Graphictruth: Don't Piss on the Crazy Bush

Any discussion of any topic of any importance (say, human trafficking and slavery) will be degraded into incoherence by dealing with the sort of people who insist on their right to be heard because of what the insects in their heads tell them is Too Important To Be Ignored.

This advice does not merely apply to such people speaking out against you. It's far more humiliating to have such people thinking they have a place in your "posse."

Crossposted from Graphictruth.




The thing about us cosmopolitan elitists is that we have learned that taking crazy people seriously can make you crazy. They USED to teach people in Journo 101 that you don't give credence to the incredible.

It is fun at times to ridicule the ridiculous - but some things are so fucking INHERENTLY ridiculous that pointing it out amounts to insulting the intelligence of any audience worth having.

Rick Perlstein -- Birthers, Health Care Hecklers and the Rise of Right-Wing Rage - washingtonpost.com: "So the birthers, the anti-tax tea-partiers, the town hall hecklers -- these are 'either' the genuine grass roots or evil conspirators staging scenes for YouTube? The quiver on the lips of the man pushing the wheelchair, the crazed risk of carrying a pistol around a president -- too heartfelt to be an act. The lockstep strangeness of the mad lies on the protesters' signs -- too uniform to be spontaneous. They are both. If you don't understand that any moment of genuine political change always produces both, you can't understand America, where the crazy tree blooms in every moment of liberal ascendancy, and where elites exploit the crazy for their own narrow interests."

Never mind watering the Tree of Liberty. Stop pissing on the Crazy Bush!




That's how you deal with crazy people. You firmly tell them that the shit in their heads is their shit, and they have to own it.


At the very least, before inviting others into the private regions of your head, you should pick up the trash and do the laundry. There's a perfect example of that right here.



People who behave like that in public should be treated in the same way as a five year old who has yet to learn that public masturbation is inappropriate.

Renegade Evolution quotes the crazy in full, and mistakenly attempts to respond to the crazy as if she were talking to a rational person who was attacking her for sane, if malicious reasons. A mistake, I fear. I have a stock t-shirt for just such occasions.

While it may have worth citing as a textbook example of disastrously flawed rhetoric or to feature as an example of what happens when you roll a double zero on your critical thinking skill table, one only had to read three paragraphs down to realize that any deeper consideration would be entirely misplaced.

The signers of the letter say they are “members of the academic community.” The media quickly converted that into “50 professors.” In fact, quite a few are not full-time professors or administrators at these institutions; rather, some are adjunct faculty, graduate students, or retired. At least one signer seems to be an undergraduate.

You see, the nutball letter states that these persons who claim to be "members of the academic community" are, indeed, members of the academic community, precisely as they claimed. Citing that media has failed to correctly cite their credentials is not a valid criticism of the credentials they claim, if anything, it more firmly establishes their proper credentials - as representing the entire range of the academic community, that is to say, people who's primary qualification is to think about stuff and derive useful insights that may advise others who may, though no fault of their own, have less time to devote to such matters.

Such as, Margaret Brooks and Donna M. Huges of Citizens Against Trafficking the co-authors of the above paragraph.

See, having established that they cannot think, one may cease to be concerned with what they think regarding any appareant mutual concerns, because any response amounts to Pissing on the Crazy Bush.

Any discussion of any topic of any importance (say, human trafficking and slavery) will be degraded into incoherence by dealing with the sort of people who insist on their right to be heard because of what the insects in their heads tell them is Too Important To Be Ignored.

This advice does not merely apply to such people speaking out against you. It's far more humiliating to have such people thinking they have a place in your "posse."

It's like hearing "Chemtrails" in conversation - it's a signal to switch to meaningless small talk. Trust me, they will not notice the difference, and you won't feel the need to crotch-punch them, so it's a win-win.


Some things are so awesomely, majestically, comprehensively stupid as to be worthy of standing alone in all their awful majesty. I understand why Ren takes this nasty little screed personally, but she's mistaken in doing so.

It's not that I'm saying that she should "understand" their position. She shouldn't even try. You don't encourage people to rationalize a phobic response. You either accept it or you do not, and that reaction depends entirely upon whether the irrational spasms pose any danger.

Likewise, as a responsible person, you cope with your phobia or you do not, and arrange your life accordingly. A phobic has no reasonable expectation that people should accommodate their irrational fears, much less enable them in oppressing the people they are phobic about.

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this."
"Well, then, stop DOING that!"

I may squish a spider in order to keep my wife's brains from leaking out of her head. I will not harm a person because she reacts to them in the same way; I'll take her to the mental health clinic. We both understand that distinction, and she would do the same for/to me. There is a limit to which reasonable people expect their irrationality to be accommodated.

Sane public policy cannot possibly accommodate all irrational fears and phobias, nor may it advantage personality disorders over civility and long persist. Government, along with every other human activity, cannot sacrifice outcome in the name of process.

Bring facts, bring reason, bring a coherent argument with, you know, facts and stuff, or stay home.

From this elitist bastard's perspective, you may just as well. I'm not going to waste precious, publicly funded photons on arguing with crazy.

(Should I forget, do feel free to remind me.)
Permalink to full story.

The Dreamwalkers Webcomix Universe

You probably know about Webcomix, and if you do, you probably already know about Drunkduck.com, which justly brags that it hosts more than 1500 webcomics. Heck, people who host their own comics on their own url MIRROR them on DD (as it's lovingly abbreviated), simply for all the luscious traffic and the benefits of community.

Well, I happen to have two comics underway that you might be interested in. It should come as no surprise that "23" and "Dreamwalkers" are entirely concerned with sex. Sex, and power. Sex, power, and what happens if you try and navigate between the two without a functional ethical compass.

As it happens, the "Dreamwalkers" universe is loosely based on personal shamanic experiences, with a whole bunch of the estoteric lore I've picked up over the years, levened with a hearty appreciation for BDSM and fetish illustrations. Further than that, well, that would spoil the story.

Dreamwalkers is frankly adult, while 23 shoots for a "mature" rating, while being more precisely called a "graphic novel."

I think you will enjoy them.

Permalink to full story.

FBI workers accused of spying on dressing room

FBI workers accused of spying on dressing room:

"MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Two FBI workers are accused of using surveillance equipment to spy on teenage girls as they undressed and tried on prom gowns at a charity event at a West Virginia mall.

The FBI employees have been charged with conspiracy and committing criminal invasion of privacy. They were working in an FBI satellite control room at the mall when they positioned a camera on temporary changing rooms and zoomed in for at least 90 minutes on girls dressing for the Cinderella Project fashion show, Marion County Prosecutor Pat Wilson said Monday.

Gary Sutton Jr., 40, of New Milton and Charles Hommema of Buckhannon have been charged with the misdemeanors and face fines and up to a year in jail on each charge if convicted. Sutton has been released on bond, Wilson said, and Hommema is to be arraigned later this week. Wilson did not know Hommema's age.

The workers were described in a complaint as 'police officers,' but prosecutors did not say whether the men were agents or describe what kind of work they did."

Permalink to full story.

Brisol Palin Explodes Abstenance Mythology

In her first public interview, Bristol told Fox News' that abstinence is "not realistic at all."

I'm sure that went over well in the Heartland. But unpalatable as it may be, had Bristol Palin been exposed to a brutally real sex-ed resource that speaks in language that is so blunt that it cannot be misunderstood even by horny teenagers, she probably would not have become pregnant.

This is what Carla of Feministe has to say about it:

Scarleteen is a sex education website for teenagers and young adults. It’s sex positive, focuses on everything from safety to pleasure, anatomy to emotional responses to sexual relationships, promotes non-intercourse types of sex as worthwhile options and is completely LGBT inclusive. It also works to dismantle rape culture with discussions of desire and enthusiastic consent.

This is MY go-to resource for real answers for urgent questions. They are always in need of funds. You should really drop some bucks on them.

I should point out that Bristol's pregnancy is a legitimate social concern - as is her STD status. Her "purity" and "innocence" are not. Sacrificing the former concern in service to maintaining pretenses regarding the latter leads inexorably to diseased and pregnant teenagers.

But, at least ONE person involved seems to have gained insight as a result of experience. Bristol Palin.



Kudos, kiddo.
Permalink to full story.

First, Do no harm: Please sign the DSM Revision Petition.

The DSM Revision Petition is gathering signatures from individuals and organizations
calling on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to adhere to empirical research
when revising the diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM).

Statements currently within the DSM Paraphilias criteria are contradicted by scientific
evidence therefore NCSF must conclude that the interpretation of the Paraphilias
criteria has been politically, not scientifically based. This politically motivated
interpretation subjects BDSM practitioners, fetishists and cross-dressers to bias,
discrimination and social sanctions without any scientific basis.

Petition:
"We, the undersigned, support the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) own
goal of making its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) a scientific document, based
on empirical research and devoid of cultural bias. A diagnosis of a mental disorder can
have a severe adverse impact on employment opportunities, child custody determinations,
an individual's well-being, and other areas of functioning. Therefore we urge the APA
to remove all diagnoses that are not based upon peer-reviewed, empirical research,
demonstrating distress or dysfunction, from the DSM. The APA specifically should not
promote current social norms or values as a basis for clinical judgments."

To sign, go to: www.thepetitionsite.com/1/DSMrevisionpetition
(You can make your signature anonymous on this secure petition site so it doesn't
appear on the Internet)

To find out more about the DSM and the Paraphilias section, read the NCSF & ITCR: The
Foundation for NCSF's "White Paper on the DSM Revision" at www.ncsfreedom.org

For more information, email: DSMrevisionpetition@yahoo.com Permalink to full story.

A Gap in our Selves? Erotic manipulation of our purchasing decisions.

Do you worship at the The First Church of Christ, Mallwalker?

This video by Jessedocs explores the intersection of art, religion and marketing via the classic manikin. While I abhor stereotypes, it's difficult to say which are more stereotypical, the artificially perfect female manikins created by this company, the males creating them, or the marketing of them.

Personally, I can't say that the artificial perfection of display manikins has ever done much for me, artistically or erotically. But then, they don't exist to work on me - these forms are not aimed at men; they are made by men in order to construct in women the ideal of a perfect form.

I must be honest, at first, I thought I was watching a documentary about the people behind the "real doll" poseable sex toy.

By the way guys, if you are going to do portraits of your dolls - hire a hairstylist!!!

I was surprised and more than a bit creeped out to find that the people at realdoll seem far less creepy - and their products a little more realistic - at least, unless they are just utterly absurd.

My wife watched a full documentary about the men who buy real-dolls, sort of creeped out by the idea, but you know how it is; you keep waiting for the trainwreck. Well, there were indeed some creepy scenes - but more simply moved her to tears. Here's some YouTube examples - take your chances, if you will.

They actually have several fairly realistic bodies to go with faces that could easily be Faux News Spokesmuffins. In other words, these are not perfectly idealized faces. Yep, even men that want to have sex with a manikin would like a little more individuality than the people who make store manikins think is appropriate.

But then, when it comes to self-image, we have no sense of humor about our own appearance and far less tolerance for individual variation than the people looking at us. I've always found that the most attractive women who are accepting of their bodies whatever shapes they may be blessed with, and however divergent their faces are from the current whims of fashion

So, if you want to go for an idealized stereotype ... consider something like this.

It's no harder to have your head inflated and your skin plasticised than it is to become a perfectly symmetrical 35, 24, 36.

Come to think of it, Miss July reminds me of Dolly Parton. But then, they are both cartoon-inspired.

(The thing I most love about Dolly Parton is that she'd laugh and agree with the statement. Personally, though, I prefer her interpretation. On the other hand, she's a lot harder to book. )

Permalink to full story.

What part of "Personal Responsiblity" do you not understand?

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Fifty of these are out there, somewhere

BDSM Emblem
by
webcarve

Get this custom keychain at Zazzle

Someone just ordered fifty copies of this BDSM Emblem keychain from my Zazzle store. I've made a few sales here and there of this image, which I think of as stunningly beautiful, but this is my first bulk sale - and it tells me that someone thinks they can resell 49 of them. (I hope they want one for their OWN keys!)

The whole point to the BDSM emblem (and my own varient) is to discreetly advertise interest in the art and orientation of BDSM. But of late, I've been coming to think of BDSM as being far more about what people agree NOT to do, as opposed to what they prefer to do.

First and foremost, BDSM is a system of ethics - and the more I think of it, the more I realize that the ethics devised for sadomasochistic games apply to any form of power exchange. Like, say, US Citizenship.

The first statement of the ethos of BDSM is "Safe, Sane and Consentual." Well, when you think of it, our current administration operates on values that mean that none of the above is true, and by these standards, any member, up to and including George Bush would be ejected from any BDSM group as conspicuous perps and abusers.

George, when you cannot even aspire to the moral standards of we who proudly describe ourselves as "drooling, giggling, *twirling* perverts" ... maybe it's time to take a break from public life. I understand you are still probably welcome in Dubai.

Permalink to full story.

Right, Girl, suck all the fun out of it...

Cathryn Michon, writing in iVillage, speaks of "girl crushes" and how they lead, ideally, to mellow friendship and not hot girl on girl action.

She's So Fine: The Anatomy of a Girl Crush Annotated

A recent New York Times article postulates that one thing men and women have in common is that we both get crushes on women. This interests me greatly because I just went through a bad "girl breakup" that was the result of a "girl crush."

If you ever try to discuss the topic of girl crushes with a man, his eyes instantly glaze over and you automatically know it's because he is hearing the "do-wacka-wacka" of cheesy porn music in his head. Sometimes you have to clap your hands together really loudly right in front of his face just to pull him out of his catatonic state.

No, it's not that kind of "girl-on-girl action." A girl crush is where you meet a woman whose sense of style or brilliant achievements or personal charisma makes you kind of adore and worship her.

She then goes on to explain very clearly why developing a relationship that is based on an unexamined mutual attraction can lead to bad relationships, based on unspoken commonalities that can - and perhaps should - change.

Amen, sister, amen.

Our subconscious minds are rather good at grabbing our groins as a means to getting us to make changes we should make or proceed in directions we should go. But, alas, our subconscious is no smarter on it's own than it is in concert with our conscious minds, and it certainly isn't verbal. It pays to learn to take those lubricious urges very seriously - and think about what the old hind-brain might be trying to say; if not before, certainly afterward.

And I would like to point out that while hot lesbian sex might not have changed anything in the long or short run you would at least have had *hot* *lesbian* *sex*. I'm not so much advocating it as I am gently poking fun at the author's need to immediately rule out anyone thinking she had had *hot* *lesbian* *sex* with one of her crushes. Gee, all of the unpleasant hormonal whipsawing and no payoff? Does sex somehow devalue the basis for the crush? It seems like a poor reason to suffer a needless bout of Green Disease.

To the extent that this apparent dynamic reflects the absurd tragicomedy of the male "Madonna/Whore" double bind, it's, well, I suppose I expect more of women as intuitive social beings. The whole "I wouldn't be caught dead in a serious relationship with anyone slutty enough to want to have sex with me" is, from any perspective or sexual orientation, evidence of a serious issue of self worth - and projection.

But on the other paw, I've often observed that Lesbianism is not as significantly a gender preference as it is a culture with a distinct approach to and understanding of sexuality. Yes, the overwhelming gender preference of Lesbians tends to obscure that, but once you have known a few, you start to realize that an interest in bumping fuzzies is truly the least significant difference. Further, there are many women who have a sexual preference for women who work within a much more classically male/male or male/female dynamic. It's these exceptions that illuminated the rule for me.

I encourage everyone - of all sexual orientations and preferences, to try it out at least as a thought-experiment. Males do have to make some adaptations. For instance, falling asleep immediately is just rude and wrong. If it's unavoidable, request that your partner awaken you in fifteen minutes so you can snuggle and process.

Yes, this is referring to the classic joke about lesbian sex - an hour of sex followed by three hours discussing the meaning and implications. The joke implies that to be a silly female thing, but it can save you from making either more or less of what happened than you should. That doesn't seem inconsequential to me.

Sex is the expression of the sexuality, urges, needs , comfort and security drives of the persons within a relationship. How could that NOT be worth talking about, if you value that relationship beyond the moment?

I think one of the most important things I have learned from the lesbians I've known over the years is that there is no hard "line" between affection, snuggling, fooling around, physical play and sex.

For most that I've known, it's part of a whole while for most men I've known, gay and straight, it's distinctly separable and most seem to prefer it that way. Personally, I can't imagine wanting that, much less settling for it. While I know that mileage does vary dramatically, I still see the vast majority of people settling for less than they want and need for the sake of a mistaken propriety, or worse yet, seeking out in private what they deny to themselves and others in public.

This has led to so much conflict, death and madness in our culture that it's time that we suck it up and decide to be honest about these things, at least with ourselves. Face it, girls. While a "pash" is not the same thing as the sort of crush a boy has on a girl, it's not entirely asexual either. There is a physical component. There are physiological effects that could and often do lead to a walk on the wild side. It's common enough that in some cultures and contexts, it's considered to be a normal teenage phase of sexual development.

So factor that in. Admit it to yourself. Then do, or do not as seems best, informed by your ethics, your morals and common sense. Remember that whether or not you admit it, our sexual urges and our personal sexualities are part of the whole package that makes another person attractive or unattractive to us, whether or not they are of a gender we will choose to have sex with. Permalink to full story.

79 Laugh-Out-Loud Ways to Get Rid of Mr. Wrong - annotated and amplified

79 Laugh-Out-Loud Ways to Get Rid of Mr. Wrong

Although Elle advice columnist E. Jean Carroll writes mostly about how to find the man of your dreams in her latest book Mr. Right, Right Now!, she reserved the last witty chapter to show women how to drive men away, which you have to admit is pretty tempting at times. But best of all, you don't have to be in the market for ridding yourself of Mr. Wrong to enjoy her hilarious suggestions below. Take a look!

Oh, can we play too?

Best Way #1. Always end arguments by turning some deeply private secret he's confided to you...against him. Then add, "Screw you, you slobbering half-wit!"

1.5 Even Better Way: Stage an intervention. Include his parents and siblings if possible, but make sure that at very least, his boss, co-workers and closest friends are there.

7. Ask him once a week, "So, where do we stand?"

8. Or, if you prefer a more dramatic scrotum-tightener, ask, "So, where do we stand as a couple?"

8.5. At the worst possible, most awkward moment concevable, ask "Do you think I'm pretty?" If you are damn sure the answer will be an unthinking "yes," add "...as Angela Jolie."

8.6 Wake him up to ask these questions. For each one. The night before a critical early meeting. After all, there's nothing more important to you than your relationship.

8.6.5 Remind him of that constantly.

23. Ask him about his "personal feelings concerning the relationship" while he's watching the final two minutes of the seventh game of the NBA championship series. If he doesn't hear you, snap off the TV and hurl the remote out the window.

23.5. For extra points, stage this scene in public during a tense conversation with a social rival.

28. Is he feeling a tad overwhelmed by the serious turn your affair is taking? Surprise him with loads of expensive gifts for no reason.

28.5 For extra points, get your mom and sister to do it.

28.6 Make sure it's clothing designed to remake his entire image into something "acceptable" and alien to his entire being.

66. Trick him, dupe him, deceive him with every breath you take

-- i.e., follow The Rules.

Oooh, catty much? Not that she's wrong on this point. Viz:
66.5 Sleep with his best friend in order to learn deep secrets he won't tell you. For usage, see #1.

76. If you earn more money than he does, make sure you boost his ego by letting him pay for absolutely everything.

76.5. If he doesn't have the money, slip it to him! After all, it's not whether he can afford it, it's that everyone THINKS he can. Because, well, you wouldn't be dating a LOSER, right?

And one whole new one....

80. Make sure he knows you have standards and expect him to live up to them. Should he actually do that, raise the bar immediately!

Permalink to full story.

Please visit our sponsor - or is it the other way around?

Domai.com: Beautiful nude models

Domai.com is a very unique site, and my love for it goes back to when I was running munchltd.com - now not mine and not linked.

At the time I was running a reviewed link site for the adult web, and Domai was one of the few listings that I had added on my own hook, as I recall. I used it to floss my brain after rejecting some particularly grotesque site.

One thing about Domai is that it is a unique site, devoted to the positive, personal and non fetishized nude female. Despite the nudity, these images are more akin to the best sports action photography or the most stunning wildlife images. They are stunning, beautiful. Compelling. Oh, right, they aren't wearing clothes.

It really is about the third thing to hit you, and on fourth thought, you realize that if they were, or shot so it was, it would be annoying and distracting. In other words, no more than you have come to expect.

Domai.com is a site I'd enthusiastically recommend to anyone, especially to people who need to see how uplifting and beautiful what the best can be, to understand that in this - and by extension, in most other cases - the difference between the sacred and the profane is a matter of perspective and choice.

This is portraiture of women as individuals, and in it's obvious exploration of nude photography as a collaboration between talented equals, it is on a par with the very best of Lesbian Aesthetic photography, an equivalent respect for the model, but from a male perspective.

There is a zen sort of feel to Domai, an aesthetic and an ethos. There are, for instance, no pop ups, no sales previews, no stealth code and a generous amount of ever-changing materials for people like me, who simply cannot justify the time to enjoy such a site, but would like a moment of pure beauty from time to time.

Speaking personally, I am extremely picky about who and I directly promote - I feel that my reputation is affected by it, and this is even more true when there's money on the table.

I feel affiliation with Domai.com reflects well on me, rather than the other way around, and if you take issue with the art here, you will certainly have issues with my own work.

The founder, Eolake Stobblehouse, is generous with his gentle wisdom, his appreciation of beauty, and his bandwidth, and if you have a love for the pure art of the nude - I cannot think of a better, more rewarding way to spend a few dollars.

tag: Erotica, nude women, nude females, art, artistic nudes, Domai.com Permalink to full story.

When Morality Becomes Idiocy - the prosecution of sexually exploited children.

blog.myspace.com/duckydoolittle

I'd have more to say about this - but I'll defer to an expert. Besides, if you need an explanation as to why this is fundamentally unethical, immoral and operationally stupid, you probably wouldn't read my blogs anyhow...

Change the System!

A child can not legally consent to sex, so why does our system prosecute child prostitutes as criminals? Once locked up they receive virtually no counseling, psychological care, or help finding a safe place to live. Sadly, when young people get out of lock up, they usually return to the streets. Experts agree that prosecuting sexually exploited young people further traumatizes them and makes it more difficult for them to create any kind of stability in their lives. Sign up for the National Juvenile Justice Network email list and raise your awareness. Learn about how you can support valuable legislation and care for children who need your voice, awareness and light.

(As with all of my posts of this nature ~ please re-post and share freely.)

[EDIT: Just to clarify, I am speaking of American girls. If these girls were not American citizens they would be protected under immigrant sex trafficking laws. But because they are American citizens they do not qualify for the benefits and services given to non-citizens. We just need to recognize valid need for our protection. They have slipped through a very large crack.]

tag: child sex trafficing, child prostitution, morality, law, ethics, church-state, moralism Permalink to full story.

When you told us you were gay ...

[ Your setup here ] by webcarve
customize card at Zazzle

I can't think of a more neglected "special occasion" than a "comining out." I suppose I'm strange that way, but I think a moment of such ... ah... outright courage deserves praise. And speaking as a parent, I'd have to say such lush opportunities come only a very, very few times in one's life. One should not neglect them. So, if you customize this card and target it especially for that festive young person who thought you had no clue... make sure you order two or three. You know, in case the original is lost.

Permalink to full story.

From the mentality that gave us "don't ask, don't tell."

Teacher arrested under peeping-tom law - Yahoo! News

Ware was charged under a 2001 law meant to protect people from ultra-small cameras that can be used to peek into dressing rooms or up women's skirts. Under the law, filming a person without consent for sexual arousal is a felony.

...but merely watching teenagers wrestle and perform gymnastics in skintight Lycra fetish gear is perfectly OK - as long as you refrain from obviously masturbating.

Every time the Olympics or Pan-Am games comes around, we are treated with front-page crotch shots of apparently pre-pubescent gymnasts, who's fan bases sound as if they are not entirely unaffected by the Reuters-supplied "upskirt" images.

While it's admittedly impressive that these hormonally-depleted dwarfs can plant their tushies on their cutely pigtailed heads while doing a hand-stand, a side-view would be more impressive and less... suggestive.

But then, American Anti-pornography laws have always seemed to be less concerned with protecting women and children from sexual exploitation and more concerned with the social threat of calling attention to the plight of the exploited. So we all are supposed to pretend that there is no possibility that anyone looking at such displays of sweaty hard bodies rubbing against one another and posing to display their perfectly sculpted backsides would ever, ever cause the minds of good Church-going PTA members to stray. Proof to the contrary - as the above story shows - is entirely unwelcome!

Under current law, you can get far more time for possessing photographic evidence of a child being raped than for actually raping the child. Believe it or not. The penalty in law for raping your OWN child is often far lower than if you molest another person's child. But preserving evidence of EITHER act - that's FAR worse. You might make use of it in some socially-unapproved way, like, say, busting a child rapist.

It makes me question the legislative intent, and this new law causes me to wonder even more, along with the real (as opposed to the touted) morality of our nation.

I've been through the wars on this issue, from nearly every angle. I spent several years working in the capacity of online councilor with people who had grown up being molested and raped every day, people who finally broke down under the pressure of not being able to talk about it, people who faced crushing scorn and disbelief from entire organizations dedicated to spreading the idea that any allegation of incest was either the lie of a spiteful child or a therapeutically-suggested "false memory."

And the whole time there was a flood of evidence over in alt.pictures.binaries.erotica.children.

But it's illegal for a survivor of such an event to have a photo proving that it occurred, much less computer records of the sort of search needed to find one, that's right out. "It's MY picture" is not an exception under the law, making this the one sort of crime where a search for evidence of a crime is in itself a crime. I find it increasingly difficult to believe this is an unintentional situation, especially in light of Right-Wing Christianist movements to legitimize and sanctify their patriarchal "ownership society," in which women and children can legally be kept isolated from any reality checks. This is why I'm deeply suspicious of the motives behind most homeschooling movements and most voucher programs. I've seen the alternatives they recommend as being more godly or "accurate." And I thought a public education was an exercises in badly presented social propaganda.

Prudery kills. Toxic secrecy kills. If you disbelieve me, check the suicide statistics for abuse survivors. Or spend an hour a week manning a suicide hot line.

It's a hell of a price to pay for the benefit of those folks who would prefer to believe that we ever lived in Mayberry.

tag: covert pornography, sexual ethics, Morality, Ethics, Republican Values, pornography laws, prudery, patriarchy Permalink to full story.