Chris Langham Page 15
This is making me 
Its not a Thought Crime!
They were charged with posessing illegal material. End of argument. Just like when someone is arresting for posessing drugs they don't go 'officer why are you arresting me for thinking about doing drugs?' The only actual thought crime I can think of, which isn't actually a crime so to speak, is locking someone up under the Mental Health Act 1983. Thats the only thing I can think of which fits your arguments. So can we please not use this thought crime rubbish.
Oh and while i'm ranting, we prosecute people for thinking all the time. Ever heard of intention? There are only a small amount of crimes which are prosecuted without the need for the court to assess what the 'thoughts' of the defendant were. But if this harms their freedom to think then by all means set them free. GBH? Well you were caught stabbing the woman and she testified that you did it but we can't work out what you were thinking at the time so we're going to have to let you go.'
And please don't misquote me like before *points finger at a certain someone*
I can't believe I'm saying this.
But I agree with Adam.
First time for everything. 
I dunno, I think Chris Langham is a bit of a sad man, but that's no reason to send him to jail for 6 months. He looked at picutures he shouldn't of, but it's not like he paid or endorsed, or supported them. If I watch Pulp Fiction, am I going to prison for encouraging murder, and drug dealing.
Our screwy attitude, towards kids, abuse, and innocence is ruining our country. Holland lowered the age of consent to 12, and out huge resources into sensible sex education programs, and family support. They have way less abuse, teen pregnancies, and other exmaples of our being a sexually degenerate culture.
16 is daft, and the country is now full of under 16s technicaly abusing each other. People like Langham need help, and therapy, and to be kept an eye on. We seem to be degenerating to the point that the defintion of good parenting is not abusing your kids, and not trusting anyone.
The number of guys I know who left youth work, for fear of essentially getting a scarlet letter. A contributing factor to me moving into adult services, was when I started getting asked,
2Are you going to rape my child?"
Should have replied
"No he's way to ugly,"
or
"No but, I like the look of your cat,"
We are sitcking our fingers in our ears, and driving silly men, who should know better to suicide. Whilst a generation of kids grow up with every male professional caring for them terrified of them.
Oh and I am sick of the way the Police chase down easy convictions to make up numbers. For every Langham there's a dozen real nasty bastards who it's jsut to hard to prosecute. hard beacuse they know if they befriend the kids, then the police won't bother going for a difficult prosecution.
Quote: ajp29 @ February 18, 2008, 10:59 PMThis is making me
Its not a Thought Crime!
They were charged with posessing illegal material. End of argument.
Ah, but they weren't, were they? Possession of this material is not, in itself, illegal. They were actually charged and convicted of possessing articles for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. That's quite a different thing, and if the Crown is unable to establish a link between possession and the terrorist intent, then I'm very happy for them to be released (and actually pretty pissed off that they were locked up in the first place).
It's like saying because you own a large kitchen knife you are planning a murder with it.
(Okay, not quite)
Quote: Badge @ February 18, 2008, 11:09 PMAh, but they weren't, were they? Possession of this material is not, in itself, illegal.
Dont spoil the conversation with facts!
Quote: Badge @ February 18, 2008, 10:47 PMI heartily endorse Mr Williams's post.
Then you have missed the point of my post.
We are not talking about 'Thought Crime' nor threatening 'Freedom of Speech', we are talking about making the possession of child pornography and terrorist material a crime.
If you are against that then I am against you!
Quote: Frankie Rage @ February 18, 2008, 11:40 PMThen you have missed the point of my post.
I wouldn't put that past me either. Though I was really commenting on James's post, not his comments on yours. If you get me.
Doh! And now you've added stuff so I have to edit this.
If possession of terror handbooks is a crime, send 'em down. But it isn't. That's my point.
Quote: Badge @ February 18, 2008, 11:43 PMI wouldn't put that past me either. Though I was really commenting on James's post, not his comments on yours. If you get me.
I too would agree with James's post in a different context but in the context of his post in response to mine then I disagree with it as I felt he had missed my point.
But I get you!
and NOT
I'll get you!
Oh, get you!
Either all speach is free or none.
By all means prosecute the makers of the material, for crimes commited in it's production.
But once it's in the ether, then censoring it, any of it, automatically stops us being a free democratic society.
Freedom is about being, angry, frustrated, and insulted. It's fascist states that feel comforting.
Quote: sootyj @ February 18, 2008, 11:46 PMEither all speach is free or none.
By all means prosecute the makers of the material, for crimes commited in it's production.
But once it's in the ether, then censoring it, any of it, automatically stops us being a free democratic society.
Freedom is about being, angry, frustrated, and insulted. It's fascist states that feel comforting.
What nonsense Sooty. Does Soo know about this?
There is nothing wrong with making the possession of child pornography and terrorist material illegal.
See Soo immediately for ears washed and bed!
In the words of Thatcher after being criticised by Geofery Howe,
I feel like I have been mauled by a dead sheep.
From the Spanish Inquisition to the Nazis to the BNP, the two charges oppressive governemnts make of their foes is, they are pedophiles, and terrorists.
To permit prosecution for possessing ideas, and images, is to open the flood gates of thought control and persecution.
Exept you sound like the kind of guy, who'd be first in line when they give out uniforms.
Probably to stick it on, and wank over a copy of Mein Kampf.
If it's truly a crime to view unpalatable material and hold extremist views then a few of us on this site should be looking over their shoulders.