The slippery slope or true democracy

I can’t decide if this is the beginning of the end for any hope of normal society in Holland, or if it is an appropriate event in a free society, which allows issues to be aired and decided upon by the voters:

A Dutch court refused Monday to ban a political party whose main goal is to lower the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12. The judge said it was the voters’ right to judge the appeal of political parties.

The party has only three known members, one of whom was convicted of molesting an 11-year-old boy in 1987. Widely dubbed the “pedophile” party, it is unlikely ever to win a seat in parliament. The group would need around 60,000 votes, and pollsters estimate it would get fewer than 1,000.

Opponents had asked The Hague District Court to bar the party from registering for national elections in November, arguing that children have the right not to be confronted with the party’s platform.

“Freedom of expression, freedom … of association, including the freedom to set up a political party, can be seen as the basis for a democratic society,” Judge H. Hofhuis said in his ruling.

“These freedoms give citizens the opportunity to, for example, use a political party to appeal for change to the constitution, law, or policy.”

Disgusting as the thought of this political party is, I’m included to agree with the judge that, as long as the pedophile “politicans” aren’t actively engaged in pedophilia, which is illegal, they have a right to a voice in the political process — no matter how disgusting that voice is. Your thoughts?