Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

[Medusa]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

[quote author=Shadow Dragon link=topic=766.msg23797#msg23797 date=1292892363]
Personally, I'm happy that the guy is getting arrested. Encouraging pedophilia is despicable. But, like Crimson Horizons, I'm not happy on the actual reason they arrested him. Breaking a certain state's obscenity laws (which in my opinion are bs pure and simple) should only count when you're in that state. You shouldn't be able to arrest someone because their written work was in the state.
[/quote]
Hmm I think it's because he mailed it and sold it in the state that it's illegal to mail and sell that sort of stuff. Is it a technicality? Sure. Just like he's technically not raping any kids. Just teaching you how to do it..and posting some sort of testimonials in his book from kids and their perspective. So...live by the technicality...die by it buddy.

[DanieMarie]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

I don't see why something THAT serious can't be a federal issue as well. It certainly is in most countries.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

[quote author=Shadow Dragon link=topic=766.msg23797#msg23797 date=1292892363]
Breaking a certain state's obscenity laws (which in my opinion are bs pure and simple) should only count when you're in that state. You shouldn't be able to arrest someone because their written work was in the state.
[/quote]

States have a quasi-independence, which we Americans tend to forget. They are united under the federal government, but independent in relation to each other - and even the powers of the federal government are limited in regards to what it can do in states (states rights).

Because of this, whether what he did in one state is legal or not is an irrelevent issue if he does the same thing in a different state where it is illegal. He sold the book in a state where it is illegal to sell such a book, therefore, he broke that state's law.

[quote author=DanieMarie link=topic=766.msg23857#msg23857 date=1292921586]
I don't see why something THAT serious can't be a federal issue as well. It certainly is in most countries.
[/quote]

[DanieMarie]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

I understand that for Americans it's a touchy issue, but I don't really think it's the same as the countries in the EU trying to make uniform laws. The EU is a collection of countries, whereas the US is a collection of states within one country. I'd liken it more to Germany, which also leaves MANY issues up to state law, but for the really important stuff, it gets federal. Same in Canada for that matter. Child porno and pedophilia is pretty serious...it just kind of seems like something that should be dealt with federally in order to keep people from hiding behind state lines. But admittedly I'm no expert on US policy on what becomes federal law. And I don't -really- get how creating a federal policy on protecting children could be an issue for people, but since I'm not there it's hard to grasp.

And for that matter, the EU does try to create uniform policies. It IS tricky but some things, such as security (since individual borders are pretty much gone, at least in the Schengen region) and financial regulation (within countries that are part of the Euro) are starting to be issues and it's starting to be recognized that maybe, -maybe- more solid policies have to be in place.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

[quote author=DanieMarie link=topic=766.msg23877#msg23877 date=1292935211]
I understand that for Americans it's a touchy issue, but I don't really think it's the same as the countries in the EU trying to make uniform laws.[/quote]

Yeah... this is kind of a place where rationality and logic break down - whether the U.S. is a collection of individual entities operating under a single constitution or a single unified entity is a constantly debated issue (amongst people who are interested in that kind of thing, of course!), and the answer depends on which of several competing theories you happen to ascribe to. We fought a major internal war to settle the issue - it didn't, but it did quash it for a while - which is the reason why it's still a hotly debated and emotional issue.

The answer to the question of why an issue like this (protecting children) isn't a matter of federal jurisdiction can't be answered on the basis of logic. The reason is based on emotionally loaded internal politics, which have a lot more pull than logic does. This may be unfortunate, but, heck, that's the way we live here... ;D

[DanieMarie]

Re: Amazon defends 'Pedophile's Guide'

[quote author=B. de Corbin link=topic=766.msg23878#msg23878 date=1292937176]
Yeah... this is kind of a place where rationality and logic break down - whether the U.S. is a collection of individual entities operating under a single constitution or a single unified entity is a constantly debated issue (amongst people who are interested in that kind of thing, of course!), and the answer depends on which of several competing theories you happen to ascribe to. We fought a major internal war to settle the issue - it didn't, but it did quash it for a while - which is the reason why it's still a hotly debated and emotional issue.

The answer to the question of why an issue like this (protecting children) isn't a matter of federal jurisdiction can't be answered on the basis of logic. The reason is based on emotionally loaded internal politics, which have a lot more pull than logic does. This may be unfortunate, but, heck, that's the way we live here... ;D
[/quote]

LOL as a non-American I admit I sometimes find this confusing. Though debating on here (and also discussing these issues with American friends here in Berlin...though debates rarely happen because they tend to think a bit more Euro) has kind of helped to explain how history has influenced that line of thinking.

I think it would frustrate me a lot though. But I don't live there so I guess it's not really an issue lol.