The system is created like the organization of government in the Constitution. There might be no law about me taking my child to a socially naturist place, but I came very close to loosing my custody of my son, simply because of the latitude of the judge who hears my case. I fortunately got a reasonable judge, not a conservative judge who thinks that he can make up law and consequence as he goes along. Odds given were give or take 50% that I would have what I perceptive as lawful justice.That could have happened. That is law. As it was, my and my friends behavior had to be curbed, enforcing the risk of falling victim of a broad interpretation of the law.
If the worse outcome had happened, the damage would have been done. At great expense, which most people don't have, I could have appealed, the damage and injustice would have occurred until I got a reasonable judge. That IS law in America. Not to mention politicians in robes and their influence on the actual reality of the law.
The family who was hit by child protective services for dropping off nude pics of their children taking a bath was law.
The broad joke of Arizona statutes can be turned against anyone, more than they are meant to. An overzealous cop can arrest and charge anyone, making simple mind your own business nudity a crime, especially when children are involved. That goes on the internet and doesn't go away, the expense is amazing, call it a fine, even though you are proven innocent. Jobs CAN be lost and careers destroyed, an extreme punishment by the actions of LAW enforcement upon the innocent.
In any case involving children, the first thing done is a ransacking of the house and especially the computer. If you have been looking at a site that involves children and nudity, this is evidence that will be used to nail your ass, no First Amendment rights, not that you have been actually involved. Last year, or a couple of years ago, the accused visited a site that had some child exploitation stories, these among some other soft porn without children. They are still going to prosecute you with this false evidence. The LAW can mess you up, even though you have done nothing. Even a government school teacher can be accused completely falsely by a mischievous child and be destroyed, guilty before being proven innocent, by the LAW. I lived in fear as a teacher middle school students that that could happen. I was even threatened by a kid with it once! They know that there is LAW.
There ARE such laws John, built into the government system, not statute. There are also laws with consequence in their effect.
If you go to Naturist Action Committee, there is a best source of legal statue LAW there, listing every state, but this is only at one level, and it is often very grim:
http://naturistaction.org/ and look at the left hand column.
Look at Nevada for example, how damn broad can that one be interpreted and enforced? Imagine what it would be like in the the political court system to shake it off once it was rolling and most likely think the worst before before it gets shaken off and proven innocent. Imagine being black, brown or poor and getting clobbered with this. Even you would be handcuffed with steel digging into your wrists with the greatest pain, if not manhandled to equal beaten, thrown into the back of a cramped backseat of a police car unable to move, your feet stuffed under the front seat, your knees jammed against it unable to get comfortable, back pain, while you have to sit on your own bruising wrists, feeling every bump in the road, every corner and treated like the most lowly of life, not deserving of respect or dignity, but instead contempt. AND this punishment is for the innocent until proven guilty. That's just the way a significant percentage of police get their kicks, everywhere in this country. That is the way LAW works.
THERE ARE LAWS in the system. I believe it irresponsible to sugar coat it. We are in a potentially dangerous game, when it come to children seeing us naked, even talking about it provides suspicion to the ignorant law enforcement entities. It is not just wrong, it is sick, demented, and destructive to our children abhorrent to me, but there is the reality. I dearly wish that Jon P. was correct and this country was a reasonable tolerant place, that LAW was constitutional and people were still innocent until proven guilty, just like the Constitution used to provide for.
Has anyone actually ever talked friendly to a cop here, or been a cop. Cops dream of catching BAD guys, fighting evil, that's why they do what they do. Some of them take it way too far. Some of them want a promotion and need a bust. Some want to feel good and effective about what they are doing, but are driven too far. Justifications happen, and poison peer influences happen to the best of us. There are many reasons. The good intentions get thrown out of kilter after getting rubbed by the system of law and this has gotten more and more frequent in my lifetime.
By the way Eyesup, good points.
Jbee
