Posted on 11/19/2004 3:07:51 PM PST by Lindykim
Porn Like Heroin in the Brain by Stuart Shepard, correspondent
Senate committee discusses pornography and the First Amendment.
Experts on pornography's effects on brain chemistry testified at a Senate hearing this week where a key point of discussion was whether porn is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment or addictive material that should be unlawful.
Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover described how pornography is analogous to cigarettes, noting that "it is a very carefully designed delivery system for evoking a tremendous flood within the brain of endogenous opioids." It's time, he added, to stop regarding it as simply a form of expression. "Modern science," Satinover said, "allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to pornography is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction."
Dr. Mary Anne Layden with the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania explained how a pornographic image is burned into the brain's pathways.
"That image is in your brain forever," she explained. "If that was an addictive substance, you, at any point for the rest of your life, could in a nanosecond draw it up."
Dr. Judith Reisman, president of the Institute for Media Education, called on the Senate to take action against pornography, saying it's time to mandate that law enforcement begin to collect all data and pornographic materials found in the possession of anyone involved in criminal activity. Doing so, she added, would yield data showing whether pornography is being used as a how-to manual for sex crimes.
"The evidence the panelists presented showed an overwhelming harm from pornography," said Daniel Weiss, media and sexuality analyst with Focus on the Family. He hopes the Senate will turn the evidence into action.
TAKE ACTION/FOR MORE INFORMATION If you think Congress should be taking serious action against pornography, you can start by thanking Sen. Sam Brownback for calling the hearing, then contact your representatives in Congress and let them know what you think. For help in contacting your elected representatives, please see our CitizenLink Action Center.
Also, to learn more about one person's struggles with pornography, we suggest the resource "An Affair of the Mind: One Woman's Courageous Battle to Salvage Her Family From the Devastation of Pornography." Author Laurie Hall shares her courageous struggle to protect herself and two children from her husband's addiction to pornography.
Any parent could tell you what nonsense that is. What you pour into your mind determines what your values, determines where your moral stops are, determines what you see as acceptable.
A cultural diet of sadistic mass entertainments preceeded by live sex shows turned the Roman people from sober virtuous citizens into a bread and circuses depraved mob. History tells you what nonsense you are talking.
Thankfully, most Americans do not live in one-horse towns anymore.
So there were clearly understood cultural rules of right and wrong which if you transgressed, life would be made very uncomfortable for you.
That's nice, I guess. The majority of Americans choose to live in places that do not work like that, thank God.
Try openning up one of your precious porn bookstores in a Mormon or Bible Belt community and you'll see what I mean.
Why would I want to do that? I have no desire to impose my values on anyone. All I ask from you and your ilk is that you do the same. Tell you what- you stay in your small town and do whatever the heck it is you people do, and I'll keep living my evil, degenerate lifestyle.
And America has never, ever been in the least libertarian about things like drunkeness, Sunday business, or obscenity
I'm sure you believe this, of course. Where I live, businesses are open on Sunday, people do get drunk in public and are only arrested if they interfere with the rights of others and adults have the right to buy Playboy.
And I live in Red America.
I think your problem is that you can't accept that most of America does not see the world the same way you do.
The more illegitimacy you have, the more often the state must be parent.
Um, no. I determine those things. Not some inanimate book or video.
A cultural diet of sadistic mass entertainments preceeded by live sex shows turned the Roman people from sober virtuous citizens into a bread and circuses depraved mob.
Um, no. A life of dependence on the welfare state is what broke down the morals of the Roman people.
I was talking about relatively libertarian pre-1933 America. A one-horse town can be pure libertarian because the weight of ostracism would be crushing. The larger and more diverse the community the less ostracism means so the state fills the vacuum.
It was an analogy to compare the stubbornness. Not directed at you personally. If the shoe fits wear it if not then ignore it.
But I do not believe that the government abolishment route is the best plan of action
Nobody is calling for the abolishment of porn, Just a decent society thats not saturated with wild animistic sexual activity at every turn. All entertainment/advertisement is chock full of it and all avenues of communication seem to depend on it. Dissent have to be that way. and the government should regulate it.
The slut factor needs to be dialed down a notch or two that's all I am saying. It's a negative influence on the youngsters.
BTW, How many daughters do you have? Just curious.
I'm a parent, and I'm not buying what you're selling. I have 4 children, a girl 26, a boy 24, a boy 12, and a girl 10.
But they relied on the morality of the people to keep the Republic together! Don't you get it...?
What do you think Ben Franklins great quotation meant when he stated to on lookers ..."We have given you a republic...if you can can keep it!"
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