From: gary@isis.cgd.ucar.edu (Gary Strand)
Subject: Re: Libertarian Platform
Organization: Climate and Global Dynamics Division/NCAR, Boulder, CO
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 03:56:12 GMT

jb> Jim Burke

jb> The idea that the government or a society has no business protecting
jb> children from a pedophilic father is not acceptable to any rational, adult
jb> thinking person. 

  And I agree, and I'm a libertarian. I think you've taken on a Cramerish
  personality here, however.

jb> [...] I will not restrain my criticism of anyone who promotes rescinding
jb> laws against pedophilia.

  Where does the LP say that? Pedophilia is a violation of a child's rights,
  and since the government's sole purpose is the protection of it's citizens'
  rights, I don't see where you get this idea. Perhaps a perusal of the LP
  platform regarding children and their rights will give some help (please
  note the asterisked paragraphs):

  "21. CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
 
   Children are human beings and, as such, have all the rights of
   human beings.
    
   We recognize that children who have not reached maturity need
   guardians to secure their rights and to aid in the exercise of
   those rights. We hold that guardianship belongs to those who most
   love and value the child and his or her development, normally the
   parents and never the state.
    
   We oppose all laws that empower government officials to seize
   children and make them "wards of the state" or, by means of child
   labor laws and compulsory education, to infringe on their freedom
   to work or learn as they choose.  We oppose all legally created or
   sanctioned discrimination against (or in favor of) children, just
   as we oppose government discrimination directed at any other
   artificially defined sub-category of human beings.  Specifically
   we oppose ordinances that outlaw adults-only apartment housing.
    
   We also support the repeal of all laws establishing any category
   of crimes applicable to children for which adults would not be
   similarly vulnerable, such as curfew, smoking, and alcoholic
   beverage laws, and other status offenses.  Similarly, we favor the
   repeal of "stubborn child" laws and laws establishing the category
   of "persons in need of supervision." We call for an end to the
   practice in many states of jailing children not accused of any
   crime.  We seek the repeal of all "children's codes" or statutes
   which abridge due process protections for young people.  We
   further favor the abolition of the juvenile court system, so that
   juveniles will be held fully responsible for their crimes.

*  Whenever parents or other guardians are unable or unwilling to
*  care for their children, those guardians have the right to seek
*  other persons who are willing to assume guardianship, and children
*  have the right to seek other guardians who place a higher value on
*  their lives.
*
*  Accordingly, we oppose all laws that impede these processes,
*  notably those restricting private adoption services or those
*  forcing children to remain in the custody of their parents against
*  their will.

   Children should always have the right to establish their maturity
   by assuming administration and protection of their own rights,
   ending dependency upon their parents or other guardians and
   assuming all the responsibilities of adulthood."

  Now, where Jim gets the idea that child-abuse laws will be repealed is
  by a libertarian society is beyond me. Perhaps he can explain further.
  BTW, the LP doesn't want to repeal laws against rape either.

--
Gary Strand                      Opinions stated herein are mine alone and are
strandwg@ncar.ucar.edu            not representative of NCAR, UCAR, or the NSF
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,alt.politics.elections