Posted on 12/09/2002 10:48:59 PM PST by kattracks
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:59:34 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
The upper class in Britain has always been more or less tolerant of homosexuality
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Answer, the police in Texas do not patrol the bedrooms. The men involved in this case found themselves in their predicamnet either by the strangest of chance or by deliberate action on their part.
Their neighbor (an ex-lover, read "homosexual") called in a bogus emergency to police that there was an armed assault going on. 2 officers arrived and found the door unlocked. The officers entered the residence and found the 2 men in the bedroom engaged in an act of homosexual sodomy.
From the outset they claimed that they were going to use the arrest to overturn the law. They were fined $200 (the offense carries a maximum $500 fine). They were hauled to jail but this is not a jailable offense. I've read an account (uncorroborated) that the men continued to have sex even when the officers were in the room; perhaps they were jailed to make sure that they did not continue the illegal act. I am unaware of any attempts at followup to see that these men are no longer violating the law.
The neighbor was eventually convicted for his false phone call and sentenced to 30-days in jail.
An "unenforceable" law like this can be enforced in a variety of circumstances. Can a man commit an act of adultry with another man (by law)? If he is cheating on his wife and she wants to file a divorce, it gives her legal action in the proceedings. A minor (17 year old) can consent to heterosexual activity in Texas but are prohibited from consenting to a homosexual act. In some states the age of consent is as low at 14 (it is surprising how many are at 16). Some of those with an age of consent at age 16 do permit homosexuality in their state but set the bar for homosexual consent at 18 (adult). If the homosexual activists are successful in arguing the case on the grounds of discrimination (one behavior is accepted for heterosexuals and another for homosexuals) it would clear the way for lowering the age of consent for homosexual activity. This "age of consent" angle removes the notion that this is an issue for "consenting adults" as some of the legal relations would be between minors and adults. And again, how do they enforce such law?
There have been attempts to change such law in England and in the states already.
To the best of my knowledge, Blix had no role in picking the inspectors; they were selected by our government. (the state department maybe)
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