Old No. 1

Let me begin by apologizing for my lack of blog these past few days. I'm sure all four of my loyal readers were sad. Alas, I'm back.

During my normal fit of insomnia, I began watching a news special on the state of the pornography business in the modern era. It was interesting enough and the lady interviewer smiled and nodded her head as she asked vanilla questions. Nothing Earth-shattering, but a neat little way to try coax oneself to sleep.

One part in particular caught my attention. It was the legal plight of Max Hardcore, aka Paul Little, aka Racine's #1 son (thank you Wikipedia). Too spare specific details for my more squeamish readers (if you really want to know, Google it - you have been warned), Mr. Little was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on 10 counts of violating federal obscenity laws (based on a tiered "litmus test", established by a 1973 court case, that determines if something is "obscene" or not).

I have seen what Mr. Little does. It is NOT my cup of tea and I would neither actively seek out his work nor would I pay for it. I do, however, feel that Mr. Little has been railroaded by a law that is unjust (can we really determine what people find acceptable over time - especially using laws that are 30 years old) and a policital system that was Hell-bent on imposing its religious morality on everyone and everything (this was executed during the Bush/Ashcroft administration).

It frightens me to think we have allowed the government to tell us what we can and cannot see, read or watch. There is no doubt this cannot be allowed - a slippery slope of the steepest kind.

As I tossed and turned, all of this got me to thinking about an article I had read earlier this past weekend. The Associate Press published a picture of a Marine in Afghanistan who was mortally wounded in a mortar attack. There was criticism and support of the AP's decision to run the picture.

Because of my appreciation for the 1st amdendment and my previous association with the Marine Corps, I was unsure of what my position was on this until I saw the picture. It was horrible - it is also a picture I will never forget.

I want people to see this - it made me question the value of war and the value of one heroic life. If one picture is making me question my standing on issues, then surely it will do the same for others. Isn't this the catalyst for change?

In this age of instant news and light-speed Internet, these types of things are always going to be available - it is up to you to make the decision if you want to see them or not. This is they way it should always be. Our ability to say, read and see what we want, when we want is paramount to our existence as Americans.

Both of these cases are rooted in our fundamental rights. They aren't easy decisions, but they are equally important.

If anything, it all allows us to easily be able to see Erin Andrews naked. Even if it was a plant.

Case closed.