> but I don't much like adults using children to make a statement

This raises an interesting point. Children are used by socialists everywhere to make political statements. Our society 'exploits' them for all manner of policy and law-making.

Wouldn't it be better if parents, feminists and adults couldn't exploit children with their "Protect the Children" slogans? Politicians and NGOs would be prevented from exploiting children for things like the Catholic Church's tax-free fundraiser, World Youth Day.

If the media had not published details of either incident, I would not have been aware of either of them.

By not knowing I would not have cared, because there was nothing I knew about it.

Now I will have to send all the national geographics, encyclopaedia's and any books that have photos in them to the local censor for removal of all photos that may possibly offend someone.

But then what is art or photography or literacy without controversy.

Yes most interesting.

Nudity is something which always has a social context.

But nude children.. it might be argued that only a perverted mind would find stimulation in such images, but then..it depends in the type of image I guess.

If a female child was posed so as to look 'sexy' in the ways that we all know, then.. ?

This leads to the issue of 'what' is a 'sexy' pose?

-legs apart, showing privates in a 'minime' alluring adult manner?
-various postures associated with adult or at least mature sexual activity?
-poses with other children?
-Poses with older people?
-what about a nude wrinkly old man with a 5 yr old girl.. the 'artistic' merit being 'showing the extremes of life' ? hmmmmm

I think that it is way too close to being the door of a pandora's box of social breakdown of incalculable dimensions.

Such things will always boil down to a subjective interpretation of what is or is not 'sexy' and or 'abusive' etc.. so.. I don't think we can ever escape from the fact that our community will be divided on such issues and will ultimately fight it out at the ballot box.

Inevitably, one group will be imposing it's view on another.

Sounds like life :)

More evidence that there is an elite class with more protection than Catholic Priests. Sick minds want to photograph kids nude in order for others to gaze at. No one has yet given one good reason why anyone would want to photograph these kids. They defend the right for sick artist to take photos but offer no good reason for these innocent kids to be exploited. These warped artists minds should not be allowed to be published to feed other sick minds.

Dear Robert,

I have an uncomfortable feeling that this child
is being "exploited," by adults - to stir up
the debate once again.

And of course, it will get media attention, and
the desired controversy.

The father will get his "5 minutes" of fame, and
the child may even possibly get a modellling
contract out of it.

Anyway, this will be "milked" for all its worth.

As for is it "Art" or "Pornography?"

It's neither in this case, but a grab for
media attention, and money.

Enough said.

cont'd

I forgot to add - it's to sell the
magazine as well.

I bet that this issue will outsell
the previous ones.

Clever ploy!