From: Ryan Anderson <ryan@michonline.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 1997 09:36:16 +0800
To: declan@well.com
Subject: Re: Why porn must be stopped at all costs, by Jodi Hoffman
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.95.971103132429.23538B-100000@vorlon.mit.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.971103164317.18441C-100000@king>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




> Someone on this list, I forget who, has made numerous attempts at
> convincing us that pornography 'does no harm' to children.  It is
> exactly at this point that I must draw a line.  Studies have shown that
> an event which lasts even so much as three-tenths of a second, within
> five to ten minutes has produced a structural change in the brain.

More so than any other event lasting three-tenths of a second?  I doubt
it. Visual centers of the brain are certinly not predisposed to treat
natural acts (even if depicted in somewhat unusal circumstances) as any
different than any other visual stimuli.  You're distorting the issue
geratly here.

> Exposure to porn causes actual brain damage, especially in a child.

In what sense?  In the sense that the child's view of the world doesn't
fully agree with yours?  Or in the sense that there is actual physical
damage to the brain that imparis the brains ability to function?  I might
believe that the former occurs, but not the latter.  



>So, keep protecting your porn-induced orgasms.  That's exactly what
>happened with the Hitler youth, etc...  After all, I'm sure it does help
>to blur the lines of reality.

Name calling really doesn't help contribute to a clear view of reality
either.


>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #1:     CORRUPT THE NATION'S YOUTH
>THE REALITY:
>Many of today's youth are grossly overprivileged, committed to fashion,
>physically flabby and lazy, and mentally undisciplined. If they don't
[...]
>without effort and even without asking.  And where do they learn such
>slovenliness? Just spend two hours in front of a television watching a
>random selection of situation comedies to find out. Unfortunately, kids
>who fit the above description usually model themselves after their
>parents.  Such parasitic habits would not be tolerated in the former
>Soviet Union.

Who are you blaming for this?  the media or the parents that are
neglecting their duties as parents?  If you want a child to have certain
values and bleief structures, you must teach them those structures when
they are young.  You can't ignore them and expect the TV to do the job for
oyu.  If you're complaining about problems in the youth, the blame is
squarely on the shoulders of parents who don't take care of their children
or talk to them.

>The prevailing attitude among today's pampered American youth is one of
>nihilism ( I am nothing, life has no meaning, I don't care) -- and for
>good reason.  Over 75 percent of America's high school boys now think
>it's acceptable to rape a girl at any age.  Wonder why anymore?

When these same children are increasingly treated in such a way as to have
no control over their own lives, and when their parents seem to be
driving the country into the ground, what kind of attitude do you expect?
This attitude is a mirror of the prevailing attitude in the country, and
those people that have become large-scale media figures.  The fact that
*Mike Tyson* can draw over $50 million dollars for a stupid boxing match
does nothing to improve the attitudes of today's youth.  


>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #2:     CONTROL THE MASS MEDIA
>Homosexuality, abortion, violence, and contempt for all parental and
>governmental authority is the prevailing order of the day.   A

IF this matieral offends you, eliminate it from your viewing habits, and
instruct your children as to why these types of material are offensive.

But you must remember, our Constitution was built upon the tenets of not
enforcing one person's religious beliefs upon another.  The Mayflower came
over to avoid religious persecution, the Quakers came over for similar
reasons.  Ignoring the fact that they immediately went on a were no
better, the country holds a tenet of reiligous tolerance.  This extends to
those areas where we may find things strange and offensive.  Buddhists,
(my spelling may be wrong, let me apologize now for that), etc, may have
religious observances that just make no sense to you, some may even
include ritual homosexuality.  You can't seek ot impose your belief
structure, (which is by far the minority int eh world) on the rest of the
world! 

>particularly powerful form of media is represented by the so-called
>"arts community."   Some latter-day "artists" actually make a
>pretty good living by mocking traditional values and Christianity.
>Consider Andres Sorrano's "Piss Christ" (a photograph of a crucifix
>submerged in urine) or Robert Mapplethorp's photos, which include one
>showing a bullwhip protruding out of his rear end.

And you think the Ancient Greeks and Romans felt any different about the
roots of the Christian religion?  Look for the symbology behind the art.
Perhaps the artist is trying to demonstrate his frustration with the
religions today in their unquestioning belief in mythical figures and
their lack of acceptance of a chanign culture?  Maybe not, may he just
wanted to make fun of the4 savior so he'd be guarnateed a chance to meet
Satan.  

>This media bias is not a fantasy of a few right-wing whiners; this is
>cold, hard reality.

And the other cold-hard reality is that the media doesn't give a damn what
th epeople think - even Labor Unions are left out of this so-called
"left-wing bias".  If you haven't realized it already, there are only 2 or
3 large voices left in the national media that aren't dominated by large
businesses.  (NY Times, Washington Post and Wall Stree Journal are my
picks, Declan, feel free to clarify or expand if you want)  Most of the
rest of the TV stations, Radio stations and newspapers are owned by
sseveral large comapnies, or the networks.  

>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #3:     ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INDIFFERENCE
>THE REALITY:
>Americans now vote at a lower rate than at any other time in our
>history. Every American knows how disenfranchised and powerless the
>average voter feels.  The media constantly trumpet instances of
>hypocrisy and corruption in our government, despite the fact that we
>have the most open and honest political system in the world. 

The reason the media questions the government and poitns out every
instance of corruption they can find is so that we maintain our position
of leadership in open and honest government.  If they don't question
things that seem wrong, things will only get worse.

We *are* worse off now than 50 years ago.  I live near Detroit, and go to
school and work in Detroit.  Detroit is a city suffering from a rampant
and immovible city bureacracy that wont' change.  This is something the
local media is gradually attempting to expose and force to improve,
because the area wants to see the city continue its improvemtns!

>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #4:     ENCOURAGE PUBLIC BICKERING
>THE REALITY:
>Never before have so many trivial issues captured so much air time.
>Major construction and other projects are halted due to sometimes
>trivial environmental concerns.  Critical research which uses animals is
>halted or impeded by animal-rights groups.  Sodomy rights, old- growth
>timber, anti-fur, and dozens of other Neoliberal causes (and the
>conservative backlash) cause more friction among our nation's people
>than in any other nation in the world.

Environmental concerns are almost never trivial.  We can afford a few
trivial environmental concerns if they help us stop wiping out the planet.
We are running dangerously low in old-growth forest, El-Nino is a yearly
occurence now when it used to occur once ever 7.  We have serious global
warming concerns at this point, and we have serious ground-water depletion
and contamination problems.  

Animal rights activists would never have developed any public sympathy if
it weren't for ridiculous abuses by cosmetic companies and drug companies.
(Yes, they really did kill thousands of animals for studies of dubious
value)


>Meanwhile, the real issues of importance are either entirely neglected
>or paid weak lip service:   Crime, poverty, hunger and, beneath all of
>them, the moral disintegration of our country.   All of these have lead

ahahahahaha, these have gotten *much* more press and concern that any of
the above issues.  Any mention of these creates problems in *any*
political campaign.


>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #5:      SEIZE POWER, THEN CENSOR
>THE REALITY:
>If the slightest complaint against pornography in our schools is raised
>by concerned parents, People for the American Way (PAW), the ACLU, and
>other left-wing groups instantly shout "censorship!"   But they say not
>a word when it is pointed out that the Bible and all mention of morality
>in textbooks have been ruthlessly hounded from the schools.

There is little to no porography being distribute in our schools.  And the
Supreme Court has rulesd that teaching *any* religion in public schools is
tantamount to the government favoring that religion over others.  If you
can't see that this is a clear violoation of the Constitution, you're not
reading it very well.

>Communist atrocities which have killed more than 150 million all over
>the world are glossed over or ignored, but the most trivial
>international action by the United States brings immediate and forceful
>condemnation.

Oh, that's because we feel a moral responsibility to do the right thing
when meddling in foreign affairs.  Frequently we've screwed up and are
attempting to correct for past mistakes.  (Persian Gulf War, for example).
There are limits to our influence in the world.  WE can't force China to
change policies, they could simply ignore us.  


>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #6:       BANKRUPT THE GOVERNMENT
>THE REALITY:  The United States is flat broke. It is the number one
>debtor nation on earth, with a deficit of more than $5,000,000,000,000
>(five trillion dollars).  Social programs pay for everything from 
>abortion and homosexual-run "sensitivity training sessions" to
>comprehensive sex education. 


funny.  Many economists have been saying that the debt really doesn't
matter.  The entire western world is debt-ridden in the governments, it
hasn't really affected us a heck of a lot.  Sounds like you're objecting
to public money being spent on those things which offend you, while
ignoring the public money spent on things which don't offend you.

>They want us to fund family benefits for sodomites, a comprehensive
>health care plan that will inevitably turn into a Britain-like
>socialized horror, and "art" that is blatantly obscene.

So you don't object to family funded benefits for lesbians?  (Note: I
don't believe they qualify as sodomites even under the wierdest
definitions)  Oh, you also object to all the people who perform oral sex
getting family benefits? doh!

Giving family benefits to all people who are living together, sharing
expenses and loving each other is a truly humane act.  Denying them
because you find their style of life or religion offensive is by far the
more evil act.  those who don't marry under state law because that law
doesn't fit their religious belifs get punished under current laws.
(Unless they work for IBM, Microsoft, The University of Michigan, etc)

>RULE FOR REVOLUTION #7:       DESTROY NATIONAL VALUES
>THE RULE:
>Cause a breakdown of indigenous national values.  Destroy all tradition
>in preparation for the bright dawn of glorious Socialism.  Ridicule
>religion, patriotism, and honesty. The people must be led to have only
>one interest:   Themselves!

Funny.  Whatever happened to Native American beliefs?


>Why should there be any effort to take responsibility for one's own
>faults when "society" is so conveniently ready to take the blame for all
>one's sins? Society has made the sacrifice.   So criminals, addicts,
>alcoholics, child molesters, wife beaters, and others can always blame
>their problems on society.

They don't have a very successful job at it.  Most blame abusive parents,
and get put in jail anyway.


>We have truly become the "me generation."

Whose fault is that?   I notice that now you seem to be for entitlement
programs, or at least helping others.  Make up your mind.



>RULES FOR REVOLUTION #9 AND #10:    UNDERMINE THE ARMED FORCES
>THE REALITY:
>Our country's armed forces consume a vast percentage of our gross
>national product.
>We possess the best and most advanced weapons systems in the world. But
>our armed forces are a joke for two reasons:
>(1) they are completely restrained in their actions by a hostile
>Congress, and

You want the US Military to wander the world picking fights?  Like the
Persian Gulf?  Which was a Bush-administration fuck up in the first place?
A cautious Congress is a much better deal than one that just blindly
authorizes every military action.

Remember the words of our founders (Damit, I forget which one):  Avoid
foreign entaglements.  (Or something to that effect.  I'm braindead and
away from my reference materials right now)

>(2) the armed forces have been saddled with such a bad reputation that
>it is virtually impossible to fill the ranks with volunteers, even in
>the new and streamlined armed services.

New and streamlined?  bloated with intel and officers, low on combat
troops.  And this reputation is as much the military's fault as anything.
I was talking to some active Marines 3 weeks ago.  They all bitched about
it and wished that they hadn't gone in.  One sargeant, One Corporal, and
one Army Sargeant.   

Most of the US has an enormous respect for the military.  We just don't
think we should use this power very often.  We use it too much as it is.

>Servicemen are ridiculed and denigrated at every turn. People say that,
>if you can't make it on the outside, you wind up in the armed forces.

Where do you get this shit?

>Every serviceman is considered to be a useless gobbler of tax money.

umm. no.  We learned that lesson sometime between world war I and World
War II.  I think it was sometime around December 7, personally.


Ryan Anderson - Alpha Geek
PGP fp: 7E 8E C6 54 96 AC D9 57  E4 F8 AE 9C 10 7E 78 C9
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