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From: mat@mtx5a.UUCP (m.terribile)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,net.legal,soc.singles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Commission on Pornography -- reply to GWSmith
Message-ID: <1576@mtx5a.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Oct-86 01:15:23 EDT
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Posted: Fri Oct  3 01:15:23 1986
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> >[certain materials linking sex with violence encourage certain acts by
> > a certain group of people ...]
> >
> >Because the interaction of the two affects people (victims) of these
> >individuals, and because patterns of victimization are not always simple and
> >evident (look at columns by Ann Landers, look at articles on this newsgroup
> >about dogs and cleaning the house) the simple remedy of ``well, leave him''
> >does not protect these victims adequately.  Further, where force or threat of
> >bodily harm is involved, that remedy is simply not available.
> >
> 
>    This is as valid an argument for gun control or banning religion as it
> is for pornography legislation.  Watch this:  Although we don't have very 
> much evidence about the general population, there is a subpopulation which
> uses firearms in the commission of crimes. And the legality of firearms
> does make it easier for them to obtain guns and commit these crimes.  Because
> these crimes have victims, the simple remedy of "well, just arrest the
> criminals and leave us law-abiding citizens alone" does not protect these
> victims adequately.

There are a couple of differences.  First, with the horrible case of domestic
violence put aside, the victims or crimes committed with guns and the victims
of bigotry do not have emotional attatchments to the people harming them.
Second, people who have been shot or robbed at gunpoint can either be
identified or can identify themselves rather easily; likewise victims of most
overt and harmful acts of bigotry.  Third, of all crimes committed with the
threat of use of a firearm, only rape (which does not *require* a firearm)
carries the potential for emotional damage that long-term assault on sexual
dignity (by subtle demands for acts that are painful or that feel degrading)
carries.

In this case:

1) The victims are people with emotional ties to the offenders
2) The victims often cannot identify themselves and no one else can usually
   identify them (except after many years when awareness begins to penetrate
   the shame and guilt)
3) The potential for extraordinarily deep damage is large.
-- 

	from Mole End			Mark Terribile
		(scrape .. dig )	mtx5b!mat
					(Please mail to mtx5b!mat, NOT mtx5a!
						mat, or to mtx5a!mtx5b!mat)
					(mtx5b!mole-end!mat will also reach me)
    ,..      .,,       ,,,   ..,***_*.