Author of pedophilia guide to face charges in Florida
There are so many things wrong with this situation.
1. Obviously there is not enough crime in Polk County (or even the state of Florida) if Sheriff Judd has to go half way across the country to arrest and charge this man.
2. It is entirely possible, and quite likely, that the only copy of this book in Polk County is the one purchased by the Sheriff. Meaning that no one in his jurisdiction could possibly have been “harmed” by this book. If you even buy the premise that it’s harmful.
3. IT’S A FUCKING BOOK! It’s words printed on paper. It can’t hurt you. It is merely a physical manifestation of an idea. Ideas are not illegal. Thought is not illegal.
4. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Don’t buy it. You can tell your family, your friends, random people on the street that you feel it is wrong. That’s your right.
5. The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …
This is the very essence of why we have the First Amendment. To protect unpopular speech. It doesn’t matter if that speech is pedophilia, or swearing (Catcher in the Rye), or sexuality (Twilight), or racism (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), or sorcery (Harry Potter), or violence (Grand Theft Auto).
So basically here’s what’s going to happen. Sheriff Judd gets to look tough on pedophiles and crime in general. He’ll get lots of money and be reelected. Mr. Greaves will probably end up sitting in jail for five to ten years while the his case moves through the court system. The people of Polk County and the State of Florida will spend millions of dollars defending the appeals all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will rightly rule in favor of Mr. Greaves. Mr. Greaves will then be released having lost almost a decade of his life. Mr. Greaves will not be able to recover damages from Sheriff Judd, because Sheriff Judd has qualified immunity.