I previously detailed the recent efforts by Morality In Media (MIM) to persuade Congress to pressure Justice into pursuing pornographers — an effort in which MIM is now claiming success, following the addition of more than 100 legislator’s signatures to a petition sent to the U.S. Attorney General, demanding increases in porn prosecutions.
Like sharks smelling blood in the water, these enemies of free expression are creating more problems for an industry that is already on its knees; drawing no distinction betwixt legitimate purveyors of adult entertainment, and traffickers in sex slaves, for example — since we all know that no one would actually willing want to have intercourse on camera, porn producers must be stealing these performers from somewhere…
These ridiculously uninformed Puritanical notions, while perhaps being acceptable on a personal basis when conveyed in the home or church, have no place being forced upon an educated society which values freedom of choice.
The legitimate adult industry is not targeting “the children;” we’re not using “slaves” (unless you count college interns — ugh, that’s a joke, by the way); we’re not creating “victims” or “addicts;” we’re just allowing consenting adults to patronize the legal media of their choosing.
Does that mean these problems don’t exist? No, it means they are not “our” problems, but rather problems caused by criminals, who use the universal appeal of adult material to prey upon their victims — and not a result of legitimate, adult oriented commerce.
I’ll state it once again; MIM needs to learn the difference between “pornography” and “obscenity” — while they may confuse their supporters by conflating the two, the court is another matter; and a body that isn’t so readily fooled.
Despite that reality, it’s clear that hunkering down may prove a prudent strategy for many operators, as any added roadblocks will unnecessarily harm this struggling industry that is already reeling from a range of problematic issues beyond its control.
In conclusion, I’ll trot out the old NRA pro-gun bumper sticker quote, paraphrasing it to “When porn is outlawed, only outlaws will make and sell porn,” — a situation which is neither good for the public, nor the performers.
