We鈥檝e all had occasions when we鈥檝e carelessly said the wrong thing or made a humorous remark, only to find out that it wasn鈥檛 remotely funny or even appropriate. At that point, most of us sense the chill in the room and stop talking.
For some reason, Tom Flanagan, a University of Calgary political science professor who is also one of sa国际传媒鈥檚 top conservative strategists, appears rather oblivious to a disapproving tone in the room.
A couple of years ago, he glibly commented that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be 鈥渁ssassinated.鈥� His mouth kept right on rolling, stating that he wouldn鈥檛 be unhappy if Assange 鈥渄isappeared鈥� and that he was feeling 鈥渧ery manly鈥� by making these comments.
So we shouldn鈥檛 be too surprised that a Wednesday-night lecture at the University of Lethbridge went sideways quickly when a student shifted from the topic of native affairs to ask Flanagan about his 2009 statement suggesting that child pornography is essentially acceptable and harmless.
Flanagan put his foot in his mouth almost immediately by suggesting that conservatives who have fought for laws against child porn are on some sort of 鈥渏ihad against pornography and child pornography, in particular.鈥�
Flanagan has long been an insider with Stephen Harper鈥檚 Conservatives, and the federal government has made much of its efforts to create laws that strengthen penalties for making, distributing, accessing and possessing child pornography.
Flanagan then stated that he has 鈥渘o sympathy for child molesters, but [has] grave doubts鈥� about putting them in jail for their 鈥渢aste in pictures.鈥� The crowd jeered, but Flanagan鈥檚 mouth kept on going like the Energizer Bunny. He claimed it is an issue of personal liberty and even gave an off-the-cuff mention that, 鈥渄ue to a long story,鈥� he was put on the mailing list of the national man/boy love association and received its mailings for two years.
That caught my attention 鈥� that he would take NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) and its publications so lightly. Rather than being mortified 鈥� or even educated 鈥� by what he saw, he seemed to think it humorous.
A police officer with the vice squad asked to see me a number of years ago, and brought with her several copies of NAMBLA publications. She was concerned that child molesters in sa国际传媒 now had access to this material and that NAMBLA organizers were attempting to start a Canadian branch.
So what鈥檚 the problem?
NAMBLA and its members advocate for, and seek to normalize, sexual relationships between boys and men. It attempts to set itself apart from pedophilia by claiming that it only endorses the 鈥渆njoyable, consensual [and] beautiful鈥� love of a man for a boy and a boy for a man.
They actually justify their actions by claiming that the love is mutual and what young boys want. Perhaps that鈥檚 why NAMBLA is often associated with the motto 鈥渟ex before eight, or else it鈥檚 too late.鈥� They don鈥檛 believe that any harm is done to children through respectful, non-violent, adult/child sexual interactions and say that society has no right to prevent the selection of a child as a sex partner.
Really nice people. It鈥檚 very generous of Flanagan to suggest that they are harmless and should be allowed to continue their activities unencumbered because of some distorted notion of liberty that allows one group to prey on another.
In 1988, William Marshall of Queen鈥檚 University reported that exposure to pornography served as the instigator for 36 to 38 per cent of child molesters and 35 per cent of rapists to offend (on at least one occasion).
It鈥檚 a huge leap to suggest Flanagan endorses child molestation on the basis of a glib comment about NAMBLA and ostensibly upholding the right to view child pornography. Indeed, Flanagan issued a statement condemning the sexual abuse of children Thursday.
But Flanagan鈥檚 ignorance and careless humour suggests the professor desperately needs an education on the harm done to children through child pornography.
听
Susan Martinuk is a Calgary Herald columnist.
