Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!regard From: regard@ttidcc.UUCP (Adrienne Regard) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: re possible ban on pornography Message-ID: <731@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Tue, 24-Sep-85 12:52:56 EDT Article-I.D.: ttidcc.731 Posted: Tue Sep 24 12:52:56 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 27-Sep-85 06:33:10 EDT Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA. Lines: 28 >>> Pornography does not, in and of itself, cause violent and anti-social >>> behavior. >>I agree with your argument but this is vaguely reminicent of the NRA -- >>"Guns don't kill..." [I favour much stronger gun control.] >To the extent that it goes, the NRA argument is accurate. However, there >is a very fundamental difference between pornography and guns: guns can >be dangerous simply because someone doesn't understand them, whereas porn >is only dangerous in the hands of a (mentally) sick individual -- be they >male or female. First, let me say that I'm not interested in banning pornography. Second, let me say that the above comment is absurd. Does a 13 year old "understand" all the implications of what s/he sees in pornography, especially pornography that depicts degrading or dangerous sexual practices? That's a rather large assumption to make. It is one of the basic assumptions of the anti-porn movement that people sub-consciously "see" much more than consenting adults doing what they enjoy -- which may also be incorrect, but errs on the side of care rather than neglect. There is very little fundamental difference as you cite it above. The _real_ fundamental difference is that a gun is a weapon that can be used harmfully on another human being (for protection or harm. I don't support stronger gun control), whereas it's a little difficult to imagine someone harming someone else using porn material as the actual agent -- stuffing a magazine down a throat? Using film to hang someone? Better if you must, to compare pornographic pictures with pictures of guns in use, and compare merely the consenting adult to the possessor of the actual weapon. Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com