Are we having fun yet? :)

Some of these posts are getting a bit out of control don't you think.

Why is it that people (not just in this thread) make sweeping generalisations about people based on a lone opinion about one particular subject.

One's opinion on the Henson saga does not define a person in totality. There are many reasons why people think the way they do.

People of various persuasions - atheists, feminists, Christians, socialists, libertarians, Conservatives, circus performers, origami teachers etal do not always agree.

To summarise:

According to the pro-Henson lobby the detractors are: prudes, right wing bigots, religious nutters, prudish feminists, uneducated, perverted, deviant, artistically and/or intellectually challenged.

According to the anti-Henson lobby the pro-Hensons are: elitist, left wing bigots, pedophiles, perverted, misguided, bourgeoise, chardonnay drinking latte slurping lefties, artistic snobs and deviant.

Tell us what you really think. Why are people so insecure about their position on this?

There are not many people arguing that Henson is a pedophile (if any) nor will he probably be charged as I am sure his intention was not to make and distribute child pornography.

ok-belly [i-will-use my-last post-for-you
[YOU-WROTE}
''you-will-find-I am male-not-bigoted just-male''......

{OK-FAIR-ENOUGH ,so-you-named-your-self-after-your-fetish?]

''Look-down-any-street on any-weekend and you-will see ten year olds dressed like well just look''
.....
[I-have-no-inkling-to-look-for-one-
i dont wander the streets on saterday looking for kids]

[for the other it just proves my point[they have been led by peers to dress like the starlets they-see-on-tv]
[who-get dressed by-perverts-in the hope of selling the-kids on selling them-selves short]

[have you seen what kids are watching on abc-its pathetic demonology-cccrap]

Have you seen these photos?[i-have-seen-copies in media [im-not searching them out like im presuming others have been]

''Done any book burning of late?''...

[i-own-25,000-books-]
[i have restored many
[book-burning-isnt-my-way,
nor is -child-perversion-
children-must-be-allowed-to-grow-up ,in a certain safe-environment]

let-them-believe as their concious-choses to-believe
[untill they fall into potential danger
[THEN ITS UP TO GOVT AND THE FULL-WEIGHT OF THE LAW TO PROTECT THEM

[not police them
[but-to-police-those-who-would-[those who will] prey-upon them and their innocence]

''Even a Christian must know the human body is not evil?''...

[im-not-an x-tian[nor a muslim], i-thought-i-told you allready

[i believe in god , thats where it starts and ends]
religion has become poluted
[I dont turn the other cheek]

'''A book full of story's about humanity is to be found in these photos''' ...

[A -FULL_story,from a 12/13 year-olds body[your sick my bro]

{LOOK bro grow up,
being child curious is a thing children are allowed to do ,
BUT NOT ADULTS

[YOUR own body tells you much more about the ''FULL' story of humanity'']

[hear-your-own-excuses-bro SO_LAME ]

[YOUR grown up now]
[use a mirror if you want to be amased about bodies]

''the trials of becoming a teenager much much more are there''...
.
{SSSEEETTT dude listen to you ,[you need to remember your own trial'sss ,not fantizise about some little girls trial's]

..''Funny no not really ''..

{no SAD REALLY}

'''but sex did not enter my mind on seeing them''....
.
[I didnt say it did dude, but can-you
ASSURE US-that ALL-who did ARE-AS SANE AS-YOU?}

[RESPONSE to belly as ]Posted by Belly, Monday, 26 May 2008 5:40:28 PM

Please, let's all lighten up a bit here.

Show a bit of civility.

This is becoming bizarre to say the least.

Let's all agree to disagree (or whatever), and leave it at that.

As Pelican said, we're all individuals with diferrent perspectives - and each of us is entitled to our opinion. This does not make some of us right and the others wrong. It just makes us have different points of view.

We can't always agree.

Foxy's right, of course. My comment is at

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=1830#36618

It's a bit silly having the same conversation on two threads isn't it?

Bill Henson should have given his snaps a title other than 'untitled'- might have stopped the fevered imaginations of the public; its a photo finish between Gibo and Steel to see who can be the most extreme.

My question is 'don't we daily accept blanket laws that may not cause self or others harm if we flout them then and there, eg speed restrictions, for the somewhat nebulous greater good; or because someone, somewhere has harmed themselves or others?'

How is it different for Bill?

Gibo I see you've hit hyper-drive here at OLO- can I borrow the spaceship for the night?

Vanilla, thanks for starting this thread. I specifically looked to see if anyone had started one.

The saddest aspect of this furore, not just the issue of censorship, is how many people immediately equate nudity with sex. How uncomfortable to be like that. Having to fight of sexual urges the minute somebody exposes a body part.

That's why once upon a time women wore long dresses and men had to go up the stairs before her, lest he'd be overcome with lust from a glimpse of her ankles.

Soon children will be expected to cover up with burkas, lest somebody gets erotic thoughts from seeing long bare legs going every which way or pretty collar bones at the base of a lovely slender neck, and golly gosh if she has cheeky eyes looking straight at you.

I'm not a visual artist, but as an observer of people from babies to old age I find young teenagers most interesting human beings. The same would have to be true for any visual artist who observes humans.

I agree with Vanilla, that Bill Henson's work is doing just that. The work did not just focus on a young girl, but also a young boy. Although, from much of the comments, it seems it's the girl that everybody is stressing about. Very curious, seeing the predilection for young boys of many pedophiles. Probably if he'd stuck to photographing young boys there would hardly have been a peep from the self righteously horrified.

There may well be pedophiles lurking about, if pictures like this could be appealing, shaded as they are, but does the rest of society need to adjust itself to the lowest form of life?

This angst about naked bodies is driving me to a nudist colony