U.S. declares War on Porn

Baltimore Sun ^ | April 5, 2004 | Laura Sullivan

[Quick1]

WASHINGTON -- Lam Nguyen's job is to sit for hours in a chilly, quiet room devoid of any color but gray and look at pornography. This job, which Nguyen does earnestly from 9 to 5, surrounded by a half-dozen other "computer forensic specialists" like him, has become the focal point of the Justice Department's operation to rid the world of porn.

In this field office in Washington, 32 prosecutors, investigators and a handful of FBI agents are spending millions of dollars to bring anti-obscenity cases to courthouses across the country for the first time in 10 years. Nothing is off limits, they warn, even soft-core cable programs such as HBO's long-running Real Sex or the adult movies widely offered in rooms of major hotel chains.

Department officials say they will send "ripples" through an industry that has proliferated on the Internet and grown into an estimated $10 billion-a-year colossus profiting Fortune 500 corporations such as Comcast, which offers hard-core movies on a pay-per-view channel.

[biblewonk]

For the second time, aren't you putting government in God's place?

I guess you think this is a terribly good question. I'll answer it with a question. Have you never read what the NT says of government, who has put it in place and what it is for? If you haven't then it will seem that I have not answered your question. If you have then I certainly don't see why you ask the question.

If you haven't then I suggest that you get a bit more familiar with God's role in government before asking the question.

[weegee]

When sodomy laws fell by Judical declaration, I don't see how prostitution laws were not affected by the same decision.

After all, we are talking about consenting adults engaging in an act in private. Is it the financial transaction that makes it different?

Adults pay adults and minors to be child care providers (babysitters) without any government regulation.

[jimt]

Their used to be anti adultary laws.

Actually there's a very good non-biblical justification for anti-adultery laws.

Marriage (besides its sacramental nature) is a contract. Breaking the terms of a contract, especially while engaging in fraud and deceit, is criminal. Assisting someone else to break a contract, while practicing fraud and deceit, is criminal.

A criminal law regarding adultery is quite defensible from a secular viewpoint.

[olorin]

When HBO shows clips of European scat fetish, has a line been crossed?

For you, obviously. Now, from your post I'm not so sure how you would feel about good old fashioned American scat fetish. I would note also that you sure do know a lot about the "objectionable" material on HBO despite only coming across it while flipping through the channels. Morbid fascination maybe?

[weegee]

A criminal law regarding adultery is quite defensible from a secular viewpoint.

I agree on the same grounds you identified.

[biblewonk]

Good differentiation between secular and biblical reasoning.

This would also apply to same sex marriage but there is certainly no secular reason not to allow same sex marriage.

[Modernman]

Government small enough to fit in your bedroom.

PJ O'Rourke had a line that went, roughly: I don't want the government coming to my house unless it's bringing women, booze and some more ice.

[republicofdavis]

What an articulate response. I must admit I am unaware of locales where bestiality is legal but I'll take your word for it. Is it just that it's not explicitly illegal?

I agree with your thoughts on the over/under issue. I think that the idea behind the dichotomy is that while a 17 year old is deemed to have the maturity to have sex with an 18 year old, he or she is not deemed to be able to consent to the exploitation of their image. Or something like that.

[weegee]

I did end up dropping my HBO subscription and then cable altogether. I initially subscribed to HBO because at the time it was the only way for me to get some "expanded cable" choices like AMC.

Can a pay network mix adult only porn with regular fare without notifying their customers? Or should such explicit programming be confined to adults only channels?

[antiRepublicrat]

There used to be anti-prostitution laws in the books that meant something. Their used to be anti adultary laws.

There were also Sabbath laws, laws allowing only people of accepted denominations to be considered free (Quakers banished, death upon return), or laws preventing wearing of fancy or expensive clothes. These actual laws appeared in the same list as your beloved anti-adultery and fornication laws, written by the religious in power in this country.

[eleni121]

Finally an Attorney General who enforces the laws.

No wonder the Left hates him so much, much more than even the Prez.

Whether it can completely be controlled isn't the issue---we need to make the effort. Any alternative requires a far higher price to pay.

[Sweet Land]

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ad0b80b3a17.htm - NO KING BUT JESUS: Romans 13 and the Perfect Law of Liberty

[Dead Corpse]

Are they trying to make sure we all get cancer?

Yet another of one of FR's more pointless discussions. I for one want government to do its job and not my religions job as well. Period. Especially considering the crap-tacular job they do of just their listed job duties.

Thanks, but no thanks.

[robertpaulsen]

"Your desire to have government deal with "sin", however, is the recipe for tyranny."

Can't a community decide these issues? Issues like strip clubs, adult book stores, prostitution, etc.?

[antiRepublicrat]

The incident I refer to was a segment in which 2 "lesbians" are seen in a bathtub together tonguing each other. They are groping each other's breasts. They stand up in the tub to show that they still have penises. They are sexual freaks of several orders.

Exactly how long did you watch this to get so much information?

[republicofdavis]

"Splain to me the constitutional basis for anti-sodomy laws that used to exist but have all fallen? How has the constitution changed? Perhaps anti-sodomy laws were wrong all along. There are many who think so today."

You must keep in mind the differences between the federal and state governments. The states have always had the explicit power to regulate the public welfare, including crimes. The federal government has illegally (in my opinion) stripped that power from the states in regards to sodomy laws. I would offer the same objection if the USSC banned Nevada prostitution -- no legal basis to do so. But if Nevada decided to ban it, fine by me.

"Perhaps anti-sodomy laws were wrong all along. There are many who think so today."

I wager that part of the reason many of these laws were repealed occurred when the vast majority of heterosexuals found out that they were criminals, too.

[Modernman]

Can't a community decide these issues? Issues like strip clubs, adult book stores, prostitution, etc.?

Of course. Zoning to limit where adult businesses function is perfectly fine. However, that's quite different from trying to prevent people from watching porn in the privacy of their own home.

[jimt]

If you haven't then I suggest that you get a bit more familiar with God's role in government before asking the question.

Nice dodge.

You propose giving government the power to punish sin. You don't have the power, or the right, to punish sin. How can you delegate to government what you don't have?

If we take the Mormons' viewpoint, consumption of alcohol is sin. If we take the Baptists', dancing is a sin. If we take the Jews or the Islamics, consumption of pork is a sin.

Do we combine all religions' definitions of sin into one neat penal code?

[antiRepublicrat]

Why should it be illegal to sell what is perfectly legal to give away for free?

[weegee]

The clip transpired in something like a matter of seconds. Do you accept such programming as being on par with the Hollywood movies and original programming like The Sopranos and boxing that HBO is known for?