Text 15374, 67 rader
Skriven 2008-05-15 16:36:43 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
  Kommentar till text 15353 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Thought crime...again
=============================
Hello Robert,

On Thursday May 15 2008 08:12, you wrote to me:

 MV>> Just like Menno Blom did not know about that riciculous US law
 MV>> about inent to have sex with a minor.

 RB> Ridiculous? I think you're getting carried away by your own rhetoric.

Yes. Ridiculous. I find it totally ridiculous that one can be arrested and
convicted for what boils down to having done something that is not illegal in
the country where one did it. This thing about "crossing US borders with
intent" is just a legal construction to punish something that is not
punsishable where it happened. I find it ridiculous, unfair hostile and a
despicable dirty trick.

 MV>> Jeff have you actually ever travelled outside North America?

 RB> Have _you_ ever travelled outside the Netherlands?

You know that I have.

 RB> I think you'd be surprised at the attitudes on this subject in
 RB> Germany.

That may be so, but Menno Blom was not in Germany.

 RB> Lynching without trial is the general attitude in child molestation

No child was molested by Menno Blom.

 RB> cases, and the intent is as good as the actual fact.

For the people maybe, but not for the law.

 RB> If there's a certain tolerance for this in the Netherlands, it
 RB> certainly doesn't extend to the entire EU.

The fact is that what Blom did was not against Dutch law and therefore law
enforcement had no bussiness with him.

 RB> The basic fact of the matter is that you're subject to the laws of the
 RB> country you are in,

And Blom was in The Netherlands when he wrote the e-mails and made the
pictures.

 RB> regardless of whether that country is your own or not and regardless
 RB> of whether you're aware of the laws or not. That may not be just or
 RB> reasonable in all cases, but it's a fact that is not restricted to the
 RB> USA. There's only one way to avoid surprises (although the fact that
 RB> child sex is a "critical" matter in legal circles should be known even
 RB> in the Netherlands): stay at home.

That is one reason I will not go to the USA. I can not trust that I will not be
thrown in jail for some silly offence that I am unaware of. I have zero faith
in the US legal system.

You may think that I am over recting but that is how I feel about it. What was
done to Menno Blom was TOTALLY WRONG. I lost all faith in the US when I became
aware of the details. A country that plays such dirty tricks om the citizens of
another country can not be trusted.

Cheers, Michiel

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