Lawsuit Against NAMBLA Members Withdrawn

PRESS RELEASE
April 23, 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact: Arnold Schoen  at  arnoldschoen@yahoo.com
For more info:  www.nambla.org


Lawsuit Against NAMBLA Members Withdrawn

BOSTON -- Eight long years after it was filed, a lawsuit blaming NAMBLA members for the tragic death of a young Boston-area boy has been withdrawn, following a request by the judge to see the evidence.  With the agreement of plaintiffs and defendants, the judge approved the dismissal of the suit today.  NAMBLA has always maintained that the suit was entirely without any merit.  NAMBLA was dropped from the suit years ago, leaving only individual members who had never met either of the killers.

Initially brought by Lawrence Frisoli on behalf of the distraught parents of Jeffrey Curley, the suit provided fuel for Frisoli’s short-lived political career.  The Thomas More Law Center later assisted Frisoli, and referred to its role in the suit in fundraising appeals.  Although he was given several years to gather evidence to support his claims, Frisoli agreed to dismiss the suit shortly after Judge George O’Toole scheduled a hearing at which Frisoli would have been required to present the evidence for examination.  We believe this case has been a monumental waste of our time, the court's time, the Curley family’s time, and a regrettable abuse of the judicial process.

Sadly, this case has been about silencing NAMBLA and not about seeking justice for Jeffrey Curley.  We had nothing to do with his death and we deplore the actions of his killers - only one of whom ever had the slightest contact through the mail with us.  In fact we wish we had had more contact - because then these men might have heard our message of non-coercion and kindness and respect.

As we say in all of our Bulletins, "NAMBLA calls for the empowerment of youth in all areas, not just the sexual."  We have issued strong statements and published articles opposing corporal punishment, infant circumcision, and any and all forms of physical abuse and neglect.  We've opposed the military draft and wars including the current debacle in Iraq.  All of these statements have arisen from our deep-seated respect for young people.

NAMBLA, challenging this society's dysfunctional approach toward human sexuality, has been among the latest of a number of groups currently fashionable to demonize, and it will not be the last.  Wise people, and certainly the framers of our Constitution, have always recognized that constant vigilance is the price of freedom.  To this end, the groups and individuals who spoke out on our behalf and especially the ACLU of Massachusetts are to be applauded.  It took great courage for them to risk being accused of supporting NAMBLA when the only thing they ever supported was the ability to express one’s views without being punished with SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation - the legal equivalent of a heckler's veto) designed to destroy those who express controversial views.

We urge everyone to support the ACLU of Massachusetts in their work to protect the principle of free speech, so vital to any democracy, in this time of growing intolerance.  This lawsuit’s attempt to equate political speech with violence posed a grave threat to the political liberty of every American.  Its dismissal is a victory for everyone, but it was neither a permanent victory nor a cheap one: We must all be willing to stand up to protect each others' basic civil and human rights.

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