poster #2there is the scientific method of determining who is a child… Based on the capability of making proper judgements. Gaussian distribution shows that most of us, humans (regardless of upbringing, race, culture,…) develop this ability at about 18 with practically no one getting it before 15 and almost no one left without it by 21. Based on this it would be sane to have limits on judgement dependent actions (driving, sex, voting, drinking,…) for most judgement-lacking individuals, ie. at 18 years of age. Allowing any of these at younger age has its consequences (check US car accident numbers for example). Placing any limit at younger age allows majority of incompetent individuals to do harm to themselves and others.
#12 – OhForTheLoveOf – I disagree with you. I can defend them all day long and I am THANKFUL for the creation of their party. This lets me
1. Know who these pervs are and what they look like (mentioned in a post above). This way I can mock them in the street and if I see one walking toward me and I am with my children I can scream in a really loud voice “That man likes to touch little kids’ penises and vaginas. Stay away from him.” Public shame does wonders.
2. If they start gaining any traction and get even 1 single political post I can leave the country because that is an official sign that it is going to hell in a hand basket
3. It provides great political fodder for comedians.
#8…AB CD…thats not true. They rejected the Austrian party because they are neo-fashist(sp). The party of the present goverment of the Netherlands has just in the last 2 years passed some of the strongest anti-immigration laws in Europe. New elections were just called because the goverment is in turmoil over the Muslin woman they expelled because she lied on her immigration forms when she sought asylum in the Netherlands. She is very out spoken against the Muslim Mullahs and the treatment of woman, but the Foriegn Minister basically forced her out of the party over her appilacation from several years ago. Now the party is in a mess because they felt the FM was very wrong.
#10…Eideard…..I remember his picture, I was at school in England when he was originally arrested and he was still quite popular there until that happened, and his picture in and out of make up was plastered everywhere.
I agree with Vince, to an extent. It would be a great idea to allow them to exist purely to obtain their details and then hound the b*stards!
It would actually be great if the sick, evil swines didn’t exist in the first place – but then again asking for a childs innocence to be protected is obviously too much these days.
Castrate them all, with a rusty spoon.
Long live innocence, God help the kids!!!