Posted on 07/17/2006 9:37:08 AM PDT by presidio9
A Dutch court refused Monday to ban a political party whose main goal is to lower the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12. The judge said it was the voters' right to judge the appeal of political parties.
The party has only three known members, one of whom was convicted of molesting an 11-year-old boy in 1987. Widely dubbed the "pedophile" party, it is unlikely ever to win a seat in parliament. The group would need around 60,000 votes, and pollsters estimate it would get fewer than 1,000.
Opponents had asked The Hague District Court to bar the party from registering for national elections in November, arguing that children have the right not to be confronted with the party's platform.
"Freedom of expression, freedom ... of association, including the freedom to set up a political party, can be seen as the basis for a democratic society," Judge H. Hofhuis said in his ruling.
"These freedoms give citizens the opportunity to, for example, use a political party to appeal for change to the constitution, law, or policy."
He noted that the PNVD party, the Dutch abbreviation of Brotherly Love, Freedom and Diversity, had not committed a crime, but was calling for a change in the law.
"It is the right of the voter to judge the appeal of political parties," he said.
The party sparked outrage when it proclaimed its existence in late May, but prosecutors declined to prosecute its members as a threat to public order.
"We expected this result," said party treasurer Ad van den Berg, 62. "We are not doing anything illegal so there is no reason to ban us."
Van den Berg was fined and given a suspended prison sentence for molesting an 11-year-old boy in 1987. After his background became known last month, he was chased from the trailer park where he lived in the city of Oostvoorne.
Anke de Wijn, an attorney representing the party's opponents, said the group was abusing Dutch tolerance.
"Victims feel hurt by the wish of pedophiles to make their desires known in public," De Wijn said. "There are few limitations on free speech, and that's good, but this group is making misuse of the privilege, to provoke."
The PNVD's known members were a president, a secretary and a treasurer, as required under Dutch law. In order to stand in elections scheduled for Nov. 22, it will have to submit a list of candidates and the signatures of at least 30 supporters to get on the ballot in any one of the country's 19 voting districts.
Ireen van Engelen of the Solace Foundation, which researches pedophilia, said the party likely would fail to register for the elections because pedophiles seek anonymity.
"They will never want to connect their name to the party and without the signatures they can't go in the elections," she said.
Somebody should look into what the other two have done.
The Dutch have become the laughingstock of the entire civlized world, which probably doens't include Berkley California.
I thought the Dutch already had lowered the age of consent to 12.
the Dutch are an evil people, even if many of them are not into the prostitution and drug scene...they still tolerate it and thus , they enable it....
Now, using foreign precedent, Justice Breyer will want to allow NAMBLA to field candidates in all the blue states (they're well-being could not be guaranteed in the red states.)
I would say list.
*if you have time. I've been busier than I like to be.
They either did or tried to do it (for boys only, IIRC), and there was a public outcry. So I think it was again raised to the wise age of 14. If I'm wrong, someone correct me who knows the details accurately.
Corporal CueBall was half right about his "trailer trash" comment after all. Right about the trash part, just wrong country.
Maybe there is something about the way the Dutch build their trailers?
I don't ever remember such delusions coming from an American trailer park. Forbidden fireworks on the 4th of July, yes. NAMBLA style pronunciamentos, no.
Muslims ARE pedophiles. Yer not tryin' to start an inter-Muslim war, are you?
;-)
"AND a Dog-lovers' party right here in the US"
We do have one (and I do mean 'one') already. A male humanoid of the Mexican appearance was found "in flagrante delicto" with a dog. When police showed up, he said "It's my dog, what's the problem?"
As a class action suit can exist with a class size of one, so can a political party exist with one member.
Just ask any lawyer or judge.
;-)
Somehow I just don't see "I want to **** your sixth-grader" as a winning campaign slogan even in these hedonistic days. 99.99999% of the population is just so dang narrow-minded...
Ha! :)
American courts did not even allow Nader on many of the ballots. I doubt they would allow pedophiles.
I agree with you.
DISCUSSION ABOUT:
Dutch Court OKs 'Pedophile' Political Party
Sickening!
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A few years ago, who would have thought the extent to which abortion, homosexual activity or even artificial contraception, fornication and adultery would be broadly accepted activity...
Whether or not they ever get a seat, the fact that they are doing it with approval is really bothersome. At one time if a civilization, like the Roman Empire, fell from with in, it took only the part of the world with it. Now there's the potential to take the whole planet. I shudder to think of what would happen if society collapsed with as populated and technological as the world is today.
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