All too often, legal and governmental actions and decisions are nothing but ingenious new ways to limit personal freedom. But now, for once, there is good news.
At a time when governmental bodies in the U. S. are rushing headlong back to the dark ages, their counterparts in more reasonable and enlightened countries are catching up with the modern world.
Earlier this year, Canada fully legalized gay marriages. And now Canada’s Supreme Court has transformed the silly puritanical concept of “indecency” to something much more rational. As applied to standards for criminal behavior it will no longer mean “anything that prudes disapprove of”, but can apply only to behavior that causes actual harm.
Very sensibly, the majority decision stated:
Over time, courts increasingly came to recognize that morals and taste were subjective, arbitrary and unworkable in the criminal context and that a diverse society would function only with a generous measure of tolerance for minority mores and practices.
Although the decision applied in a case that involved swingers’ clubs, the same reasoning applies to nudist and naturist activities.
References:
Court ruling could bring swingers out of the closet
Supreme Court opens door for ‘swingers’ clubs
Sex club ruling redefines ‘indecency’
Swingers clubs okay, top court rules
Court OKs Group Sex in ‘Swinger’ Clubs
Canadian court lifts ban on ‘swingers’ clubs
Originally published December 24, 2005