I just posted this on a fetish website where the usual panicked discussions were going on about censoring discussion of certain fetishes. Predictably, while not one of the fetishes in question involved child molestation it showed up as the scary monster under the bed as it always does when someone wants you to back down from your support of free thought.
Here was my reply…
(ed note: I made a few minor textual changes on re-read to remove some course language and clarify one sentence… this post will be on the web forever and neither a misunderstanding or an obscenity is needed to make my point)
Here is where the rubber of freedom hits the road of panic and the desire of some to criminalize the thoughts of others.
I will be very, very clear. I absolutely object to any attempt to criminalize thoughts and fantasies regardless of their content. That includes molesting kids, murdering nuns, killing baby seals, blowing up a tall building or bringing down a nation.
Criminalizing actions that specifically violate the rights of others? That I support. As applied to the panic button topic of child molestation that means I reject the criminalization of art, communication or erotica about the topic but I absolutely support the criminalization of an adult having sex with a child.
See the line? Crimes are things that happen in REALITY. Things that happen in fantasy I do not support criminalizing.
The supreme court I might add is not at all convinced that criminalizing fantasy is a good idea either. Many of the challenges to the overly broad and repeatedly struck down "Child Online Protection Act" are on just this issue.
One of the interesting things about this discussion (and in fact any discussion involving the defense of freedom even in unpopular extremes) is that it almost always follows a pattern…
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An extreme topic is chosen (child molestation, terrorism, racism or whatever it doesn’t matter really)
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The assertion is made that anyone who thinks such a thing is dangerous and sick
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Anyone who defends freedom of thought on principle is cast as clearly either lying or being a secret member of the evil group in question and thus suspect
Overall? That means few people will stand up and defend free thought. They are intimidated and afraid of being cast as a molester, terrorist or whatever. To hell with that crap.
My answer, point blank, is that yes. I fully support and defend the rights of law abiding humans who have never acted on the fantasy to sit around at night masturbating to thoughts of having sex with the underage. I also fully support the rights of someone to sit in their house at night dreaming about bombing an airport. I fully support the freedom of someone to sit around at night dreaming about raping that hot actress on TV. THINK about what you want… hell, even get together with others and talk about how hot it all is. Draw pictures, write video games. Whatever.
When you cross the line from fantasy to reality I will come down on you like a f_cking hammer. Till then? What happens in your head is your own business.
Not only do I consider that an essential component of freedom on an ethical level – but as a practical one it is a critical line as well. As soon as the government starts criminalizing thought things get very bad very fast. We have seen that with many of the current thought crime laws (they call it "hate crime legislation" these days) and the havoc it has wrought on any concept of justice in the court system.