I’m beginning to think that of all western societies, Britain is the one where it is easiest to pull the “We will nanny away your rights and responsibilities because of how evil and insane people abuse them” trick. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen here in America, only that when it happens in Britain, it just seems to navigate the public mood easier, as if opposition to it simply cannot articulate itself. It’s as if many Brits have a foggy idea of freedom: they like it, and they know they’ve got it, but can’t quite think of why they should object, because of it, to laws intended to prevent evil people doing evil things.
I’m waiting for the kitchen knife ban, and the imposition of substantial fines on chefs who neglect to pay for their “edged culinary implement license.”
When it comes to anything remotely saucy, Britain is the Iran of the Western world, so I’m surprised that this kind of pornography wasn’t already illegal. It feels liberating being over here in Germany, where nudity and sex are considered perfectly normal.
It’s always amusing what two people who are grieving can do to effect negative change. Can we ban all people who have lost someone because of a negligent human error from trying to implement law?
Someone dies “because” of violent/sexual video games - let’s censor them! Raise the age limit! Regulate them more! Implement stiffer fines!
Someone dies “because” of violent/sexual movies/tv - let’s censor them! Raise the age limit! Regulate them more! Implement stiffer fines!
Someone dies “because” of violent/sexual music (wtf?) - let’s censor them! Raise the age limit! Regulate them more! Implement stiffer fines!
Someone dies “because” of drunk driving - Destroy states rights by forcing them to raise the age limit of drinking or you’ll withhold federal highway funds! Be the single largest cause of underage drinking (MADD)! Be the single largest cause of binge drinking (MADD)! Woohoo YEAH! Implement incredibly overzealous punishments for even being slightly over the limit! FUCK YEAH WHO CARES ABOUT REAL CRIME DRUNK DRIVING IS WORSE THAN PRE-MEDITATED MURDER ROCK ME AMADEUS!
Reactionary legislation never solves anything. Especially when it’s being pushed by insane people who are grieving for a loss and want to blame other people for it. Sometimes shit happens. Let’s move on with it. These are the kinds of people who could watch A Clockwork Orange and completely miss who the real monster is.
Well? Fucking d’uh. It’s Anthony Burgess. Who listens to Beethoven?
What if we watch in and understand who the real monster is supposed to be due to the incredibly unsubtle message being crammed down our throat, but still think it’s the guy who actually rapes and murders people for fun?
Shouldn’t you be prefacing your statements with “I’m a lawyer, what I say isn’t important”? ;) This doesn’t apply to all lawyers - as I rather like Rywill and Dan - just you.
Actually, you’re not quite right: Australia is far more sexually repressed and repressive than Britain. I’m pretty sure they’re the only western country that’s really getting serious about setting up a general-purpose national firewall, a la Saudi Arabia.
Yeah I was going to ask about that. It seems to me that sex and nudity are much more open in the UK with boobies appearing in regular newspapers and whatnot.
Depictions of violence in film are permissible up to certain limits, after which they are banned by the government. (at one point, Death Race 2000 starring david carradine and sylvester stallone was on the ban list)
Speech is permissible up to certain limits, after which they are banned by the government. (many books are banned in the UK, the press cannot print certain things)
Tell me about it. Parental responsibilty is something that never gets talked about- instead it’s all about protecting the children. Even I think it’s moronic.
