Thursday 29 November 2012

Things you didn't know you didn't know

From the BBC:

Germany's ruling coalition is calling for a ban on bestiality - or the practice of having sex with animals. The German parliament's agriculture committee is considering making it an offence not only to hurt an animal but also to force it into unnatural sex. Offenders could face a hefty fine.

A final vote will be held in the Bundestag (lower house) on 14 December. Germany legalised bestiality (zoophilia) in 1969, except when the animal suffered "significant harm"...

But Michael Kiok, the chairman of the pressure group Zoophile Engagement for Tolerance and Information (Zeta), said he was going to take legal action to fight the proposed changes.

"It is unthinkable that any sexual act with an animal is punished without proof that the animal has come to any harm," he said, adding that animals are capable of showing what they do, or do not, want to do. "We see animals as partners and not as a means of gratification. We don't force them to do anything. Animals are much easier to understand than women," Mr Kiok claimed.

Bestiality is banned in many European countries, including the Netherlands, France and Switzerland. The law was changed in the UK in 2003, which reduced the maximum sentence from life imprisonment to two years. The act however, is permissible in Belgium, Denmark and Sweden, though Stockholm is considering a change in the legislation.


Woo hoo! "Animals are much easier to understand than women", how on earth can you prove or disprove a statement like that?

12 comments:

Robin Smith said...

A fine is just paying for an 'indulgence'

Modern christian ethics

Lola said...

Funny, I thought bestiality was compulsory in Belgium...

Ian Hills said...

They certainly don't talk shit about what their hair looks like, although it's not so hot when they moult.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Bundestag (lower house) XX

BOLLOX!

The Bundestag is the HIGHEST instance of Government. (Oberstes Bundesorgan).

Where they get this "lower house" from is a complete mistery wrapped in shite.

Mark Wadsworth said...

FT, the Bundestag is their equivalent of House of Commons and Bundesrat is their equivalent of House of Lords. We refer to them as Lower and Upper house respectively so the same terms are applied to other countries with bi-cameral systems.

H said...

And indeed they call the House of Commons the "Unterhaus" and the House of Lords the "Oberhaus", so it would seem fair enough.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Mark Wadsworth said...

FT, the Bundestag is their equivalent of House of Commons and Bundesrat is their equivalent of House of Lords. We refer to them as Lower and Upper house respectively so the same terms are applied to other countries with bi-cameral systems.XX

NOOO REALLY! WOW!! And I have only worked for the bastards for 13 years!!!! (Verfassungschutz)

THE BUNDESTAG is THE HIGHEST INSTANCE OF GOVERNANCE IN GERMANY!

The Bundesrat CAN make laws, and advise the Bundestag on the legality of legistlation, but ALL must recieve the vote of the Bundestag!!

THE BUNDESTAG IS THE HIGHEST INSTANCE OF GOVERNANCE IN GERMANY!

Art 20 §2. BGB ALLE Staatsgewalt geht vom Volke aus. (All power of the state is reliant on the people (voters...me and you, basically)

Sie wird vom Volk in Wahlen und Abstimmung und durch besondere Organe der Gesetzgebung,der vollziehenden Gewalt und die Rechtsprechung ausgeübt.(Only after being voted there by "the people" do they have power.)

The ONLY law making authority, and therfore THE HIGHEST INSTANCE is the BUNDESTAG.

Because it is the ONLY one for which "the people" have VOTED.

Which is a constitutional pre-reqqisite

Now tell me, HOW can that be "the 'lower' house"?

Mark Wadsworth said...

FT, jetzt mal halb lang!

Ich habe auch ein GG zu Hause und weiss ganz genau was da drin steht. Ich habe lediglich erklärt warum wir "Unterhaus" und "Oberhaus" sagen.

Ich könnte genau so gut sagen dass es schwachsinnig ist das House of Commons als "Lower House" zu bezeichnen, obwhold es im grossen und ganzen auch die höchste Instanz ist.

Mark Wadsworth said...

FT, im Deutschen werden Bundestag und Bundesrat auch Umgangsprachlich "Unterhaus" bzw. "Oberhaus" genannt, siehe hier.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Ich könnte genau so gut sagen dass es schwachsinnig ist das House of Commons als "Lower House" zu bezeichnen, obwhold es im grossen und ganzen auch die höchste Instanz ist. XX

O.K.... geb zu...Möglich.

Aber gesetzlich/Verfassungweise gesehen...

The bundesrat CAN make law. (Although it is rare. A bit like the Queen (Wish we had one!) refusing to sign a bill)

Even THEN, it must be passed by the Bundestag before it comes into force.

Mark Wadsworth said...

FT, some (very few, but some) laws are initiated in the House of Lords and get approved by the HoC; most are initiated in HoC and get nodded through by HoL. In turn, HoC acts are split into government bills or private members' bills (and probably other categories). It is all very complicated.

In BRD it's a lot clearer but still not completely black and white.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX
In BRD it's a lot clearer XX

Hmm Obviously a lot less clear & B/W as we thought. :-)

I am constantly amazed at how similar German and English law are.

Theft act, for example.

But then you come to the constitution, and.....

Na! Need I say more?

Interpretation.