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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!cae780!weitek!fear!robert
From: robert@fear.UUCP (Robert Plamondon)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Possible Ban on Pornography
Message-ID: <259@fear.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Sep-85 21:04:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: fear.259
Posted: Wed Sep  4 21:04:52 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Sep-85 10:45:23 EDT
References: <369@scirtp.UUCP> <1870@reed.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Weitek Corp. Sunnyvale Ca.
Lines: 47
Summary: "Wolf! Wolf!" cried the little boy. But nobody listened...

In article <1870@reed.UUCP>, ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades) writes:
[edited slightly]
> Thirdly, the argument that "Nothing is worth losing freedom of
> the press" does not seem valid to me.  To me, the fact that the
> institution of ________ maims the lives of women and children
> daily, promotes violent thoughts and violent actions against
> weaker persons, and flaunts degradation to satisfy prurient
> interests, far outweighs the ideal of freedom of the press...
>
> Ellen Eades

Alright, class, what is it that Ellen wants to censor?

a. Literature about contraception.
b. Literature about homosexuality.
c. Comic books.
d. Rock music.
e. Pornography.
f. Gambling Publications.
g. Ads for alcoholic beverages.
h. "Druggie" publications.
i. Pro-nazi works.
j. Anti-nazi works.
k. Socrates.

Ellen's argument still has power, in spite of having been used
hundreds of times before, against a myriad of "social evils" ranging
from women's suffrage to ragtime music.

In all these cases, the people pushing censorship were absolutely
convinced that it was necessary, and that society would come crashing
down if the evil influences of the powers of darkness weren't
suppressed. The people who judged Socrates believed it.  The Spanish
Inquisition believed it.  The nazis believe it.

For my part, I have my doubts.

To the cries of "No! Wait! IT REALLY IS A WOLF THIS TIME!!" I turn a
deaf ear.  I hope you understand.
-- 

"We don't serve their kind here!"
"Huh?"
"Those 'droids! They'll have to wait outside!"

		Robert Plamondon
		{turtlevax, resonex, cae780}!weitek!robert