Also, since some people are obsessed with this assumption of a nanny state, sending bearskin rug baby pictures of yourself is not a felony in and of itself. It is only if your intention is the titillation of a pedophile that this activity is against the law. This is why you can receive the JC Penny catalogue, with its photos of children in their underwear without being arrested. It is presumed that you are not a pedophile when you receive this catalogue, and are presumed innocent when you send out the aforementioned photos.

There isn't a postal inspector, opening and critiquing your mail within the united states. Now of course, when you send things over the boarders to the liberal bastions of Canada and Europe, there is such an inspector, but these countries do not have codified bills of rights writen into their central governing documents as the US does, so they are allowed to do this.

The charter of rights can be suspended at the will of parliment, the bill of rights can not be suspended by any body within the United States, current opinions otherwise aside.

I really don't get this assumption that it's so painfully embarrassing for adults to look back on photographs taken of them when they were.. GASP.. naked babies! You speak of it as if it were some damaging psychological trauma, which is a bizarre notion, to say the least. The pictures of me naked in the bathtub with a soapsud beard make me laugh and feel nostalgic, as do similar pictures for the rest of my family members, friends, and--dare I say--for the rest of the normally-adjusted Americans who aren't attempting to impose your own perverted interpretations of loving family interactions on the rest of us.

If anything, this story has proved to me that there is a bizarre new Puritanism afoot, populated by a mix of religious nutwads and Oprahfied victim-seekers.

"These kinds of pictures are so normal, it's hard for me to even imagine why someone would be bothered by them."

Thanks for nailing that Velora, just as I was shaking my head at the warped (to my mind) views of Kathy in KY last post (angry much?). And sorry Norma Rae, but you make some good points but really seem to have some hang ups with child nudity.

My parents took tons of pics of myself and my brother growing up - potty, beach, sleeping, pools, various stages of undress. None of which I think of as anything but innocent. I grew up in a hot country and it was just as normal as anything for kids to get naked. I even remember one funny kid across the street that used to love to take his dad's stand-up lawn mower for a walk down the street, totally buck naked. We all used to giggle but certainly no one was offended.

What it all boils down in for kids to know what is apporiate nudity and what is not. And giving kids a healthy perspective on that, to be honest you help educate them as to when to know when a situation is wrong. Kids are smart, they knwo the difference.

These kinds of pictures are so normal, it's hard for me to even imagine why someone would be bothered by them.

Love the way the word "normal" is tossed around. Each person resolutely sure they hold the standard. Obviously, from the plurality of standards defended here, "normal" is a relative term, and as such those quick to define when photos of naked kids are or are not normal should at least bear in mind the possibility that whoever develops their film will hold a different view. Considering the widely varying standards, is it any wonder this incident was brought to the attention of authorities?

I' am a volunteer for a nonprofit human rights group out of Washington, DC. Since 911 I have seen an increasing crack down on any type of crime,whether true or conceived. More and more people are in jail.

The patriot Act has made it much easier for law enforcement to detain a person without cause. It is often reasoned that cause can be found later.

Parents are now often pitted against their own kids through lawyers appointed for them at young ages by the courts. They are often coached to belief information implanted by the counselors without reallity being present.

Parents , who are questioned and not arrested have their lifes ruined as soon as investigators contact neighbours and employers about the new sex offender working with them, or living around the corner .

Spouses are using this relaxed arrest ability to help them aquire quick divorces and all property. After all a criminal in jail has very few rights.

Our elected leaders now often live in heavely guarded cacoons away from the people. It becomes easy to listen to the few people they do associate with. It is the duty of the people to make sure they get through to our leaders with the message" freedom first". Law must be followed by all. Some might feel that law can be disregarded when it comes to them, but students of history will agree that sooner or later the exempt will become the hunted.

No one can stay on top forever.

We have several law enforcement personnel come to us for help. Their ex wives and ficious citizens have used the relaxation of the laws to their benefit.

Our forefathers would turn over in their graves if they could see the slippery slope we have embarked on.

Freedom is the belief in innocense unless proven guilty by one's peers.

I'm not going to pass judgment on what is right or wrong for other families. Certainly if taking naked pictures of your kids doesn't feel right you to, you shouldn't do it. But those pictures *are* normal, in the sense that lots and lots of people take them. Personally, every family album I've come across has at least one bathtub shot, and this includes the albums of families that are very different from mine politically and culturally. So it is normal, because it is common, usual, i.e. "the norm".

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