Introduction

I was reading an article on cnn.com today about the Bush Administration's prosecutions of porn businesses and people in the porn industry on obscenity charges. Bush's Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, was quoted as saying, "enforcement is absolutely necessary if we are going to protect citizens from unwanted exposure to obscene materials." And as happens so frequently lately, my jaw just dropped in utter amazement. Am I the only person who can't believe the stupidity in this statement and who is terrified of the fact that this kind of thinking is running rampant in this country - at all levels of government, business and public life?

I've just gotten to the point where sometimes (lately - on a daily basis) I need to rant - and a blog seemed like a good place to do it. There are enough of these out there now that I don't entertain any delusions that anyone is actually going to be reading this; all I want is the outlet - the space to say my piece. Somehow getting it down in writing helps a little bit.

I've got to tell you, I'm all for protecting the citizens of this country from unwanted exposure to pornography. I'll stand right there with Mr. Gonzales and say, "NO!! You cannot air hard-core pornography on prime time network television - it just cannot be allowed." I don't think any reasonable person would disagree. (Though I would be happy to discuss the issue with a rational person who has a reasonable argument why such a thing should be allowed - because reasonable people are always willing to discuss their beliefs and hear opposing viewpoints.) But of course these prosecutions aren't about that at all. The people and businesses being prosecuted by the Bush administration aren't out there forcing their product upon unwilling or unwitting citizens resulting in wholesale "unwanted exposure." They are selling their product to very willing citizens who want to be exposed to it. Who can't see this? Who can't see that what Mr. Gonzales (and by direct association, the Bush Administration) is implying is nonsense, and a transparent attempt to coverup an entirely different agenda?

It's this kind of stuff that makes me crazy, and it's this kind of stuff that I will be writing about here. Thanks blogger.com for providing the forum.