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Tom Bagwell #fundie freep.com

WASHINGTON – A Libertarian candidate for a Michigan congressional seat is getting some attention for voicing his opinion that age-of-consent laws should be changed to consider the case-by-case circumstances where an adult and a minor are in a consensual sexual relationship.

Tom Bagwell of Wyandotte made his comments Thursday on a Houston TV’s station’s Facebook page beneath a post on a story about a 24-year-old female middle school teacher who has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old male student.

In his comments, Bagwell said while “children should be protected,” the “unintended consequences of government action can often cause more harm.” He went onto say that reforms in state consent laws are needed that force prosecutors to “look at each case separately rather than simple hard age cutoffs.”

Another poster on the KPRC2/Click2Houston page, remarked, “Exactly what mitigating circumstances make it OK for a 24-year-old to have sex with her 13-year-old student?”

Bagwell responded, “Hard age of consent laws don't take into account the actual maturity of the child. Some teenagers are able to handle these relationships many can't. If there is actual abuse by all means charge with a crime, but it should not be a snap judgment.”

WDIV-TV (Channel 4) reported on Bagwell’s comments Friday afternoon.

When reached by the Free Press, Bagwell stood by the remarks, noting that according to the reports out of Texas, the teacher and the student not only were in a consensual relationship but that the boy’s parents knew about it, had met the teacher and were supportive.

“My view is simply this: We shouldn’t jump the gun on these issues and automatically go to the worst (scenario),” he said. “Where there is actual consent between the parties, we should look at it on a case-by-case basis to see if coercion was involved.”

(...)

“I gave an opinion based on me having some deeply rooted libertarian views,” said Bagwell, who has filed as a Libertarian candidate for Michigan’s 12th congressional district seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn. “I have some views that I know the general public might say, ‘Eh, I don’t like that.’”

Shirley Nagel #fundie freep.com

A Grosse Pointe Farms woman has doled out political tricks by refusing Halloween treats to children whose parents support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
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Shirley Nagel passed out candy Friday — but only to those who shared her support for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.

Fox 2 News says a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."

Nagel tells WJBK-TV that "Obama's scary." When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."

Fax and phone messages were left today at numbers listed in Nagel's name.

Rev. Federico Lombardi #fundie freep.com

The Vatican struck back Friday at a U.N. human rights committee that issued a scathing report on sex abuse by priests, accusing it of straying beyond its mandate and discrediting the U.N. as a whole by adopting the "prejudiced" positions of anti-Catholic advocacy groups.

The Vatican said the U.N. committee had ignored both the Holy See's unique status and its efforts to address the abuse crisis in recent years, noting that it had provided this information to the committee in writing and in person. It blasted what it called the "absolutely anomalous" publicity the committee gave its report and promised a full response at a later date...

Specifically, he accused the committee of giving more credence to the positions of "well-known NGOs, prejudiced against the Catholic Church and the Holy See" than the Vatican itself. In ignoring the Vatican's own explanations and data, he said, it appeared the committee had written the report before the Vatican made its case at a daylong hearing last month.

He said while it was wrong to blame the United Nations as a whole for the committee's "grave shortcomings," the organization itself "bears the negative consequences of what was done by one of its committees, beyond its competence."

Tony Daunt #fundie freep.com

[Michigan Supreme Court Justice rules in favor of letting voters vote on an anti gerrymandering ballot initiative]

“Today we’ve witnessed the rule of bullying, not the rule of law” said Tony Daunt, Executive Director of the Michigan Freedom Fund. “In the face of threats, bullying and intimidation, the justices of the state Supreme Court bowed to political pressure instead of protecting Michigan’s Constitution. They have abdicated their responsibility to the rule of law.”

Michigan State Senator Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township) and unnamed De La Salle Collegiate students #sexist freep.com

LANSING – A state senator is facing widespread criticism and an investigation in the Legislature after telling a female reporter she should stick around at the Capitol because a group of high school students from an all-boys school, touring the Capitol, could “have a lot of fun” with her.

Sen. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township, made the comments outside the Senate chamber Tuesday to a reporter from the Michigan Advance, while surrounded by a group of male high school students from De La Salle Collegiate in Warren.

"You’ve heard of De La Salle, right?” the Michigan Advance quoted Lucido as asking reporter Allison Donahue, who is 22.

When Donahue said she had not, Lucido said: “It’s an all-boys school,” adding: “You should hang around — you could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you.”

The students then burst into laughter, the online publication reported.

The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate announced Wednesday afternoon they have asked the Senate Business Office to investigate whether the incident violated Senate rules related to sexual harassment.