Bill toughens law on visual sexual aggression against children in Maine

Seacoastonline.com ^ | April 6, 2008 | Dave Choate

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

Those who peer at children in public could find themselves on the wrong side of the law in Maine soon...

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

1984 alive and well!!

Thought police, speech police...now VISION.

Expect sales of blinders to soar.

[ClearCase_guy]

A thread from yesterday discussed kids sending naked pictures of themselves to other kids. In some circles this is considered distributing child pornography. I believe the police attitude was "Not such a big deal. It's just kids."

But adults? Looking at kids walking down the street? Throw away the key!!!!

[DanielRedfoot]

Why not break out the Burkas?

[stuartcr]

Who would determine whether an adult was looking for his child in a crowd, or leering at children in general?

[mysterio]

Thought crime does not entail death; thoughtcrime is death.

[republicanequestrian]

Well obviously you shouldn’t be enjoying the enthusiasm of youth, or even watch them play—you could be thinking horrible things!!! /s

[andy58-in-nh]

The law is so blatantly and obviously unconstitutional that it would never survive even the mildest civil liberties challenge. It is interesting, though, that the impetus for the case was a complaint in Ogunquit, which happens to be a very Gay-friendly town.

[Smokin' Joe]

Under the bill, if someone is arrested for viewing children in a public place, it would be a Class D felony if the child is between 12 to 14 years old and a Class C felony if the child is under 12, according to Alexander.

Goodbye Little League...who is going to watch the playground?

Frankly, this makes no sense to me. "viewing?"

How about a lifeguard?

"Honest officer, he looked at me real hard."

A FELONY? Say what????

No more witnesses to juvenile crime, because it is a FELONY to look?

The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

[KrisKrinkle]

‘I believe the police attitude was “Not such a big deal. It’s just kids.”’

A form of Entrapment. Let the kids do it and get comfortable with it and in the habit of doing it. Then when they turn into adults come down on them like an anvil dropped from the top of a ten story building.

[GraniteStateConservative]

This is why I try to stay at home as much as possible. Any group that has power like the police or the TSA go out of their way to harass you just because they have the power to do so and it’s a cheap thrill for them.

[Gorzaloon]

1984 alive and well!!

Thought police, speech police...now VISION.

Well, it looks like the end of THESE THINGS!

[Abathar]

"Under the bill, if someone is arrested for viewing children in a public place, it would be a Class D felony if the child is between 12 to 14 years old and a Class C felony if the child is under 12, according to Alexander."

"Oh look, that little girl looks just like my granddaughter, she has the same dimples and everything, how CUTE is tha... Huh? Hey, what, why are you putting cuffs on me??... a FELONY stare!!..."

[darkangel82]

They’ll find some other way to come after you. Thou shalt not commit thoughtcrimes against the State, comrade.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Had a perv sit behind a large crowd of kids at a Harry Potter flick. I sat behind him and ^constantly^ reminded him I was there. He left soon after the house lights went out.

[The Great RJ]

What constitutes “viewing” a child? Is a glance enough? If when driving I see a child in a school crosswalk am I to look away? Obviously there should be no viewing of gymnastic meets, little league games, basketball games or school programs by anyone even parents. I seriously doubt a teacher could look at their students under this ridiculous standard. This bill is asinine.

[bubbacluck]

I was recently taking pictures at an ice rink for my daughters birthday party; taking pictures of the people in the the party. This woman kept walking by me and giving me dirty looks. I just ignored her, but it made me feel dirty, like I was doing something wrong.

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

New crime classification: PIP - Peering in Public

Penalty: Eyes gouged out?

Seriously though, does this law doom AMBER alerts? "But officer...."

[LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot]

Goodbye Little League...who is going to watch the playground?

Exactly. Now you're considered a perv if you stop to watch Pee Wee Baseball but you don't have a kid playing.

[unixfox]

The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

They took it over a long time ago. While we weren't looking.

[tatsinfla]

if memory serves me right wasn’t there a movie i think with travolta that somehow they saw the future and who was thinking or planning to committ a crime. then they would find that person before the crime was committed and arrest them, convict them and incarcerate them for thier thoughts.