The main point of this article is that pharmacy employees are the most empowered people in the United States. If they decide that it's against their religion for you to have the medicine that your doctor has prescribed for you, then you don't get your medicine. If they decide that you are a pornographer, then you are a pornographer.

Oh Brave New World, that has such 'Deciders' in it.

Norma says, "I guess that depends on how you define “the problem”"

No one is arguing that there is a single problem. One problem revealed by the article is that nude photos of children are considered sufficient evidence (at least in Savannah, GA) to begin a legal investigation of a family, suspending such rights as the protection against unreasonable search and seizure (assuming that one believes that a photograph of one's child naked in a bathtub constitutes reasonable evidence to suspend that right--this is precisely one instantiation of "the problem" revealed by the author's experience). Of course, you may write your own article about the problem of child abuse, and submit it to Salon; this does not, however, nullify the existence of other problems, including "the problem" which is the topic of this article: namely, that over-reaching legal interpretations of what constitutes evidence of child pornography subvert due process and the rights of individuals and families.

Norma says, "It may very well be an example of policy gone wrong... That is the system, and it worked in this case"

Which is it, Norma? The author (and I) clearly believe it is the former--the system clearly did not work in this case.

Norma says, "What might he have written for Salon if the same photo shop clerk had chosen to post the photos on a kiddie porn site?"

Then that would obviously incriminate the photo shop clerk--not the parents. By your reasoning, if a home invader stole the photos from the parents' photo albums and posted them on a kiddie porn site, then the parents would be liable. That is ludicrous.

I'm glad to see that in this huge archive of letters (which I waded through slowly and with great care), that we have the usual collection of "it's all your fault" posters, "quit whining" posters, "it's all because of feminism" comments, "america sucks" letters, a singularly amusing "the south sucks" note, and of course the token "I call bullshit" letter.

It has been quite amusing, and I appreciate all of your efforts. Thank you so much.

I still don't get why the guy in San Diego thinks that feminism is to blame, but then again, I'm just a dumb chick. And I'm not even that hot. Maybe that's why I don't get it.

Anyway, thanks for the giggles...

This article is not about a single photograph of someone’s own child in a bathtub. That’s a total red herring, so let’s leave all children to splash happily in their tubs, for the cameras or not, as the parents decide.

The article is about what happened when an uninvolved party (Rusty’s wife) innocently dropped off for processing, at a local drugstore, a series of photographs showing two adult men in a remote location--at least one of whom has his penis exposed in at least one of the shots--with five children, one as young as three, and with at least some of the children naked in some of the photos.

Kendra, you and others may find it silly, outrageous, un-American, too American, etc., that photos of unknown naked children in the woods, in the company of adult males with their genitals exposed, can get an investigation rolling, but you haven’t proposed another solution. And, like it or not, the photo clerk was responsible for reporting suspected child abuse if there was any reason at all for there to be any question. All you’ve done is whine about the system as it exists. What’s your solution?

You say, “By your reasoning, if a home invader stole the photos from the parents' photo albums and posted them on a kiddie porn site, then the parents would be liable. That is ludicrous.”

Well, that depends on what's in the photos, of course, but let's just note that this is your example, not mine. I'd prefer to stick to the facts at hand.

People certainly are hot under the collar about this article, with most of the heat expended on behalf of this idiot author who, as a putative grown-up, should have known better than to put his family in this stupid situation. The people on this thread who are speaking up directly for the protection and privacy of children are in the minority, and are being vilified as prudes, “feminazis,” and worse. I wonder why that is.

Good point Chris. Normal is relative. Just seemed pretty ordinary to me, but then I am just more than a bit skeeved out that people at all connect or see sexuality with naked kids.

Thanks. And let me hasten to add, I'm not judging the photos as wrong or "weird," just pointing out how someone, not knowing the context, could question what they represent, especially in a pluralistic society like ours which doesn't have (and usually is proud of the freedom that makes room for more than) one standard of normality.

If these people had actually been charged with an offense or railroaded into jail, I would have rallied against the system. But they weren't. That's the importantt thing to me. It looked like something was up, an investigation was held, the investigaors work revealed there was no abuse, and the case was closed.

I think anyone suspected of a major crime (and child abuse is one) could similarly report feeling misused by what they percieve as a cold, hostile system. It's not pleasant to be questioned so intensely, to not be immediately believed. But that's how such investigations are conducted because, of course, those who commit major crimes are rarely up front and honest about them.

IN THIS DAY AND TIME IT IS AS IF PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR MIND. THEY NO LONGER TO USE THE BRAIN THAT GOD GAVE THEM FOR WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR "THINKING". I AM NOW GUARDIAN OF MY TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS BECAUSE THE MOTHER TOOK A BROOMSTICK AND BEAT MY THEN FIVE YEAR OLD FOR SOME RINGS SHE CLAIMED THE CHILD HAD LOST. SHE SPENT A YEAR IN JAIL AND IS ON PROBATION FOR TEN YEARS.ONE OF THE TERMS OF HER PROBATION WAS THAT SHE HAVE NO UNSUPERVISED CONTACT WITH ANY CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 16. AFTER GETTING OUT SHE HAD ANOTHER CHILD. THIS CHILD AT THE AGE OF TWO WAS FOUND AT 4AM WALKING THE STREET. SHE WAS TAKEN FROM HER BUT WAS RETURNED TO HER FIVE MONTHS LATER. NOT ONLY THAT SHE HAS A 12 YEAR OLD SON BACK IN HER HOME. SHE ACTUALLY TRIED TO GO THROUGH THE COURT TO HAVE MY GIRLS GIVEN BACK TO HER. FORTUNATELY WE WENT BEFORE A JUDGE WHO USED "COMMON SENSE" AND ADVISED HER THAT IF HE WAS TO RETURN THEM TO HER HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE OFFICER WHO WAS IN COURT ARREST HER AND RETURN HER TO JAIL BECAUSE SHE WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE TERMS OF HER PROBATION. I AM BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE MY GIRLS LOVE THEIR MOTHER AND I ALLOW THEM TO TALK TO HER ON THE PHONE. SHE DOES HER BEST TO POISON THEIR MIND AGAINST ME. THE ONES WHO TRULY SUFFER ARE THE CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING PULLED BY THEIR LOVE FOR ME VERSUS THE LOVE FOR THEIR MOTHER. I AM SO TIRED SOMETIMES OF THE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND THE ACTING OUT. AT 57 YEARS OLD I SOMETIMES WOULD LOVE TO JUST GIVE UP BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I AM THE BEST THING FOR THEM. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILIES BECAUSE DEALING WITH THE "SYSTEM" CAN ALMOST BRING YOU TO YOUR KNEES WITH THEIR STUPIDTY. I AM GLAD FOR THEM THAT THINGS TURNED AROUND FOR THEM. I ALSO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH WILL ALWAYS BE ON THEIR MIND BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY WILL COME THROUGH THIS STRONGER AND MORE LOVING BECAUSE THEY WILL REALIZE THAT THEY DID GO THROUGH THE FIRE BUT THEY WERE SCORCHED BUT NOT BURNED.