XN000022-1990-07-11 — Page 5

3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990

HE SAID.

"IT IS NOT SATISFACTORY THAT A CRIMINAL ACT GOES UNPUNISHED,

申

IMAGINE THE PUBLIC OUTCRY IF A BLIND EYE WERE TURNED ΤΟ THE OF COMMISSION DAY AFTER DAY, HUNDREDS LET ALONE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TIMES, OF ANY OTHER CRIMINAL ACT.

"YET, IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS, ALL OF US KNOW THAT THESE ACTS ARE COMMITTED AND THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE POLICE FORCE TO STAMP THEM OUT, SIR DAVID SAID.

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WHILE NOTING THAT THE MANPOWR REQUIRED WOULD BE ENORMOUS, SIR DAVID SAID THE INVASION OF PRIVACY THAT WOULD RESULT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE.

THE POLICE CRACKED PUBLIC, AND ON ANY ABUSE CONSENTING ADULTS HAD, IGNORED, HE SAID,

DOWN HARD ON UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR IN OF MINORS. BUT ACTS IN PRIVATE BETWEEN GENERALLY SPEAKING, FOR MANY YEARS BEEN

"IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO PUBLIC OUTCRY THIS STATE OF BENIGN NEGLECT.

ABOUT

"SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THE TACIT TOLERANCE THE COMMUNITY ACCORDS THE PRIVATE PRACTICES OF CONSENTING HOMOSEXUALS," SIR DAVID SAID.

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WHICH ADULT

F

"SIGNIFICANT BUT NOT, I SAY AGAIN, SATISFACTORY, HE ADDED.

TURNING то AN EXAMINATION OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST DECRIMINALISATION, SIR DAVID SAID TRADITIONALLY BEEN PUT AGAINST DECRIMINALISING HOMOSEXUAL ACTS BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS IN PRIVATE. THEY WERE:

THREE

ARGUMENTS

HAD

THAT IT THREATENED SOCIAL HEALTH AND STABILITY;

THAT IT WAS HARMFUL TO NORMAL FAMILY LIFE; AND

THAT IT PUT YOUNG BOYS AT RISK.

WAS

REGARDING THE SUGGESTION THAT THE TOLERANCE OR ENCOURAGEMENT OF SEXUAL FREEDOM LED TO THE DECAY OF NATIONS, SIR DAVID SAID IT INGENIOUS BUT DISINGENUOUS.

AND FALL

"THERE NEVER HAS BEEN A DIRECT CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEXUAL LICENCE OR INHIBITION, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE RISE OF CIVILISATIONS ON THE OTHER.

"SEXUAL MORALITY IS THE PRODUCT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ENGINE, HE SAID.

NOT ITS

OF

SOCIETY

SIR DAVID NOTED IT WAS SOMETIMES ARGUED THE FABRIC MIGHT BE UNDERMINED WHERE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOUR LEFT PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS VULNERABLE TO BLACKMAIL.

/"BUT VULNERABILITY