Yes, but as I said, this line of reasoning can be used on lots of things that are currently legal. I've already mentioned people playing violent video games, but what about sexual bondage?

Bondage is quite possibly one of the most popular sexual fetishes out there. There are thousands of stores, conventions, websites and magazines that cater to this rather large fetish. On these websites, you can find countless images on movies of women bond and gagged, being sexually assaulted "against their will". While in reality these pictures and videos use consenting adults, there is no doubt that they are meant to accurately depict someone getting raped and sexually humiliated.

Rape is, quite obviously, against the law. Yet, people are allowed to indulge in these fantasies to their heart's desire with no one in law enforcement batting an eye.

Using your argument, we could easily say that watching these videos will simply increase the temptation of a sick mind to actually go out and tie a woman up and sexually assault her against her will. Yet, this 'thought crime' does not apply in this case, but does apply in child porn and pictures of consenting adults depicting child porn. Why?

__________________
“Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.” -Dr. Carl Sagan

One could say there is no way to legislate behavior.
However when the crime is against children when the victims have zero chance to stop the crime once started - then attempts to stop the crime before it happens, in my opinion is worth whatever "loss of freedom" that comes with it.

I believe crimes against children are special, and therefore stricter laws and penalties are acceptable.

Cool.

I don't necessarily agree, but I understand your position and it makes any further analogies from me pretty pointless.

__________________
“Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.” -Dr. Carl Sagan

Don't worry, I'm sure M. Humbert is more interested in you.

__________________
Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

If someone classified a picture as "children in sexually suggestive positions", the first thing I would ask him is why he found it sexually suggestive.

Bottom line: there is no general agreement as to what is sexually suggestive.

Random pics of kids at a local park can be sexually suggestive to some people.

Whereas pics of someone's genitals can be totally unpornographic (and repulsive) to some people (including me!)

The fact remains that because those who are inclined to be aroused sexually by pics of kids have diverse sexual tastes (like anyone else), just about any pic of child can be classified as porn, because it will likely be sexually suggestive to at least one person,

i. e. banning all real-life kiddie porn means banning virtually all child photography.

__________________
Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

Suppose you are/were that kid? How would it make you feel?

__________________
Life only becomes meaningful at its extremes

-- S

You're absolutely correct in the fact that what is lewd and not lewd varies widely from person to person. What one judge may consider fine, another judge may consider to be sexual suggestive.

I believe I already stated that they need a more refined and narrow definition of what constitutes child pornography.

However, I would like to believe that 'borderline' pictures would not even be bothered with, as it would be a waste of time due to the chance of the charges being thrown out (but our government does love wasting time and money). I would hope they'd focus more on people possessing pictures that are unquestionably child pornography.

__________________
“Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.” -Dr. Carl Sagan

Um - hate to break it to you but the letter of the law is what matters, not how it is enforced at any given moment. In addition, yes, there ARE people who have been prosecuted for perfectly innocent photos of their own children. Seem to remember a case a couple years back where a man had snapped a shot of his infant breastfeeding and when he went to pick up the photos, he was arrested. Case went to trial in fact. Had the jury NOT had sane people on it, both parents would be in jail now.

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

I understand what you're saying here,but that is completely different than what he presented.

Consider this: A photo of some 7 year olds playing around the pool. If this photo was taken by a 50 year old man with his dick in his hand, then we have a problem. If it was taken by a father photographing his daughter's birthday party, then we don't. The REAL problem is, the law doesnt recognize the very obvious difference between the two situations and makes the image itself a crime.

NOW do you see why there MIGHT be a problem?

You should realize by now where I stand on penalties for those who harm children. In case you don't, let me clarify: I support a violent painful death for these people, to be carried out by either the parents of the victim, or anyone else who volunteers for the purpose from a selection of local parents. I do mean violent and painful too - the kinds of deaths that would make Clive Barker queasy.

With that in mind, I have to say the OP has a point. The problem though is not anti-child-porn laws specifically, but ANY law which attempts to prevent crime rather than punish it, and which makes an activity illegal based upon its similarity to an obviously illegal act, not because of any harm. Its the same mentality which brings us those oh-so-wonderful-and-effective zero-tolerance statutes.

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

we COULD simply kill them...

slowly...

painfully...

publicly...

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

Right.

Please provide examples of a father who's been arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced for taking photos of his daughter's birthday party. Otherwise, you're offering nothing but bullshit...

__________________
Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

You cannot possibly actually HAVE children if you can say something like that.

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

This i cannot agree with for ANY reason.

Think about it - if its "for the children", is there ANY freedom you could even think about retaining?

I guaranfuckingtee you I can come up with ways to violate every single one of the Bill of Rights to prevent a crime against children - and justify the continuing, ongoing violation of it from now until slightly after the glaciation of Hell.

That is a very dangerous position to support my friend - VERY dangerous indeed.

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

Which I would be all for, until people started being tortured and killed over false accusations.

If it's 100% proven though...

... y'know what ? Put them in jail in general population. With gen. pop. knowing what they were guilty of.

That would work too, but there IS that deterrent effect of the public seeing a child rapist being brutally torn limb from limb by the mother of his victim...

slowly...

with a dull rusty spoon...

having each cut washed out with alcohol...

Oh yes - i believe in a special section of Hell for such criminals...and that their last moments on Earth should reflect what they will experience for all eternity...

__________________
In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.