Hentai Collector Sentenced to Jail Over "Obscene" Material

[Caprice0083]

Microwave it for 10 seconds

 

[Caprice0083]

Sick sad world I tell you.

 

[SavingPrincess]

I'm sad the guy plea-bargained... I'd have loved to see this go to the Supreme Court. It's sad that it would have been fine if they found images of children being brutally murdered, as it would just be "part of the storyline," but because it was sexual in nature... he gets rail-roaded because of our views on such things.

This country has zero sense of proportionality of crime vs. punishment and a horrible if not absent sense of self-awareness.

I also hate FOX News.

... just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[Zeroresistence]

This is insane, poor guy he doesn't deserve that punishment

 

[Zer_]

Good riddance to the lawbreaker. Down with pedophilia and bestiality!

I find that wholly ironic, since you`re a furry... I mean, you fantasize about having sex as/with animals. Grow up.

 

[DrEmo]

Well, I guess I'm going to jail because I'm gonna commit genocide someday. I've killed 1000's of virtual people, does it mean I'm gonna kill them in real life? No.

But the guy should have known that was child porn, and child porn is illegal.
But a 15 year sentence? woah. Look out, internet, half of you are going to jail.

Now if you'll excuse me there are 50 virtual humans waaaayy too attached to their heads for my taste.

 

[Deviluk]

Move to japan, is what I'll say.

 

[Igen]

I live in Japan and you can walk into any bookstore in the country and pick up stuff like that off the shelf. Honestly people, almost all the research indicates that lots of freely available porn helps keep sexual crime rates down, and suppression just brings them up. What message are the politicians sending, "Hello Mr. Porn reader, we want you to stop reading that disgusting comic book and suppress your urges until you're so messed up that you actually go out and do it for real!".

Personally it's not my cuppa tea, but I've sat on the train next to middle-aged salarymen casually flipping through comics showing violent tentacle sex, and then the salaryman probably went home and boned his wife, having vicariously satisfied his illegal sexual desires by reading the comic book. Japan has one of the lower per capita rape rates in the world (54th out of 65 countries, source: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_rap_percap-crime-rapes-per-capita) so they can't be doing too much wrong. The U.S. on the other hand, with it's puritanical view of sex and sexuality, has the 9th highest rape rate in the world.

The comic books hurt no-one, but real rapes mess people up for life. I'd rather have a million guys quietly getting off on trains to comic books than have one person actually raped. ... Now I need to go and refresh the supply of disinfectant wipes I use to wipe down every train seat I sit on... *shudder*.

Well put and my point exactly. There is a distinct difference to reading/thinking and doing, plus I've argued before that the more you repress something the more likely it is to happen. A classic example is the underage sex issue, the answer lies in education not denying its existance or chastising and repressing those involved.

Japan, you guys got some weird crap going on in your entertainment business. But the numbers dont lie, 9th vs 54th... If i ever have daughters im moving to Japan

 

[Weaver]

Because I love playing devils advocate. You all jump right on board to say let him read or watch whatever he wants. It's wrong, but it's his life. But think from a psychological standpoint. What is to say that he reads this stuff and then suddenly tries to act on what he has read or viewed. I know this is a wide gateway and that we could say that about anything. But if he did act on those feelings and raped your little sister or daughter, would you feel the same way? Again, devils advocate, but think about it. I'm still totally against the government, but this is how people tend to think. Speaking from the perspective of one who's father is in prison for molesting my sister.

In the exact same way that watching regular porn turns everyone into violent rapists, right?

Ya know the scary thing is that people want their privacy (a man's home is his castle) but other people don't mind exposing other people. This shows even more that people's hobbies in the states are limited and are always capable of being punished by law. What's even stranger is that it took that long for the man to be prosecuted. This is borderline thought crimes where the art is considered to be real people.

I'm sorry but this was a clear violation of this man's privacy by the Post Office and where societal judgement is at an all time low. Even worse is that if he chose to fight the case the state would do their best to get a guilty verdict attacking his character and thought process and of course attack another culture which many jurors will never understand because they aren't that man's peers. I don't think many jurors will actually consider that Japan has an entire industry that supports these art styles and odd stories and is acceptable for adult men to look and own such property.

If he ordered them from Japan it was not the post office but US customs, who have the right to view anything international entering the country. Almost every country does this. For example, my friend ordered a pound of dice for DnD. One of them had a drill hole in it from customs checking to see if there was drugs inside.

 

[Do4600]

In my opinion, the recent "paranoia about pedophilia" news orgasm has to stop. Also the whole age of adult-hood and attraction thing is really hazy. Sexual attraction begins at puberty which varies from person to person but can start as early as age eight. If you look at ages past people had very short life expectancies, some estimates about the bronze age place it between 18-30. They were probably married at 12-14 had children and some of them died even before The United States of America would've considered them a consenting adult.

These are different times and I realize that, but biologically we're the same we were 4000 years ago. I don't understand the demonization of an attraction triggered by hormones and fragments of our evolutionary past.

Acting on them is quite different. Killing is also very prominent, some of the earliest artifacts we have of human history are killing implements. Gamers especially often engage in killing fantasies. God help you if somebody finds a picture of an actual murdered man in your things. But if somebody finds a drawn picture of a murdered man in your things, you might be slightly odd but god help you they find a drawn picture of a child engaging in sexual intercourse.

And what about the people in Japan who draw them? If they ever visit the country will they arrest them for child pornography too? Under the law they would have to, because they now have evidence that he portrayed a child engaging in sex. Actually, everybody involved in that comic and it's producers could be arrested if they visited this country.

Might as well ban violent comic books or else people who read them will need to be monitored for emergent criminal activity as well; and while they're at it we need tougher laws against people who *COULD* do something illegal, like a six month prison term for somebody who looks at an Ipod in a manner the store owner considers devious. A year imprisonment for looking at somebody with a "nasty" scowl with fists clenched and life imprisonment for having an erection within 100 feet of somebody younger than 18.

 

[Ph0t0n1c Ph34r]

Further ammo for my "Ban Japan" campaign.

 

[Zer_]

In my opinion, the recent "paranoia about pedophilia" news orgasm has to stop. Also the whole age of adult-hood and attraction thing is really hazy. Sexual attraction begins at puberty which varies from person to person but can start as early as age eight. If you look at ages past people had very short life expectancies, some estimates about the bronze age place it between 18-30. They were probably married at 12-14 had children and some of them died even before The United States of America would've considered them a consenting adult.

These are different times and I realize that, but biologically we're the same we were 4000 years ago. I don't understand the demonization of an attraction triggered by hormones and fragments of our evolutionary past.

Acting on them is quite different. Killing is also very prominent, some of the earliest artifacts we have of human history are killing implements. Gamers especially often engage in killing fantasies. God help you if somebody finds a picture of an actual murdered man in your things. But if somebody finds a drawn picture of a murdered man in your things, you might be slightly odd but god help you they find a drawn picture of a child engaging in sexual intercourse.

And what about the people in Japan who draw them? If they ever visit the country will they arrest them for child pornography too? Under the law they would have to, because they now have evidence that he portrayed a child engaging in sex. Actually, everybody involved in that comic and it's producers could be arrested if they visited this country.

Might as well ban violent comic books or else people who read them will need to be monitored for emergent criminal activity as well; and while they're at it we need tougher laws against people who *COULD* do something illegal, like a six month prison term for somebody who looks at an Ipod in a manner the store owner considers devious. A year imprisonment for looking at somebody with a "nasty" scowl with fists clenched and life imprisonment for having an erection within 100 feet of somebody younger than 18.

I agree comletely with everything you said. Applauds. Something I`d write if I wasn`t so lazy.

 

[Weaver]

In my opinion, the recent "paranoia about pedophilia" news orgasm has to stop. Also the whole age of adult-hood and attraction thing is really hazy. Sexual attraction begins at puberty which varies from person to person but can start as early as age eight. If you look at ages past people had very short life expectancies, some estimates about the bronze age place it between 18-30. They were probably married at 12-14 had children and some of them died even before The United States of America would've considered them a consenting adult.

These are different times and I realize that, but biologically we're the same we were 4000 years ago. I don't understand the demonization of an attraction triggered by hormones and fragments of our evolutionary past.

Acting on them is quite different. Killing is also very prominent, some of the earliest artifacts we have of human history are killing implements. Gamers especially often engage in killing fantasies. God help you if somebody finds a picture of an actual murdered man in your things. But if somebody finds a drawn picture of a murdered man in your things, you might be slightly odd but god help you they find a drawn picture of a child engaging in sexual intercourse.

And what about the people in Japan who draw them? If they ever visit the country will they arrest them for child pornography too? Under the law they would have to, because they now have evidence that he portrayed a child engaging in sex. Actually, everybody involved in that comic and it's producers could be arrested if they visited this country.

Might as well ban violent comic books or else people who read them will need to be monitored for emergent criminal activity as well; and while they're at it we need tougher laws against people who *COULD* do something illegal, like a six month prison term for somebody who looks at an Ipod in a manner the store owner considers devious. A year imprisonment for looking at somebody with a "nasty" scowl with fists clenched and life imprisonment for having an erection within 100 feet of somebody younger than 18.

To add to this I certainly started "noticing" girls around the 6th or 7th grade when my hormones started raging. I additionally know a few people who lost their virginity at 13 and a few more at 14. I even know one gay guy who lost it at 12. None of them regret it and all of them engaged in consenting sexual activity. Could they be charged with sex with a minor, even though they had sex with other minors their own age?

 

[reciprocal]

Look, what ever it comes down to and whatever anyone thinks, this stuff is pretty nasty. Although the prison sentance was probally a tad harsh, I think it's probally for the best that they don't let him actually keep the stuff.

Lines on paper is a fine argument, someone shouldn't be able to gain a prison sentence and a hefty fine for lines on paper...

But when those lines on paper come together to form the image of a child/animal being sexually abused then surely that's a different matter all together?
Granted you can't argue that because he had drawings of such things that it means he must also engage or have the potential to engage in such acts...

But simply the idea that he was interested in seeing such acts, even illustrated should raise enough questions, right?

I mean I'm sure there are people out there (in vast quantities) that enjoy the sight of a pair of hand-animated titties flopping around...
And if they want to satisfy that part of their tastes fair play to them...
But child pornography and Bestiality is wrong no matter how it's portrayed and people who actively seek it out are fairly disgusting...

So yeah, I'd feel sorry for the guy if the case was he was found in possession of illustrated pornography, because that would be over-reacting...
But he went for child pornography and his only excuse was,

"I thought it was only illegal if I downloaded it..."

Riiiiight...

Actually, this man can put it much better than I can.

Put it this way. If you like a space orientated stuff, you'd be attracted to a space game. i.e. Mass Effect. Maybe you never want to go travelling into space, but it's fair to say that one of the reasons you may buy it is due to the space element. I'm not saying there aren't other reasons you could have bought the game, but if there's a game about pink turtles in a green field, you wouldn't buy it just because it was cheap. You'd think "I don't want to play this game, it's all about green fields and pink turtles."

I'm rambling now. Point being, if this guy bought animated child pornography, it's probally because he wanted to see animated child pornography. This probally means he bought it because he likes to look at naked kids, animated or otherwise. Maybe he doesn't want to have sex with children, but he damn sure likes to look at them naked. That in itself is terms strong enough to take that stuff away from him.

I'd quite like to know what the response to this would be if these books weren't animated child porn, but real child porn. Would everyone feel the need to defend him then?

People, I don't think there's anything wrong about feeling disgusted. However, it is important to remember that there isn't a clear line in the sand here.

Exchanging bodily fluids during sexual intercourse may disgust me but I don't go out of my way to taunt people who do like that as long as they get consent from their partner. Likewise, we don't go forcing people to stop thinking about smoking in a public place. The issue here is that these are peoples' private thoughts / actions that do not impinge on my life in any way.

Possession of cartoon images is completely different from a photograph of a real person to any person who has any capacity to distinguish fiction from reality. It is this very reason why a lot of people cannot find hentai arousing and prefer real pornography. It is also the very reason why a lot us see this as clear injustice against a thought crime. He never supported an industry that uses child abuse nor actively preys on children. His thoughts may disgust you but he has never done ANYTHING to actually affect you, your children or your friends' children and you cannot say with any certainty that he will either.

In the end, if you don't like the things that he is viewing I would advise you to keep away from him. This is a rational reaction. Heck, even confiscating the imported goods would have been rational as that was the main crime. Jailing him, confiscating his personal items and recommending him for therapy... that seems like forcing your friend to "pray the gay away" from some shonky Bible Camp because he has a mens' clothing catalogue on the kitchen table.

 

[Icehearted]

As disgusting as it is, it's not hurting anyone and no children were harmed. Not to mention that this is borderline thought crime.

Exactly!

This whole thing, and more to the fact, this ruling actually being made in America is incomprehensible. This is absolutely contrary to what I thought were our freedoms. I get down right violently angry at the idea of a child being hurt or exploited by an adult, but some drawings?! That's just as ridiculous as GTA4 causing murders. This is far and away one of the most worrisome things I've read about in years.

 

[Softnum]

"The thought police would get him just the same. He had committed--would have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper--the essential crime that contained all others in itself. Thoughtcrime, they called it. Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you."

-George Orwell, 1984

 

[Something Amyss]

You didnt explain anything... What stands to reason? Studies done in Japan say people with hentai are usually not the ones raping. It has been proven lightly as something to "sooth imagination and sexual urges", instead of letting them fester to a criminal record. I disagree with his choice in artwork, but I think its stupid that the even fine him for having them, as long as he keeps it to himself and in his own house.

Stands to reason that he's not going to be picked up for associated hobbies unless there's a pretty explicit reason? I think you misunderstand me, and unfortunately, that's led to pseudo science.

First, I did not intend to myself draw a correlation to pedophilia. However, that's how it played out in this country. To deny that the association has been made would be naive. It's there, however, and that's why a law that should probably be marked "unconstitutional" still flies. Because it's hard to rally a defense for child molesters and pedophiles.

Second, the whole "soothe the sexual urges" thing. When it comes down to it, that bubbles out of the same misconception Americans have, that such acts are all about sex. You can castrate pedophiles and rapists, and they'll still have the urges, because it doesn't. Come. From. The loins. Not primarily, anyhow. The problem with those studies is they tend to be controversial at best, and I'm yet to see one that's been peer-reviewed. There's limited evidence in terms of reduction. Arguing that Hentai afficianados aren't the ones out molesting people is similarly shaky.

You don't have to like it.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Well, that is disgusting.

But their not even pictures of real people. Just drawings.

If I drew a stick figure bent over another stick figure, would that count as pornography and would I have to go to court for it?

If you have you better burn them

How much do you wanna bet there's gonna be at least one person who shuffles through their manga collection and/or destroys some of it after reading this thread?

No bet, sai, no bet.

I get the feeling that it wasn't so much he found that kind of thing attractive as it was that he was a collector and "had to have them."

Like a Pokemon master!

Gotta catch em all, Pokemon!

 

[Rangergord]

Huh, but portrails of genocide, sucicide, mass murder, drug use, random violence, and wide range of other elicit and graphic illegal acts is fine as long as there is no kids drawn...though the above acts + kids is actually fine to show (including in NA movies). Sounds fair, as long they're protecting the public interest and the innocent from being exposed to lude content.

Certainly the person who actually drew it has no responsbility for this at all, and must be quite sane and not close to being as sick as those consuming it. OR he's just hard to get too, b/c Japanese culture may not recognize this offense as greatly as we do. the problems of the global community I guess "They can make evil for you to consume, but you're just not allowed to consume it."

Though easy enough to state for anime and manga: "they only looks young, but are actually 21 its just the way we drew them" type of statement on the boooks I guess. Not just a graphic warning note, but actual legal staement to mitigate lawsuits and consumer side responsbility of content (but the book says their 21 your honour, its just like Playboy, but with drawings).

Wait, wasn't that the comic code authority created deceades ago because this kind of conservative fear mongering hoping for an easy fix without actually noticing or knowing how to address the real problems? Maybe Manga should just start falling under the code for North American releases to protect the public, or we get Japan to sign up for it as well, make the U.N.C.C.A.

I guess in our ultra sensativity to offensive and poltical incorrect charactizations of certain races it's nice to know we can let a few things pass, and at least Rufus, Balrog and Dee Jay are safe.

Wait does last episode of Excel Saga fall under this>>> " has no arguable scientific, literary, artistic or political value" and was "clearly obscene." forget the manga, burn my DVDs, and the Best Buy I purchased it from. Wait...they also sell Roman Polanski films...BURN!

 

[Endocrom]

"reveal possible new criminal behavior"

The guy that just spent six months amongst criminals is now acting like one? SHOCKER!