Posted on
November 25, 2013 in
Gideon (A Public Defender) recently pointed me toward a little oddity in the penal laws of the Nutmeg State:
(a) Any person who (1) wilfully or unlawfully causes or permits any child under the age of sixteen years to be placed in such a situation that…the morals of such child are likely to be impaired, or does any act likely to impair the…morals of any such child…shall be guilty of a class C felony….
A class C felony carries a penalty up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The State of Connecticut thinks it can put you in prison for doing anything likely to impair the morals of a child. That is some Texas-Legislature-grade crazy there.
State legislatures are where morals go to die. If a day goes by that I don’t teach my kids something that would make the dimwitted authoritarian yahoos in Austin (or Hartford) cringe, I’m not doing my job. Whover came up with the idea that a prosecutor or a jury might have the judgment required to decide if someone else’s kid’s morals were being impaired is a grade-A statist numbskull.
Is the State responsible for the morals of a child? Hell, no. If you trust the State with your own kids’ morals, you’ve got no business being a parent. If you trust the State with other kids’ morals, you’ve got no business being a citizen.
They passed a similar law here in Texas but it was worded Obscene Material and geared to pornography. Supposedly a parent or guardian wouldn’t be charged for allowing their child to view say a Playboy magazine or even a XXX video but I’m sure there’s a prosecutor somewhere in Texas who is just itching to take a parent to task for letting their child have access to some “filth”. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t occurred yet.
In the 70’s my Grandfather would’ve been screwed! He used to take me, 8, and little brother, 6, into East Texas bars for a few minutes in between the errands he ran throughout the day. We played clumsily with the pool tables while he grabbed a quick beer and chatted with his business contacts. (he was an electrician that worked on businesses and residences alike). No, I was not corrupted in any way, I assure, Governor.
Mark’s morals were shaped by his regular exposure to Bangkok’s notorious Pat Pong Road when he was seven and eight years old. Sorry, son.
I would add: If a member of the Legislature thinks this is proper, she’s got no business being an elected official.
It seems to me that State legislatures are also where common sense goes to die.