The US Supreme Court has let stand a law in Alabama which makes someone who sells sex toys into a criminal.
The news story's headline:
"Justices shy away from sex toys"
-- Modified on 2/22/2005 7:20:14 PM
all I can say is, these people would lock me up for sure if they saw my bedroom.
-- Modified on 2/23/2005 10:54:58 AM
The Alabama law is silly. But if the majority of the people hold it to be wise then that is the way that it should be. The justices simply saw that the issue was one of a state's right to do what elected law makers feel is right.
Having said that, the one thing that bothers me when it comes to moralists is that they only care about the sanctity of state's rights when the decision favors their point of view. Let some state legalize prostitution across the state and then listen as the same people that are smiling in Alabama about the state's right's decision regarding the sale of sex toys cry loud and long for an act of congress that prevents a state from legalizing prositution and repeals the action of any that has done so.
had a powerful influence in the state.
And you are talking Nevada-- not Utah, where it will never be legalized.
Prostitution was tolerated in Nevada until the 1970’s when the state legislature passed a law legalizing it. Decriminalization would mean that the law against prostitution was removed from the penal code; not the same as a law legalizing the act. The law provided that each county in the state had the authority to pass local ordinances outlawing prostitution. With the exception if Reno and Las Vegas, Prostitution is legal through out the state.
Mormons are very powerful in Utah and they also have a lot of influence in Nevada. Prior to the 1980’s when large corporations got into casino business, the majority of dealers and casino workers were Mormons. As a matter of fact, Howard Hughes had a policy of only hiring Mormons to work in the casinos he owned. There are more Mormon churches in Las Vegas than any other religion.
to be more specific prostitution is only legal in certain counties in Nevada. State law forbids legal prostituion in counties which have a population over 200,000 (hence the big cities are out); the remaining counties may only have legal brothels, at local option. Not all do.
Street-solicitation is illegal. Only in licensed brothels can you legally meet women in the business. By law the brothels can't even advertise. It is only by word of mouth, message boards and shows like Geraldo, back in the 80's, and Jerry Springer ect. that sensationalize the brothels and get the word out.
*waves hi at Clam*
Why not force the State of Alabama to define what it means by "sex toys"? After all, the very same electrical devices could actually be sold for pet grooming. Simply say with a straight face that the vibrator was bought for the cat's enjoyment. Specifically, it is meant for pet massage. Okay, you may not have bought a cat yet, but you want to be prepared once you have a cat available. After all, taking proper care of one's cat is important. So, how could the State of Alabama possibly be opposed to massaging a cat?
It is sometimes wise to force the prudes to get increasingly explicit about what they oppose, and then laugh at them for having dirty minds. That's much safer than letting one's explicit language get used to the prudes' favor.
I could see sex toys being sold as "art" and "sculpures" now in Alabama-- complete with accompanying art criticisms. With every sculpture, you'd have to order the motor and the installation kit separtely. Anal beads will be renamed as "Xmas Ornaments."
How about an ammendment to the constitution? A new right to keep and bear dildos? It seems that there's at least some situations where it makes more sense than "keeping and bearing arms."
governments and politicians go on one of these "morality" crusades, it serves little purpose other than to highlight some granstanding DA, or in the case of Alabama and their 10 commandments flaunting supreme court justice, and their sex toy "crimes", to highlight just how backward ass some folk in this country still are. Faith and religion are fine decent things, but save them for the privacy of your place of worship, your chosen God, and your own personal life.
I know an escort who lives in South Carolina, she has the hardest time finding a little battery for her small clit massager....it's like a federal offense or something apparently, to masturbate in that state....yea I'm being silly, but you get my point. MfSD>>>>
-- Modified on 2/24/2005 7:57:44 AM
"Warning: this product is not to be used for genital stimulation or in violation of high community standards. Attempting to reach orgasm may endanger the social fabric, lower public morals, and risk the anger of God against our great nation, and even the world. Adverse effects on God's scheduling of the apolcolypse have been reported with improper use of this product."
But I can see it happening. Seems like for every step we take forward, we take 100 backwards, and recent research on the state of the American conception of the world shows a worrying trend towards religious dogma (that being, the rejection of scientific investigation in preference for religious arguments and consequently the passage of religiously motivated laws.. no more separation of church and state, no more freedom of religion or expression, you get the idea. A worryingly large pecentage of the current batch of American high schoolers have gone so far as to say they see no value in protected speech).
And also, to embarrass and shame the writers of this stupid law. I don't vote in Alabama, and if I write a state legislator, he'd throw my letter in the trash. Humor is the best weapon I have. It's that or warfare.
Yes, I see what your saying happening too, though not in the form of warning labels on dildos (and I hope you could chill a little to laugh at the idea). It will happen, though, over my dead body. Nothing the conservatives are imposing is inevitable.
Please, chill. We're never in greater danger of total defeat than when we've lost our sense of humor.
-- Modified on 2/26/2005 4:26:10 AM