Zeitgeist February 2012

Marthijn Uittenbogaard, Martijn's Treasurer, sent us this link to an award-winning photograph taken in front of his house which captures the Dutch spirit of tolerance and reason being flushed flushed down the toilet. 

Is Minnesota sex offender program illegal?
Critics say mistreatment and an overriding, unspoken directive to keep clients locked away make the state program unconstitutional.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/202894

What's Wrong With the Teenage Mind?
"The crucial new idea is that there are two different neural and psychological systems that interact to turn children into adults. "
"The experience of trying to achieve a real goal in real time in the real world is increasingly delayed, and the growth of the control system depends on just those experiences."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203806504577181351486558984.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Washington state is wasting millions to help sex predators avoid lockup
The headline says it all. The "waste", as they see it, is that "sex predators" are afforded some semblance of due process while the paper, and no doubt its readers, would prefer the state to lock them up and throw away the key without concerns for constitutional protections. The theme, now well trod, is that locking up "predators" should, somehow, be cost-free to the taxpayers. In other words, they yearn for a criminal justice system even more nightmarish than the one we currently enjoy. Their aspirations should serve to alarm.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/specialreports/civilcommitment/priceofprotection.html

New Yorker: The Caging of America
Why do we lock up so many people? In a nutshell: politics, religion and ignorance.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2012/01/30/120130crat_atlarge_gopnik

Why French Parents Are Superior
And the food's a whole lot better, too.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577196931457473816.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Broward judge sentences acquitted man to 15 years behind bars
Yes, you read that right.
http://southflorida.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-acquitted-molester-sentenced-20120119,0,4940627.story

Abstinence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
The "American Method" virus of Bible-based sex education washes up on the mother country's shores.
http://nannyknowsbest.blogspot.com/2012/01/abstinence-makes-heart-grow-fonder.html

Hundreds of primary school children licensed to use shotguns - including one aged SEVEN
Blow-jobs, however, remain frustratingly out-of-reach.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089172/Hundreds-primary-school-children-licensed-use-shotguns-including-young-SEVEN.html#ixzz1lYxLDLss

Cost drives new plan on treating sex offenders
The solution? Make prison terms EVEN LONGER.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/137730543.html

First, a sex offender registry. Next, an animal abuser registry?
Fellate a feline, end up online. Incredibly, the proposal is to name the law "Dexter's Law". No, not after the tv serial killer but after a dead kitten! Don't get me wrong: I love kittens and abhor their mistreatment, but this is just plain BIZARRE! Although, on second thought, no more bizarre than Jessica's or Megan's Laws.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/registry-of-animal-abusers-gains-support-.html?product=Norton%20Internet%20Security&version=19.2.0.10&layout=OEM30&partner=HPM%20CN%20P1DV%202%2860%29&ispid=&sitename=&actstat=not%20activated&substatus=expired&ncoap=1

U.S. appeals court says sex offenders have right to libraries
Yet, despite the court's refreshing decision, they still operate under demonstrably false assertions: "We therefore are especially mindful that registered sex offenders, whom studies have confirmed have a considerable rate of recidivism, may threaten to shatter the peace and safety of this environment."
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wbfo/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1896299/US/U.S..appeals.court.says.sex.offenders.have.right.to.libraries

It's a boy! Couple reveal sex of their 'gender neutral' kid after five years
An experiment in gender engineering! One can only wonder how the kid will feel about this in another ten years or so.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4075523/Its-a-boy-Couple-reveal-sex-of-their-gender-neutral-kid-after-five-years.html

Sex offenders' legal costs were kept secret from public
As always, the outrage is evinced, not by the travesties of justice being committed, but by the cost to the unfortunate  taxpayers. 
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017301127_civilcommunseal22.html

H.R. 3796: Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act of 2012
If only he knew what horrors have been visited upon this country in his name. 
http://senseoffenses.blogspot.com/2012/01/hr-3796.html

SCOTUS sorts through applicability of SORNA in Reynolds
And from our highest court, barely comprehensible yet unfailingly civil: more language from hell.
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2012/01/scotus-sorts-through-applicability-of-sorna-in-reynolds.html

Out of 747,408 Registered Sex Offenders, How Many Are Actually Dangerous?
Jacob Sullum a voice of reason worth paying attention to.
http://reason.com/blog/2012/01/23/out-of-747408-registered-sex-offenders-h#commentcontainer

Judge: Americans can be forced to decrypt their laptops
Got that? And we thought we were better off than the Brits on this score.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57364330-281/judge-americans-can-be-forced-to-decrypt-their-laptops

Encryption and the Fifth Amendment Right Against Self-Incrimination
"Having a false password that reformats the hard drive would be especially handy!"
http://volokh.com/2012/01/24/encrytion-and-the-fifth-amendment-right-against-self-incrimination/#comments

15-Year-Old Accused of Double-Murder, Held on $2 Million Bond
If you have sex with kids, you go to prison. If kids commit a crime, they suddenly become adults, and go to prison as if they were adults.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/01/tyson_langley_15-year-old_accu.php

Who Should Have Access to Student Records?
Apparently, not students, anyway. No Child Left Un-Tracked, Un-Recorded and Un-Able To Access His Own Dossier.
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/01/19/who-should-have-access-to-student-records

Number of Registered Sex Offenders in the U.S. Nears Three-quarters of a Million
That's nearly one in 400, by the way.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/number-of-registered-sex-offenders-in-the-us-nears-three-quarters-of-a-million-2012-01-23

Kids Count report: Rise in Michigan child abuse, neglect
Perhaps if they stopped chasing expensive phantom menaces they'd have enough money to prevent the increasing levels of child brutalization and neglect.
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20120124/NEWS01/301240002/Kids-Count-report-Rise-Michigan-child-abuse-neglect

Lawmakers discuss sex abuse reporting laws
No doubt, more professions will be involuntarily conscripted into the government's campaign of terror.
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/lawmakers-discuss-sex-abuse-reporting-laws

The scarlet letter 
An offender and his victim struggle together with the realities of registration.
http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/the-scarlet-letter/Content?oid=2033506

Court Rules Kids Can Be Ordered to Register as Sex Offenders
The obvious ironies continue to escape them.
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com//articles/article/court_rules_kids_can_be_ordered_to_register_as_sex_offenders/26323