Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!husc6!panda!genrad!decvax!ittatc!bunker!rha
From: rha@bunker.UUCP (Robert H. Averack)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,net.legal
Subject: Re: Re: The Pornography Commission's Report
Message-ID: <1183@bunker.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Sep-86 10:02:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: bunker.1183
Posted: Fri Sep 12 10:02:45 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 15-Sep-86 22:06:21 EDT
References: <5221@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Reply-To: rha@bunker.UUCP (Robert H. Averack)
Organization: Bunker Ramo, Trumbull Ct
Lines: 50
Xref: mnetor talk.politics.misc:121 net.legal:3566

In article <5221@decwrl.DEC.COM> mahoney@bizet.dec.com writes:
>  
>  I will grant the commission that it was correct.  That their is a link
>  between violence and ponography.  It still does not take away personal
>  responsibility for the act.  It is time government got off the back of 
>  the people and let them be responsible for their own actions.  If people
>  want to read smut let them.  If they act violently after the fact that 
>  will be dealt with by the justice system.  Allowing government the power
>  to protect people from responsiblity for their own decisions and actions
>  is wrong.  I personally believe that censorship in any form is wrong.
>  
>  Brian Mahoney

Brian,

I'm not quite sure how I stand on the Meese Commission yet, because it,
indeed, is wrestling with the fine line between literal interpretation
of the Constitution (i.e. 1st Ammendment) and *preventive medicine*.
What I mean is, well, our society has passed various ordinances which
allegedly impose on the rights of individuals, but which serve the
collective good (by heading something off before it becomes a problem).
Some examples include:

o  Drunk Driving Laws        o  Gun Control          o  Speed Limits
o  Workplace Safety Laws     o  Toxic Waste Control  o  Etc. Etc. Etc.

If a clear relationship can be established between Pornography and
subsequent acts of violence, then doesn't it make sense to head-off
its chance to drive a person to that act of violence, rather than be
poised to incarcerate the person after the fact.  By doing this, we've
spared the life of that potential victim, hence, we've served the
greater good of society.

I am usually a fundamentalist of the Constitution, but maybe you and 
I need to bend a little in this matter.  Think about it.

     Bob Averack


-- 
 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
 !             (Robert H. Averack @ Bunker Ramo, Trumbull, Ct.)          !
 !                                                                       !
 !     ##   "...it is better to have loved      USENET: bunker!rha       !
 !    #OO#    in lofts than to never have       UUCP: bunker!/usr/spool  !
 !   ######   loved at all!"                       /uucppublic/averack   !
 !   ##\/##    - Julius "Groucho" Marx          OFFLINE: 35 Nutmeg Dr.   !
 !   ######      ("Monkey Business" - 1930)         Trumbull, CT  06611  !
 !    L  L                                                               !
 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !