Posted on 03/16/2012 10:56:03 PM PDT by Steelfish
Santorum Says He Would Enforce US Obscenity Laws That Obama Ignores By NBC's Andrew Rafferty
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL -- Rick Santorum accused President Barack Obama of not enforcing the country's obscenity laws and said Friday that as chief executive he would crack down on illegal pornography.
Santorum found himself answering pornography questions during a stop at an Italian restaurant here after the discovery of a statement posted in his campaign website in which he asserts that "America is suffering a pandemic of harm from pornography." Recent reporting has shed light on the letter in which the former Pennsylvania senator vowed to "vigorously enforce" all the country's obscenity laws, though he said the statement was posted three weeks ago.
"We actually respond to questions that we get into our campaign when they say 'What are you going to do about these issues?' And when we respond we post them up on our website. And the response is, ‘we'll enforce the law,’" said Santorum.
"I don’t know what the hubbub about that is," he said. "We have a president who is not enforcing the law, and we will."
The candidate best known for espousing family values argues on his website that pornography causes changes in the brain to both children and adults, and contributes to violence against women, prostitution and sex trafficking. "The Obama administration has turned a blind eye to those who wish to preserve our culture from the scourge of pornography," he wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at firstread.msnbc.msn.com ...
You say that Santorum is not really making an issue of this, and that “most” Americans agree with him on this.
But in reality, the moral decay in this country, is the direct result of those same people who you claim agree with Santorum.
Morality begins in the home, at the family level, and is taught through example. The American family is no longer what it was 3 decades ago. What you see on the Internet these days, as well as what the younger generations are doing to promote this kind of thing, is a direct reflection that morality is no longer a priority or is being taught or enforced at the family level.
It is way too late to legislate it now and legislation has never worked anyway. (Remember Prohibition?)
I am aware that’s not his message. His message is simply to enforce existing laws. But, that’s not the way the public will see it. When he gets questions like that, he needs to just ignore them.
I don’t support the porn culture. I think it’s vile. But, he stepped in something that will likely now be a national embarrassment for him. He shouldn’t have even answered the question.
By continuously taking the bait, Santorum does it to himself.
Well said. But I fear the damage has been done. Santorum's given the Obama campaign too many soundbites.
Since it looks like he wants to go on his own religious crusade, changing America to suit how he wants things, would he also go after metal music? You know, considering how demonized it’s been and all...
There's not a single member of Fr who is saying morality isn't important.....it's a matter of the very fact the country is going into free fall and is in dangerous perils financially, being taken over by commie ntcases and their agenda ...which IS the priority
Obama is setting up for religious and morality wars because he doesn't have a leg to stand on otherwise....and Santorum's taking the bait all to well...and why the Democrats love that Santorum's at the top of the heat.
Go to most Democratic sights and see what they are saying about Santorum.....they are delighted he's galvanizing their otherwise couch potatoes into action.
People have been discussing the moral fiber of this country for years...it's not like it's something new. But that is what Santorum is known for. Little other can he maneuver where he isn't sounding like he "borrowed" from others....and does on a consistent.
The Communist goal was to brainwash the masses and destroy America's strength........it's morality (and it actually goes back to Stalin in the 1930's).
They obviously succeeded, as even among some who consider themselves 'conservative' believe that morality doesn't matter, and that liberty equals license. (What is this 'consenting adult' stuff when you're dealing with teenaged girls who have been trafficked and are now in porn films??)
I can't believe how far downhill we have gone since I joined up here 11 years ago. The defense of pornography here is absolutely frightening.
There are actually a number of them saying exactly that, caww. It's disturbing.
One more time, my point is not about pornography. My point is Santorum continues to let the media frame the debate, and then Santorum supporters become unhinged and blame everyone else except their candidate for the flawed message. If Santorum, or his handlers, are not savvy enough at this point to recognize the media's game, he's got major problems ahead.
And stop with the overly inflammatory accusations of others here just because we bring up other relevant arguments that are affecting Santorum's overall message. You know what people here are trying to say. Stop playing games. it trivializes your point.
I'd really like to know your opinion. Thanks.
Santorum is addressing the fact that Obama is not enforcing the law.
The laws against pornography are something that the majority of Americans support.
Yes, morality begins in the home, but if laws against pornography are not enforced, or scoffed at, good parents trying their best to keep their kids safe from the evil of pornography, are fighting an uphill battle.
It is not inappropriate in the least for every one of our candidates to be addressing this issue.
(I'll ignore your strange reference to Prohibition, as it has absolutely no relevance to the conversation).
“Morality begins in the home, at the family level, and is taught through example. The American family is no longer what it was 3 decades ago. What you see on the Internet these days, as well as what the younger generations are doing to promote this kind of thing, is a direct reflection that morality is no longer a priority or is being taught or enforced at the family level.”
THANK YOU for saying this.
Years ago I read the following (sorry I can’t quote the author): “If people spent one tenth of the time they spend trying to change the country on trying to change themselves; the country would not need to be changed.”
It is the FAILURE of parents, families, and churches that we find ourselves in moral decline.
Agreed, Joe 6pk. Too many on the far left help these goals along because they don’t want society looking down on them when they don’t live up to traditional morals.
lol.......good points, Antonius.
What other kind of porn is illegal besides kiddie porn and beastiality (in most states anyway)??
Not an apples-to-apples comparison; and not really even true. Terrorism would find a different lousy excuse if there were no such thing as oil.
We already had laws against terrorism, but 9-11 happened anyway. Just because we have laws doesn't mean anything's being done to substantively enforce them. That's the point Santorum is driving at, here; a point the Obama administration -- and even the Bush administration before him (think :illegal immigration) -- is unwilling to admit.
NOBODY has to expand government to quash porn or terrorism; SOMEBODY has to enforce existing law. THAT is what Santorum is committing to do, for a change.
What are you babbling about? This whole marxists using pornography to defeat our nation line of argument is utterly ridiculous. You sound completely absurd saying dumb things like this. It is the marxists governments in particular that seek to shut down, filter, monitor and otherwise patrol the internet - not free people in free countries.
You sound like some fundamentalist from the Saudi religious police, or a fanatical Imam in a Madrassa on the Pakistani border with Afghanistan. The idea that internet porn is being used to destroy their cultures is exactly the backward, boneheaded stuff they preach. No one is using porn to defeat our nation. I don't know where you got this silly conspiracy theory from, but it's absolute nonsense.
That... and the Hottentots!
Who?
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