Dear Melon Farmers,
Is it me or have our illustrious leaders gone completely crackers? Yet
again we have MPs like Christine Grahame blaming adult entertainment for
rising rates of violence against women. It should be noted that a US
Senate Committee have been investigating this issue recently and, in one
report from Dr James B Weaver III he states quite clearly that his
investigation of pornographic material reveals "it’s devoid of coercion
and violent action (Brosius, Weaver, & Staab, 1994)". The obvious question
arises: if not from porn, where does the establishment's view that there's
a link between violence and porn come from?
The answer to this question, as with many of the things our governments
tend to fuss over, is that these perceived threats exist only in the minds
of those who believe there is a threat. Like Iraq's WMD, and Tony's belief
these existed, the threat is a figment of the deranged imagination of
people who have clearly been seduced by their own misguided opinions -
absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Since the introduction of the Obscene Publications Act(1851), we here in
the UK have been labelled 'perverts' for expressing our interest in
sexuality. The fact Nature demands all life on Earth to reproduce sexually
seems to be forgotten by those in power. The simple fact of the matter is,
we are 'programmed' to want to have sex, we are sexual creatures. Indeed,
is it becoming ever more apparent in studies from around the globe that
the more liberal a country is the less likely it is to suffer a problem
with sexual violence. Clearly then, it is the repression of sexual desire
and a restriction of safe sexual outlets which leads to sexual frustration
and violent sex crimes.
The effects of sexual equality should not be overlooked either. As women
have become more independent and forged their own careers, the requirement
to settle down into marriage has become far less influential. Women are
more inclined to instigate divorce too, indeed, modern couples seem to
throw-in the towel at the first hint of marital trouble. In general,
sexual equality, however well intentioned, has had the effect of
undermining all of society's long established traditions and roles. Could
it be that men's perception of women as 'equals' means men now behave more
violently toward women, seeing them as no different than another male?
This shift in attitudes seems far more plausible as a cause for violence
than erotic images. It seems highly unlikely that pornography could have
any causal link to instances of domestic violence. Moreover, it is the
demands of modern life that places people under stress which then leads to
alcohol/drug abuse and eventually physical abuse.
Of course the last thing Government would think of doing is to look at
their own misguided policies for causal links to a breakdown of society.
Studies of sex offences in Europe over the past 30 years and in Japan over
the last 10 years, show that there is indeed a link between sex crime and
pornography. The availability of pornography has served to dramatically
halt and even reverse the rising trends in sex crime in these liberated
countries! It is without question the perpetuation of our puritanical
attitudes by Government and their appointed censors which serve to force
the rates of sexual abuse ever higher in the UK. How any member of
parliament can hope to perpetuate their lies any longer, when for 150
years we have suffered ever increasing rates of sex crime under this
repressive regime, defies all logic. The definition of insanity is to keep
repeating the same thing and expect different results. We have tried
suppression of explicit sexual imagery for more than 150 years, it clearly
has had no effect but to create a problem with sexual violence.
It is time our Government(s) took a long hard look at their remit to
govern. They are supposed to do all they can to protect the people from
harm, not implement laws and policies which actively undermine liberties
and instigate repressive environments. The Human Rights Act 1998 contains
clauses which prohibit actions which cause harm. When read properly and in
conjunction with the wealth of evidence supporting the abolition of
censorship, the HRA makes it clear there is little doubt many of our laws
are contemptible and abusive. Far from being in-touch with the people and
reality, any and all politicians, local councillors and religious groups
who actively stand in the way of sexual freedom should now take the blame
for the damage their repressed ideas have on the rest of the population.
They are acting in no one's interest but their own misguided ideals, they
are self-serving hypocrites who care little for the man or woman on the
street. It is in their own sordid opinions of sex-work that sees this as
'degrading to women' and, by their actions, they expect all around them to
feel the same way.
I can tell Christine Grahame what the outcome of a study into the effects
of porn will be right now. It will show as in Sweden, Denmark, Holland,
Japan, Spain and Portugal that, when porn and sexual outlets are made
freely available to people who want them, sex crime virtually disappears.
The only threat pornography has in our society is in exposing that
anti-liberal 'Victorian' attitudes are extremely damaging and, all who
support such notions are in fact the public's worst enemy!
