Canaries in America's Coal Mine
Yesterday I stated that the real target of American fundamentalists is not the porn industry but the mainstream media:
American fundamentalists are hoping to lay the legislative and judicial groundwork for a sweeping assault upon liberties most of us take for granted. Like, say, watching a racy television series or listening to music that contains offensive lyrics. Their vision of a child-safe world is, ironically, quite dangerous to adults.
As if to prove my point, yesterday the House passed yet another amendment to Regulation 2257, tucked away within the innocuous-sounding Children’s Safety Act, expanding Federal record-keeping requirements to include simulated sexual conduct of the sort you’ll find in many movies and television programs.
No big deal though, right? All the studios have to do is file the necessary paperwork. Not so fast:
The provision, written by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., could have ramifications beyond simply requiring someone to ensure that the names and ages of actors who partake in pretend lovemaking as compliance with Section 2257 in effect defines a movie or TV show as a pornographic work under federal law.
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The 2257 provision also has ramifications beyond the artistic as a federal tax provision designed to stem runaway production is unavailable to anyone required to register a 2257. Many state incentives designed to entice filmmakers to shoot on location also contain similar language.
This presents the studios with rather unappealing options: 1) file the paperwork and risk losing federal and state incentives, 2) eliminate simulated sexual conduct entirely, 3) relocate to countries with more favorable laws. In any case, such a law will exact a heavy toll upon the American film industry.
I don’t know about the rest of you adults, but I certainly didn’t wait 21 years to have the full rights and privileges of adulthood—among them making my own decisions about what media to consume—only to have those rights and privileges taken away by the nanny state. Laws like these don’t protect the children (given the laws already on the books, child pornographers must by definition operate underground), they prevent us all from ever growing up.
If there’s a silver lining to this, it may be that people will finally wake up when the government comes for their Desperate Housewives or Sopranos. Even Red State America is going to have difficulty swallowing this Soviet-style media suppression.
There’s plenty of hand-wringing going on right now among sex-bloggers, writers, artists and people involved in the sex industry. People have begun censoring themselves or else pulling up stakes altogether. In the past I stated that I have no intention of becoming another Larry Flynt. If this keeps up, however, it looks like I’ll have no choice. As someone with a mother who grew up in Nazi Germany, a father who grew up in the segregated South and an uncle who spent most of his life behind the Iron Curtain, I know all too well how these kinds of moral crusades turn out.
It’s funny how they always start with the artists, the intellectuals, the “deviants.”
So to hell with all the yellow-bellied moderates out there in consumer-land, all the vacillating, equivocating technocrats; I’m sounding the alarm. Threat level Red. The Republic is in jeopardy, for this and many other reasons. I’ll be damned if I’m going to back down in the face of tyranny—that would be downright un-American.
The American Taliban’s primary tactic here is intimidation. If we collectively flinch things will only get worse. They’ve overreached and it’s time to force their hand.
I just hope that if the Feds come a knockin’ the rest of you will pony up a few bucks for my legal defense fund.
More: America | Law | Fundies | 2257 | Obscenity | Pornography. Fascism
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Trav | Oct 14, 02:14 AM | #
Count me in. This is ridiculous. It seems like, when it comes to the current administration, the phrase “it can’t possibly get any worse than this” is rendered meaningless. When you take a step back, it seems clear that the administration’s goal is to basically replace science (and free choice) with religion. I clipped an ad a few months back that had quotations from Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Dick Cheney, and George Bush. The Washington one goes, “The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” From Bush: “I trust that God speaks through me.” Considering the recent reports from Middle Eastern leaders who all corroborate that Bush repeatedly stated that “God had instructed him to invade Afganistan and Iraq and help their people,” this country is facing a great danger to the freedoms that until recently were easy to take for granted. Combine that with rampant incompetence and an inability to govern…the shit is really hitting the fan. It’s scary stuff.byrd | Oct 14, 01:05 PM | #
“The 2257 provision also has ramifications beyond the artistic as a federal tax provision designed to stem runaway production is unavailable to anyone required to register a 2257.”A sex tax, how nice.
Trav: try not to hamstring yourself by directing your anger at George Bush. He heads the executive, not the legislative branch. And accoridng to BoingBoing, this bill passed 371-52. That means it has broad bi-partison support. The problem goes far deeper than an unpopluar president or a bunch of red states.
Lex: you’re right. The time is fast approaching where we can no longer sit on the sidelines.
Lex | Oct 14, 05:07 PM | #
I agree that it’s important not to get overly fixated on our supreme Mullah. None of these regulations would pass muster without a certain degree of Democratic complicity (indeed, note Hillary’s recent campaign against the video game industry). The Left and the Right both believe in nanny state policies, though each party has its own pet causes.Ed | Oct 15, 04:20 PM | #
I just hope all this nonsense doesn’t spread to the UK.David | Oct 16, 03:04 AM | #
The pendulum is swinging and it can only swing back if those who see the wisdom of the other way stand up and speak up. Thanks to you LexPussy Talk | Oct 17, 09:34 AM | #
As an outsider looking in from Canada:Americans can’t see the forest for the trees. Your government is out-and-out fascist.
If your country remains on this track, it will destroy what remains of democracy, not only in the US but in the free world, because like it or lump it, you drag the rest of us along in your wake.
America needs another revolution to make the world safe FROM America.
DTG xxoo
chris | Oct 17, 03:46 PM | #
Gotta go with Trav on this one.To Byrd and Lex – are you aware that most GOP congressman refer to Bush as “The Boss”. My brother is a staffer for an Oregon Dem congressman and seems to be constantly amazed by the sweeping consolidation of influence that the White House wields over capital hill.
Is it any surprise that Texan Tom Delay has been the spiritaul leader of the GOP in the house during the Texas Two Step administration of Bush/Rove et. al?
Theoritically, we have the 3 different branches of govenment. Can you seriously see a difference, though, between the Legislative and Executive branches since 9.11.2001? And a Miers’ed Supreme Court (oh c’mon do you REALLY think she’s not going to get confirmed?) plants a Texas cronie on the bench for a generation.
Take a whiff… it’s the sweet smell of totalitarianism.
Trav | Oct 18, 09:09 PM | #
I do agree with Lex’s point about the Dem’s complicity. However, I would add that it seems to me that whenever one party wields control over two branches of government, the minority party is forced to pick their battles carefully. I think that the whole “you gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” concept of politics is a reality and also something familiar to everyone in this discussion. I’m not saying that to validate the Democratic party’s decision to roll over on an issue like this one that I consider important and another harbinger of the development of Orwellian-like government, either. It frightens me that the government continues to roll back civil rights. What frightens me even more, though, is that it appears that those in our government who would stand up don’t because they fear retribution from an American public that supports such actions. That, in addition to a complicit mainstream media and those of opposing political position who yell loudly about “Massachusetts liberals” and point fingers. The crusading moralists at work in the government and beyond are right-wing Christians, by and large. The Bush adminstration is party to this movement and it would be impossible for anyone to argue that their agenda is anything but a moralist, right-wing Christian one. Therefore, when I criticize Bush, it’s because as the President, he bears the responsibility of steering the government (and therefore herding the people) one way or another, balance of powers be as it may. With his party controlling no less than 2/3s of the government, his wields incredible “influence” on the agenda of the entire government, While the President may not have directly proposed the piece of legislation in discussion, to think that he didn’t have much to do with it would ignore the influence he has on the legislative branch. By that logic, to say that I was getting too caught up on Bush agenda would be turning a blind eye to the workings of our government. It’s not as if this bill doesn’t fit his agenda—on the contrary: it’s exactly in line with it. I don’t have any hangups about that piece of criticism. While Bush definitely is the target of my ire because as President he bears that burden as the face of the government, let me reiterate that even more troubling, and perhaps an even greater foe to our freedoms, lie in the large group of Americans who agree with him.Finally, I want to apologize for leaving such long “comments”. While I’ve been a long time reader, it wasn’t till the posts on this topic that I couldn’t fight back my urge to say something. I don’t want to come across as grandstanding, so if my comments have become too long-winded perhaps they would be better suited to a new forum thread. I truly value this discussion—it’s an important first step.
chris | Oct 19, 09:22 AM | #
Trav…I am not speaking for our host, Lex, but I’ve got think the longer the comment (save total rambliongs) the more welcome the thought.
I’m with you in regard to political swings and the need to pick battles and pick the CORRECT battles at that. Correct in my current political war-time mind equals EFFECTIVE.
The “Mass. Liberals” is evidence of an effective fight. When Jesse Helms was getting his ass kicked by a black candidate ahead of the 1992 NC senate election, he ran ads of old white crackers sitting on porches saying “Harvey Gant (the black dem candidate) is as bad as Ted Kennedy”. Played the race card AND the Mass liberals card. Helms went from 10 points down to 10 points up in a week. Why the HELL are Dem’s not taking this tried and true association principle more seriously to thier advantage.
Thankfully, some are. Don’t know where you are stationed in life, but here in the NYC area, Jon Corzine is finally showing some Dem balls by running attack ad after attack ad linking his NJ gubernatorial opponent to Bush (“Forrester is Bush’s Candidate” is the tag line). I’ve been advocating this kind of strategy for months, and am shocked the Dem candidate for mayor in NYC isn’t doing the same thing. I want to see posters all over town of Bloomy shaking Gov Pataki’s hand (approval rating
Lex | Oct 19, 03:47 PM | #
By all means go ahead and leave long comments. I’ve been keeping this post around because I want to see what others have to say.Michael | Oct 21, 10:06 AM | #
Hey. Here’s another foreigner speaking. If at least I understand half of what is put here we in Germany and you, too, should get seriously concerned of what’s bubbling underneath in the U.S. I never realized that things have already gotten that far until I read this. We in Germany cherish the freedoms which had been brought to us by u guys some 60 years ago. I’m sad and highly alarmed to see them now taken away from the people in your country. Please keep your senses sharp and speak for your rights.Take care! I wish I could help.
Michael from Germany, Europe.
Bill F. | Oct 24, 06:12 PM | #
Hmmmm. I seem to remember a big move to protect American’s from the Internet DURING the Clinton Administration. And also protect american’s from Television (The V-Chip). So the ‘government’ intruding into our lives isn’t exactly a Red vs Blue thing. As for Democrats not playing dirty. Really, you are joking, the Democrats play the ‘Republicans are going to take away your social security’ card in every election around here to stampede the old people cattle (which I will be joining in only a few years) into voting for them. Dumb people will believe anything.The real future is for a new party, because the other one’s are clearly up their own asses. Look at how quickly and at what a supermajority they gave away have our civil rights in the “Patriot Act” in which only a few correct thinkers and handful of malcontents voted against it. One Senator. ONE. He’s my personal hero, even if he is a Democrat.
And I begin to wonder if White House Lawyer Lady is going to pass muster. I hope not.
Its time to throw ALL of them out.
But this country is not turning Fascist. Too many people with a mind to disagree with that notion exist. Look at the definition of what is Fascism. We don’t qualify. Yes in the world’s opinion we put OUR interests ahead of what they perceive to be theirs. How dare we act in such a selfish manner. Yeah right. No one else in history has ever done that. American’s don’t think of themselves as the super race. Heck we don’t have a race, we are a polyglot. For once we acted proactively instead of reactively.
The move to repress freedoms has been going on for quite some time.
Fight my friends, hard and long for our rights. But lets not let a disagreement over foriegn policy cloud our judgements over where this crap starts. BOTH parties have been gotten to. Its time to steal our rights back that have been abridged, illegally I might add, but legislation to ‘protect’ us.
Republicans do not believe in the superiority of state over individuals, quite the opposite in fact. They believe in states rights over the federal governments rights and people rights above all. Look at recent court decisions. Decision after decision went against peoples rights and look who voted for and against. Look at the one about emminent domain and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. The ‘liberals’ on the court side with ‘the state’ over ‘the people’. Not a good track record.
This means the state can take your property and you are screwed. Its for the good of the state. That’s facism.
Bad Man | Oct 24, 10:58 PM | #
I kept saying that they were wrong, you know.Everyone.
I said “George Bush? September 11th took a president made out of cookie dough and turned him into a president carved out of wood.”
Yeah. Whoops. My mistake.
I thought that energies would be diverted to rooting out and killing Al Qaeda. Instead, we’ve got an expended and ever expanding war on drugs and an expanding war on pornography.
What was it that they said – we will control all that you see and hear?
Bill F’s right, though, you know about the democrat/republican thing. It’s goodbye to the old boss, hello to the new boss over here. I remember Clinton supporting COPA and the V-Chip and more. Now there’s 2257.
We have always been at war with Eurasia.
I’ll donate to your defense fund, Lex, if they come gunning for you on 2257 violations.