Paedogeddon strikes again

The picture above is a Rabbit Public Service - how to spot a paedophile. They look like that! Actually - with Hat Tip to Shorpy (link to left) the pic is of the 'Woodberry Forest Gym Team' circa 1910 but why let reality get in the way of a good bonkers conspiracy theory. I wanted to post the wonderful Brass Eye Paedogeddon but unfortunately the Brass Eye clips on YouTube have had embedding disabled.

The cause of this outbreak of laboured sarcasm is the latest example of how when paedophilia comes up as a topic, the powers that be lose all reason and start lashing out with insane and objectionable measures. The latest measures, while no doubt doing nothing to deter or even inconvenience genuine paedophiles, attack the balance between rulers and ruled in a purposeless and illiberal in equal measure way. The nub of the 'Vetting and Barring Scheme' - to come into force next month - is that parents who regularly ferry groups of children on behalf of sports or social clubs will have to undergo criminal record checks - or face fines of up to £5,000. Apparently, 11.3 million people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to have to register under the scheme.

I should perhaps declare an interest as for a number of years when they were younger I used to drive my sons and their mates to weekend cricket and football. Now I would have to register in order to do this. I hasten to say i have nothing to hide but what proportionate good is done by this? The measure seems clunkily bossy and paranoid and unlikely to do any or at most much good in equal measure. The measure will do harm in that it will deter people from volunteering. Some children - for example those of single parents on low incomes - need this kind of support and are much less likely to get it if this kind of obstacle is thrown up. Registration is needed for 'activities involving children' just once if the contact is overnight. This would seem to criminalise the parents of children who invite their friends over for a sleepover if it is in the context of a club or whatever should they not be in possession of the relevant documentation. Also, what kind of world is created in the minds of children if they are to see every adult as some potential paedophile?

Shout 'paedophile' and destroy all reason.

Have the Dead with Deal to soothe the troubled brow...