Netherlands: Court OKs 'Pedophile' Political Party

[Tender Branson]

Here´s the article:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2202895

When I first heard this I was really shocked, because I read that the founder of this party is a convicted child molester. Normally i´m really for freedom of speech and real democracy but when it comes to harming children and ruining their childhood, it´s over with. I say this party should be banned.

So whhat is your opinion on this "Party" ?

[nini2287]

I believe child molestors should be thrown in jail, but if pedophiles want to organize their own party, that's their right. 

[freek]

I believe child molestors should be thrown in jail, but if pedophiles want to organize their own party, that's their right. 

That's also what the court argued. It is not illegal to have your own party.

Apart from that the chances that this party would WIN a seat in parliament are pretty low, the chances that they are able to take part in the elections of November 22 are not that high. For electoral purposes the Netherlands is divided in 19 districts. For a list to take part in a district it needs 30 "declarations of support" signed by voters of that district. To take part in the whole country, a party needs 30*19 = 570 declarations/signatures. The signatures have to be placed at city hall, and afterwards everyone can get the names of those who signed such a declaration. In other words: the party needs 30 people in every district who dare to call themselves a pedophile.

In the article of ABC News it is mentioned that pollsters expect that the party would win less than 1,000 votes. This is unlikely when the party can take part on a national scale, even small communist splinters receive more votes. I expect it to be a bit more. 5,000 at best though.

In the future, the party could be banned according to Dutch law. For that it is necessary that the party is deemed a criminal organisation. For example, when the party would use the party website to place child pornography online.

In Dutch history, banning of a party has happened once before. The right extremist party CP'86 (Centre Party '86) was banned in 1998. There were several reasons for that. To name a few, party members physically attacked an MP of the GreenLeft party, party demonstrations were in fact covers to fight with antifascist protestors and the police, party leaders called for violence against foreigners, and coloured members of the Rotterdam city council were threatened by phone, the calls came from the CP'86 party office.

[MODU]

*sigh*  My respect for the Netherlands just dropped.

[Emsworth]

*sigh*  My respect for the Netherlands just dropped.

Same here, although I suspect it may be for a different reason. The very idea that a party needs court approval to exist undermines freedom and democracy.

[MODU]

*sigh*  My respect for the Netherlands just dropped.

Same here, although I suspect it may be for a different reason. The very idea that a party needs court approval to exist undermines freedom and democracy.

hahaha . . . well, that too. 

[opebo]

Here´s the article:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2202895

When I first heard this I was really shocked, because I read that the founder of this party is a convicted child molester. Normally i´m really for freedom of speech and real democracy but when it comes to harming children and ruining their childhood, it´s over with. I say this party should be banned.

So whhat is your opinion on this "Party" ?

Why do you think this party has anything to do with 'harming children and ruining their childhood', Mark Warner?

[freek]

Same here, although I suspect it may be for a different reason. The very idea that a party needs court approval to exist undermines freedom and democracy.

In fact, to register a new party you don't need court approval. There are only a limited number of reasons why the Electoral Council can refuse to register a party, and they all have to do with the NAME of a party, not its ideas.

The plaintiffs in this court case wanted to ban a party for its opinions, and that is not possible according to Dutch law. Therefore they lost the case.

[opebo]

Here´s the article:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2202895

When I first heard this I was really shocked, because I read that the founder of this party is a convicted child molester. Normally i´m really for freedom of speech and real democracy but when it comes to harming children and ruining their childhood, it´s over with. I say this party should be banned.

So whhat is your opinion on this "Party" ?

Why do you think this party has anything to do with 'harming children and ruining their childhood', Mark Warner?

One of their aims is to legalize child pornography and child pornography movies. Do you want to tell me a 12 year old girl for example voluntarily wants to have sex with a 40 year old ?

Yes, of course many do.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

No, I don't. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Precisely - this peccadillo you have about age is just your own subjective preference.  Please stop acting like it is objectively 'moral.'

[freek]

One of their aims is to legalize child pornography and child pornography movies.

The PNVD party wants to lower the age of consent from 16 to 12 and the required age for taking part in a pornographic movie from 18 to 16.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Why would a neofascist party call themselves "Centre Party"?

[Frodo]

Opebo must be thrilled.......   

[freek]

Why would a neofascist party call themselves "Centre Party"?

Good question. Maybe Right Extremist Party didn't do that well with the voters.

Their original name was "National Centre Party". That might explain it.

[ATFFL]

Why would a neofascist party call themselves "Centre Party"?

For the same reason Communist governments call themselves "People's Democratic" or some play on those words. 

[Michael Z]

Why would a neofascist party call themselves "Centre Party"?

Probably for the same reason Vladimir Shirinovksy's party is called The Liberal Democratic Party.