Thoughts: The Townshend Act

[thewho rocks <leb905@xxxxxxxxx>]

> > I was just thinking that if they already have a propensity to use
> > your faxes/E-mails, they might actually use a pro-Pete E-mail/fax.
>
>I'm tired, Kevin.  I'm tired of cutting, pasting, sending, yelling,
>explaining, defending, clarifying, reading, thinking, mulling, worry-
>ing,.....
>
>And all for what?  Pete's stupidity.  Pete's foolishness.  Pete's
>carelessness.  Pete's crime.

What.  You don't like autodestructive art any more?  This may Pete's
greatest performance to date!  ;)



Whatever, it is time to lie back and rest a little bit, and think about
this.  Take a break, everybody, and put your feet up for a few minutes.

Here's what I've been thinking about today:

We've accomplished about all we can with the massive write in campaign.
 Congratulations to all who participated, and many pats on the back. 
It was amazingly effective, and it really did turn the tide of the
media attention.  However, anyone who ignored the email onslaught has
dug in and won't easily change their opinion now.  I caught Leno's
Townshend jokes last night, and not only did he have his teeth gritted,
but he had someone planted in the audience to whistle and applaud. 
Stern is likely to be the same.  Whatever, it's time to flank.  We've
got about two weeks to put together a plan for 1) kiddie porn charges
or 2) a quiet hush-hush release. 

We can raise some righteous anger in either case.  What I'm sure we
need here is the PETE TOWNSHEND ACT of 2003 that amends the current
child porn laws in the UK.  This act should also set up new programs to
deal with the problems that are under discussion right now as a result
of Pete's actions.  Someone else suggested this act, and today I'm
certain it's the right thing to do.  Plus, it wouldn't hurt to have a
similar parallel legislation here in the US.

This would take care of several of our problems (as Who fans) at once. 
First, it's a clear message that this is a landmark case, and that our
boy there is innocent and wronged enough that they named an act after
him.  And second, it could actually make a difference in how child porn
and pedophilia are handled so that the system is less repressive and
more user friendly for all concerned.

I sort of asked for suggestions on how to question the law last night,
and I did get a couple of very thoughtful answers in.  Brits, please
give some thoughts to how you would handle these problems and write
them up on the lists.  We in the US can't really understand the social
climate in the different countries, so you will have to come up with
the suggestions (please) and a list of government officials and press
folks that might be suitable to receive and act on them.  Suggestions
from the US would be helpful, as well, as we have similar problems here
that could use some attention.  If it seems a good idae, we can then
start a (more relaxed) email campaign to get the act considered and
passed.

I've been reading through the articles that Brian is so helpfully
posting, and here are some of the issues that seem to emerge:

1) The repressive quality of current law that makes it illegal to look
at child porn for any reason, and to report it to authorities.

2) The fact that pedophilila is defined as a crime rather than a sexual
orientation/deviation, which drives the practitioners underground and
to illegal porn based on the exploitation and sometimes violent abuse
of children.  (I think the way pedophilia is treated actually increases
the demand for illegal porn.)

3) The fact that it's open season to harass, persecute, threaten and
attack suspected pedophiles, or to remove their ability to make a
living so that they fall further into violent crimial lifestyles.

4) The fact that victims of child sexual abuse are still considered
somehow at fault, are discouraged from reporting the abuse, and left to
deal with the problems themselves.


That's all I've thought of for now.  Does anyone have any suggestions
on the above?  Comments?  Agree?  Disagree?  Discussion?  It's tough
stuff to think about, and it will be tough to come up with a decent
solution.  


LB

=====
God bless the thunder.  Love to The Who.
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