US Federal Government to pursue war on pornography

Not really sure if this should go here or in "Way off topic", but here goes:

Link to Baltimore Sun Article

According to this article, the federal government will soon begin a nationwide war against pornography. They're not just talking about getting spammed with porn in email either... they're going for absolute abolition of porn in all forms, be it print, television, internet, etc.

Here are some quotes directly from the guy in charge of this new "war" to give you an idea of how silly they are being about this:

1. "Just about everything on the Internet and almost everything in the video stores and everything in the adult bookstores is still prosecutable illegal obscenity," he said.
   
2. "Some of the cable versions of porno movies are prosecutable. Once it becomes obvious that this really is a federal felony instead of just a form of entertainment or investment, then legitimate companies, to stay legitimate, are going to have to distance themselves from it."
   

I personally have no question in my mind as to whether this is real or not. I believe it has been a long time coming. However, I also believe the timing couldn't be worse and that this pursuit will probably backfire on them and lead to less strict laws regarding so-called obscene material. It's about time the US societal mind-set regarding this stuff becomes more like that of most European countries.

Your thoughts?

This is another reason for those who are Americans (United States of America citizens) who are outraged by the Neo-Conservative takeover of our rights and liberties, to GET OUT, REGISTER TO VOTE, AND ACTUALLY VOTE ON ELECTION DAY!!!

If you are not an American citizen, talk to your friends who are Americans, and remind them that America is supposed to be the bastion of Liberty and Freedom, at least it's supposed to be.

IANAA (I am not an American)

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.......

We will now return you to normally scheduled human stupidity, already in progress.

-Adam

I'm not sure whether to be outraged or to laugh my ass off about this. Through the last few years of Bush, Ashcroft, and their christian right cronies pissing all over the constitution, one thing has given me some comfort. Does anyone else see how much like a repeat of the 1950's things are these days? McCarthy Era 2: The Sequel. It's all a big cycle. The puritanical reperssion of the 1950's caused a big wonderful backlash called the 1960's. Here's hoping 2010 is the next summer of love Sex, drugs, and rock and roll for all! I am really starting to hate this country.

As Hank said, PLEASE VOTE!

Yup. Hell, everything's a cycle... Fashion, society, government...

I've been screaming the similiarities between the gay-marrage ban and that anti-alchohol amendment for the longest time now. The government can -not- successfully legislate morality. Period. It just doesn't work.

I don't like Kerry's stand on several things, but keeping Bush in office is an even worse idea. ('cept maybe to make the backlash bigger when it finally does happen).

Anyone but Bush

Yes, I would vote for a feces-flinging monkey before I voted for Bush. At least then we'd get a *little* international respect.

I think it's a great idea.

It promises to be almost as successful as Prohibition was.

*cough*

Bush IS a feces-flinging monkey.

This should not be taken so lightly, our rights are already being taken away...

no more freedom of speech?

fen-

Whaaaat? The democrats were wanting this a long time ago? And it took Janet's idiocy to make the REPUBLICANS agree?!

WTF?! How hard is it to move to Canada?

seriously, this is f-cked. they could crack down on games like SL. this could happen. dammit, dammit, dammit....

very bad

Bad news, but I doubt it's going to turn into a big deal. For the record, I don't think all conservatives are for this. (In fact, I think maybe I'll do an informal poll to find out.)

Excellent!

Hey - what we all expect from an administration that was GIVEN to Bush when the US Supreme Court decided it was NOT in our best interest to recount the Fla. vote.

What?????

On my darker days, a part of me wonders if we'll EVER have these folks out of office...

Clear Channel Communications is the worst thing that's ever happened to broadcasting, and the FCC has become their lap dog.

As for the porn crackdown, this isn't the first time we've gone down this path. Anyone remeber the Meese report and the similar crackdown during the Reagan administration in the 80's?

Here's some links from a great site called
Soloman's Refuge

Opinions and discussion on the Meese Commission Report The Meese commission was put together when political extremists on both sides of the political spectrum came unglued over the reasonable and scientific research and recommendations of an earlier committee appointed by President Johnson. Here are writtings and analysis of the Meese Commission Report.


The Social Benefits of Porn Links Scientific research that points out the benefits of pornography.


The Players Researchers, social scientists, and writers in the Porn Wars.

Historical Pornography and Sexual Attitudes Interesting pages about sexual behaviour in the past and recent studies, most comparing the social values and attitudes of Northern Europe with the US. Just like the porn arguments above, the data show that increased sexual education and access to health care produce lower teen birth rates, STD rates, and abortion as they have in Europe.

Censorship and The Erosion of Civil Liberties after Sept. 11 A plea for reason in the rush to abandon our rights as citizens of a free nation.

If there's such a thing as evil, John Ashcroft is the embodiment of it.

Excellent!


Well if there is not such a thing as evil, there is such a thing as lessor amount of good...

Ashcroft - is on the low end of the Good scale.

IMHO, of course

Free speech is definately not one of Bush's favorite Constitutional guarantees. Here is yet another example of how free speech is being abridged on his watch:

http://www.moveon.org/news/fec-gag.html

If the the FEC does indeed pass this rules change, you're going to see a lot of non-profits disappear VERY quickly. In an unusually draconian move, the rule includes a FOUR YEAR lookback... so any non-profit which has ever been publically critical of a federal official OR A POLICY OF A FEDERAL OFFICIAL will have to cease operation until they repay ALL the federal monies they've received over those four years. As the Exec. Director of my parent organization says "If this happens, we can all kiss our asses goodbye!" What would MY organization have done in the last four years that would get us shut down? Driven persons with disabilities to the polls on election days. Oooh, evil, don't you agree?

VOTE!

Anyone who lost an election to a dead man just has to be the embodiment of evil.

They are delusional if they think they can kill pornography. It has existed in one form or other practically as long as human civilization.

Lately, it seems that whenever a new visual medium is invented, the pornographers are early adopters. If you look at recent history, the porn industry practically invented the direct to video market, as well as influencing current DVD technology. the Internet gained popularity due to its ability to supply porn directly to your home anonomously. As distasteful as many may find it, pornography wil be a part of human society as long as there is one human left alive with functional genitals.

What a bunch of a-holes. I'm more inclined towards Republican political views, and I was pleased with Bush's handling of 9/11, but all the stuff that's happened over the last year has put a real sour taste in my mouth.

I DID vote for Clinton, and then for Gore, in the last elections, 'cause I thought they were better than anyone on the Republican ticket... Bush is really a fool, and Asscroft has clearly gone into some kind of towering Jesus-based rage (apologies to H. Thompson, D.Jr.) with regards to... eh... just about everything isn't it? >:(

They've gone too damn far. No way I'd vote for that addlebrained puppet. No way at all.

Realize that the 1984ification of the US started a good year or two ago, pretty much immediately after 9/11. 9/11 happens to be the worst thing to ever happen to this country, and NOT because of the massive loss of life (honestly, that was merely a matter of time).

A law was passed as a 'protective' measure that essentially gave the government the right to arrest and hold anyone without a warrant (WITHOUT A WARRANT) and without charging them with any crime if they were even suspected of terrorist activities. Completely innocent men have been held without ever seeing a lawyer for SIX MONTHS, and then released without a word, for being suspected terrorists. This generally wrecks their lives, as everyone assumes that they must be a terrorist because the government held them for so long.

Bush is the precursor to a totalitarian police state like that of 1984. Who KNOWS what Kerry might do, but at least he isn't Bush.

Appointing someone to Attorney General who believes that dancing is a sin probably wasn't a very good idea

I just don't understand how America can keep declaring war on inanimate objects and concepts...

I mean... is the reefer going to strike back? Is the emotion of terror going to strike in protest? Is a porn tape going to grow legs and launch itself at the nation's capital?

Help me! I'm scared of giant pot buds and porn mags molesting me while I sleep!


While I'm at it, what's with this 'take back the night' concept? The night has traditionally belonged to street walkers, pimps and robbers.... you can take it, but you can't take back what was never safe for you.

I am sooooo with you on that one Kiari. Every time I hear someone say "war on terror" I want to scream. Then I want to get a hot poker and sear "ISM!!!" on their ass cheeks.

I swear I'll go postal the next time there's a presidential scandal that gets a "gate" appended to the end of it. We better hope nothing else happens at the watergate or we'll end up with "watergategate"

Heh. You know the Clinton thing?

The British called that "ZipperGate". Their national news channel (Sky News) had this PRECIOUS animation before any coverage of a gavel coming down several times on the presidential seal, cracking it, with video clips of Clinton's various lies placed between the gavel strikes. It was so funny.