It's still going on I see. Fine then, one last try. If you hate this, go ahead and flame me. I mainly want to talk about how law works, because this seems to be the part that people want to avoid thinking about.
Yes, the law is stupid in this context. Yes, there is nothing inherently harmful about children playing chess with adults. I agree. Those are arguments about the merits of the individual case. Use those arguments, you're assuming the merits matter.
Sorry to break it to you, but laws only work like that if the lawmakers (congress, parliament, whatever they're called) choose to allow it.
The particular features of this site - including that it has a forum section and a chess section - do not matter one iota. Does anyone SERIOUSLY THINK that Congress sat down and thought about each different kind of website out there and decided to make a different rule on a case by case basis?
There are plenty of stupid laws, or (more to the point) IMPRECISE laws (I dare you to suggest there are not some websites that children need protection from). Deal with it. Preferably by voting for people who will change the law, or harrassing the existing members of Congress. And then hope they keep their promises.
Of course, this option is only open to you if you are an adult American citizen. Lucky you, you can do something on behalf of the rest of us.
Does ANYONE here like the idea of banning children? Of course not! So stop suggesting this was a fun decision for Russ.
I have seen ONE good idea from those arguing against the ban, which was to contact the US agency involved (COPRA, I think it was called) and seek further information. They might reveal new information. Who knows, maybe COPRA has some kind of ability to consider individual cases and make a ruling that the law does not apply to RHP. Regulatory laws do sometimes have that kind of discretion built into them.
They also might just get COPRA to seek to have the law changed when they realise it has unintended effects. However the pace of change in law is agonisingly slow unless there is a whole lot of political will (ie votes) involved. How many votes do you think there are in decreasing the amount of protection to children at the moment? That's how it would be painted, rightly or wrongly. Frankly by the time the law got changed the kids at RHP who are affected by this would have children of their own.
Yes, the law is stupid. Blame the people who make sweeping general laws. Pressure the people who make these laws.
Russ does not make laws. He only applies them to the best of his ability.
- Joined
- 20 Oct 02
- Moves
- 599518
Originally posted by orfeoI agree with most of your post, but I dont agree with putting the blame on those who make sweeping general laws. Put the blame on cyber predators who force others to do what damage control they can to protect kids.
It's still going on I see. Fine then, one last try. If you hate this, go ahead and flame me. I mainly want to talk about how law works, because this seems to be the part that people want to avoid thinking about.
Yes, the law is stupid in this context. Yes, there is nothing inherently harmful about children playing chess with adults. I agree. Those are ar ...[text shortened]... o make these laws.
Russ does not make laws. He only applies them to the best of his ability.