Posted on 01/31/2006 8:55:52 PM PST by Lorianne
JAKARTA: The 200-plus demonstrators from the student group Concerned Muslims who had gathered in light drizzle at one of Central Jakarta's main roundabouts had a simple message for passing motorists. "Reject Playboy! Reject Playboy!" they shouted. "Don't publish that filth here. Keep the Indonesian nation clean."
"We don't need that sort of porno here," said Muhammad Salim. "There's enough vice here already."
Yesterday about 500 protesters - all members of a conservative Muslim political party - demanded the parliament quickly pass tough laws now under debate to crack down on existing girlie magazines and pornographic DVDs, which are widely available throughout the country.
Playboy has signed a deal with a local company to publish an Indonesian edition, although Playboy's editorial director, David Walker, said publication had been delayed until "both partners are satisfied the product addresses the sensitivities of the marketplace".
It would not contain nude photos or graphic sexual content, Mr Walker said. "Any magazine we launch in Indonesia would be focused on many of the other things Playboy is well known for: high-quality editorial, including interviews and feature stories written by renowned local writers and journalists."
Such reassurances have counted for little among Indonesia's conservative Islamic leaders, who appear to be using this issue to gain the moral high ground.
Ferry Abdullah, who hawks magazines in the traffic jam along one of the motorways in West Jakarta, laughed off the objections.
"It's the porno that sells best," Mr Ferry said, flipping over an Ikea catalogue to reveal a copy of Tits, a locally produced magazine that consists of pictures of naked women and sex stories. "I've been trying to sell this catalogue for 10 days while I've already sold three copies of Tits this week."
The head of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, Eddy Suprapto, believes the opposition is ignorant, xenophobic and hypocritical.
"It's irrational hatred of a Western product. They don't know if it's good or bad," Mr Suprapto said.
Indonesia's criminal code does not define pornography, but MPs are trying to change that.
However, their pornography bill has run into opposition because they seem unable to decide what is decent. The bill outlaws husbands and wives kissing in public, Papuans wearing traditional dress (a penis gourd and nothing else), and the dancing that accompanies the folksy pop music known as dangdut.
I'm glad to see the good Muslems of Indonesia took a day off from slaughtering Christians to protest Playboy.
Nuts, now I have to go shopping for a whole new wardrobe.
By about 15 or so...I wouldn't mind.
Ditto. They did a great job on the story of the town that Bliss sprayed with dioxin outside of St. Louis.
What?...... Only 500. I thought Indonesia had more Mooselimbs than that?
Go figure only 500 righteous men who want to protest naked pictures of woman in a magazine......I wonder how the 72 virgins in heaven are dressed....../Sarcasm.
I would rather encourage a healthy appreciation for a beautiful woman then to continue to let the public school system neuter my boys.
Sorry, but I want my boys to get married and have children of their own someday and I'll use every tool I have to beat back their feminization by the Progressive Lefties in this country.
You'll just have to trust in my ability to teach my boys what it means to share your last named with the woman you love, your solemate and best friend in life.
"You sound like a Rat lawyer. If they want to stop porn, more power to them."
In spite of Hillary's recent pandering to pro-censorship folks, the concept of the right being left alone by big government and the freedom to read and speak freely are solid conservative principles.
Just overlay the centerfold picture with a burqa. Problem solved.
You'd better add Ayn Rand, Rush Limbaugh, William F. Buckley, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert De Niro to the list. They, among many others, have sat for interviews. I fully expect your Legion of Decency to march right over to their homes and burn them down.
Is THAT why my wife likes it....glad you told me.
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