Talk:Historical analogies for MAPs and allies

Witch-hunt

• Witches' Sabbat - no evidence of => 'pedophile rings', perhaps
• "Uncurability" - there was no cure for witchcraft => sex offender registry; sex offenders have unchanging natures, once a predator, always a predator

If one draws the parallel between witches and 'sexual predators':

• The diabolical mark/pack and the alleged sexual relationship with a demon => idea of abusers being previously abused themselves (which leads back to the 'uncurability' idea - its a disease/affliction, not a preference)
• Possession of elements necessary for the practice of black magic => one who views child pornography will inevitably rape/murder/etc

A consideration of McCarthyism might be useful as well, since it is a more modern incarnation of the witch hunt:

• Character assassinations (though usually no political motivation now; loss of employment)
• Guilt by association/possession (possession of anything questionable - cp, cl literature, etc; I remember reading one McCarthy trial where possession of 'Das Kapital' played an important role in a conviction)
• Fear mongering to further one's one career

I based a lot of the witch stuff off of the wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_trials_in_Early_Modern_Europe , but I have a couple published sources on hand (for witches and McCarthy) that I can quote when I have the time... probably a week or two.