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From: mauney@ncsu.UUCP (Jon Mauney)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.misc
Subject: Re: Real Dirt on Porn
Message-ID: <2502@ncsu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 12:07:22 EST
Article-I.D.: ncsu.2502
Posted: Fri Feb 17 12:07:22 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 04:22:26 EST
References: <6919@watmath.UUCP>
Organization: N.C. State University, Raleigh
Lines: 42

Tracy Tims has an interesting idea:  don't ban pornography that
depicts graphic sex,  ban films that promote rape and/or
other crimes.  This would give a much more objective and workable
guideline.  Unfortunately:

1) which crimes are not to be shown?  If it is the glorification
of crime that we object to,  then a lot of very good movies are
in trouble.  A lot of movies show people getting away with murder;
The Sting certainly glorified fraud.  If someone makes a movie
that depicts littering (and creating a nuisance)  will he be fined
50 dollars and made to pick up the garbage?

2) XXX-rated movies (so I'm told) often depict adultery, fornication,
incest, and Infamous Crimes Against Nature -- activities which are
still illegal in many places.  Porno movies without such activities
would be even more boring than they currently are.

3) Restrictions could be easily circumvented.  For example,  I could
make a movie that graphically depicts a man raping and murdering
many women.  I would draw this out for about 90 minutes --
especially the sex scenes -- to emphasize the brutal and inhuman
nature of this man.  Then I would show him arrested, tried, and
put behind bars.  I would make this part last about five minutes,
to show the swift application of justice.  Voila!  a morality play,
suitable for schoolchildren: If You're Mean, You'll Go To Prison.
I could argue my artistic vision in court for years,  and I probably 
would win.  And if the prosecution wants to argue the influence
my movie has,  they'll have to find someone who saw my movie and
was thus motivated to commit a rape he would not otherwise have 
committed.  

Tracy admits that there are problems with any attempt to restrict
forms of communication.  I agree.  That is why there should be
no restrictions at all,  unless a clear and present danger can be
shown.

The way to prevent rape is to find out why some men are
mentally ill.  Censoring movies will not work.
-- 

_Doctor_                           Jon Mauney,    mcnc!ncsu!mauney
\__Mu__/                           North Carolina State University