In The News

[browngirl]

Yay, Iowa! (Iowa Court Says Gay Marriage Ban Is Unconstitutional) (With thanks to half my Friendslist. :D) (Check out some excerpts! Courtesy ckd.)

Boo, Massachusetts!("Massachusetts state representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein has introduced a bill making it a crime for anyone over 60 to pose nude or sexually for a film or photo. The person taking the photo—whether a lover, artist, or commercial porn maker—would also face jail time.") (With thanks to halleyscomet, who has much more info at the link.)

Comments

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

All it takes is a complete and total disregard for the mental capacity of the people you're legislating.

*nod* Which is extra-special irony in an area of law - sexual offences - which is all about the individual dignity (=individual autonomy). Poorly worded, poorly thought out ... aagh. I don't know enough about US law to know if this makes sense, but surely this is a breach of human rights on several different levels? [freedom of expression/speech; freedom from age discrimination; the individual's right to control of his/her own image ...]

[halleyscomet.livejournal.com]

The US is pretty uptight about sex. This might just get passed because no one wants to take the political risk of voting against a law that toughens punishments for child abusers or that could be used to punish people who abuse the elderly or disabled.

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

*flail* That is very typical politician's reasoning; it could be used to punish abusers in the same way that a law that illegalised breathing would doubtless capture all kinds of murderers and rapists. (Or, closer to my home, in the same way that a law illegalising "glorifying terrorism" captures actual inciters to terrorism as well as anyone with a poster of the Dalai Lama or a copy of a Catholic book of martyrs]. Why oh why must politicians get involved in the actual drafting of legislation? It only ends badly.

[halleyscomet.livejournal.com]

They like the power?

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I doubt this will get passed. It will be tabled and never discussed again, so that nobody has to vote "no" and face the wrath of the poorly informed.