“who is protected . . .by laws against porn, prostitution, sodomy, bigamy, polygamy, drug abuse, and drug trafficking? “
Children, mostly. Also mentally handicapped, dependent elderly, and in some cases those of us just trying to go about our business in public. Also those of perfectly sound faculties who have a right not to be presented with sexually graphic material in public, where it can not be avoided unless we walk about with our eyes firmly shut.
Children, mostly.
Children are protected by laws against providing to children. Using that as an excuse to ban things for adults is immoral and counterproductive - kids report that they can get marijuana (illegal for adults) more easily than beer or cigarettes (legal for adults).
Also mentally handicapped, dependent elderly,
So ALL adults should be subjected to the limits appropriate for the mentally handicapped and dependent elderly? Better ban alcohol, then - and guns, knives, power tools, and cars.
and in some cases those of us just trying to go about our business in public. Also those of perfectly sound faculties who have a right not to be presented with sexually graphic material in public, where it can not be avoided unless we walk about with our eyes firmly shut.
No libertarian I know of says that the right to do ABC implies the right to do it in public. But banning sexually graphic material for even private viewing goes too far.
“mentally handicapped”
In 1977, an act was passed that gives any mentally retarded/handicapped adult the same rights of any other adult, unless they have been adjudicated incompetent. They are not children-they are no different from any other adult with a disability-a former casemanager, I’m very familiar with that act. Elderly persons are not “dependent” in that sense unless they have been found incompetent, either-they have the same rights as you and I.