Letter: Has Iowa dropped the ball?

To the Newton Independent:

Alert! Alert! Did anyone note the headlines? Has Iowa dropped the ball?

"One judge says minors can strip since it's 'art'"

"The Iowa Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed the state's request for a review of the issue. The request followed a judge's 2008 decision that Clarence Judy, then-owner of Shotgun Geniez, didn't violate the state's public indecent exposure law. Judy was charged after a 17-year-old girl stripped on stage in the southwestern Iowa club in 2007."

Have we fallen asleep that we can no longer protect our children in a "state" that once had high moral standards?

If you think this is crazy, then wrap your head around this: Imagine a 9-year-old who is placed on stage and an adult has this young girl remove her clothes then this, too, is considered "art" and legal in the State of Iowa! How is this possible?

Regardless of how or why it happened it is not too late to right a wrong. I would ask all of us to contact our legislators to act quickly and pass responsible legislation to protect our children from obvious predators.

People can make up their own mind on the legal savvyness of the judge.

Dr. Paul Nieves, DO
Newton