130 Churches Calling For Obscenity Investigation

[Squirt]

Over 130 Metro churches were joining forces to take on 32 businesses they said are destroying families.

The 134 churches said the businesses violate Kansas and Missouri obscenity laws, but are these items really obscene or protected by free speech?

Erotic City in Kansas City, Missouri and the merchandise sold inside is one example of stores church leaders say are violating state obscenity laws and they say those laws do not protect obscenity as free speech.

That's why they're asking six county grand juries to investigate these businesses for selling porn.

"The law is already there," Philip Cosby with the National Coalition For Protection of Children and Families said. "The obscenity statue is already in place. It's just a matter of enforcement, the legislature has done its work. We're simply doing our part."

All store managers FOX 4 talked to on the list of businesses declined to talk on camera. The store owner of Rays Over 21 said over the phone that they've been in business for more than 35 years and have always followed the law.

Church leaders here said they want action they say will protect families.

"Sex created by God is a good thing, but in the covenant of marriage. Outside that institution there are devastating consequences that come," Cosby said.

The group of churches started a petition drive to present to the county prosecutors, hoping to spark an investigation. So far the group has collected more than 20,000 signatures. FULL STORY

--------------------

"Sex created by God is a good thing, but in the covenant of marriage. Outside that institution there are devastating consequences that come,"

WTF??

When I see things like this I wish we had the British system where, if you lose, you pay the court costs of the winning party. Is it just me or is this blatent harrasment by abusing the legal system to force people out of business? Have you heard of this type of thing happening before?

[gaybucks_chip]

That's one of the big problems here in the US... there's no downside (other than the court costs) for the plaintiff if s/he loses, where in a number of other countries, you have to post a bond... which you lose if you lose your case...

There is RAMPANT lawsuit abuse, like the family that's planning to sue McDonalds for god-knows-what because their 10 year old daughter got an employee's pot and pipe stash in her Happy Meal box... like that caused any serious injury to anyone... if you look at somebody wrong now, you get sued.

[Squirt]

Right someone who has more money and resources sues you to put you out of business, or get what they want, dragging you down emotionally and financially. Even if you win, you've lost thousands, or hundreds of thousands of dollars defending yourself. If you want to sue to recoupe your losses you have an unreasonable burden of proof to win, where the other side has already won by damaging you and not having to prove anything.

It's odd because you hear retorick about legislating morality yet this is exactly what they are trying to do. If these guys win, does that set a precident and literally shut down all porn shops in their states?

[gaybucks_chip]

Standard "i'm not a lawyer" disclaimer, but my understanding is no, a win in one community would not create any national precedent, except if it were somehow made a federal case, and there, we would most likely see a certain level of free speech protection, even from the loser Republican appointees.

For one thing, each state and local community has differing laws, differing community standards, so getting a conviction in Kansas would be very different from getting one in Los Angeles or New York or even Minneapolis or Atlanta.

The rhetoric from the religious loonies is (from their perspective) sincere, but I don't think it will get very far, simply because of free speech protections. The same thing that gives Fred Phelps the ability to stand at Matthew Shepard's funeral saying that he got what he deserved and is going to hell is what also protects pornographers, and I would think that even these wingnuts would at some point realize that.

[SPACE GLIDER]

even from the loser Republican appointees

I think conservatives are far more into porn that so-called liberals. The only diference is they get what seems to be a secret kick out of being clandestine about it. Not kidding.

[Sana Chan]

I'd like to hear Chad's view on this. As a member of the legal system I wonder what his opinion is on these "frivilous" lawsuits.

Personally I think most lawsuits are a bunch of shit. Ooops, I'm a clumsy fuck so pay me for spilling coffee on myself. The only reason she won that lawsuit I believe was because that McD had been warned 3 times prior that they kept their coffee well above the required temperture.

But there was another lawsuit brought against McD where parents sued them because their food made their kids fat. No my dear, you being a bad parent and not knowing how to cook a proper meal for your family made your kids fat asses. Its like the question women ask, "Does this make me look fat?" No my dear, your fat ass makes you look fat. Do something about that first then put on the dress.

People expect businesses to think they are their only customer so they should design everything around what THEY want. Lets just forget the thousands of other patrons that come to the business. After all, they don't matter.:crazyeyes:

[citiboyz]

Go to www.avn.com and "search" the news articles for the name "Philip Cosby". This guy's a crackpot. I gather he's from Abilene, Kansas, and spends his time traveling around the farm belt working churches up into an anti-porn froth. He's had only limited success, though, as some of his cases have been dismissed by the courts for petition irregularities and things like that. Hmmm! He's just a rabble rouser.

[Lee]

No my dear, you being a bad parent and not knowing how to cook a proper meal for your family made your kids fat asses.

:thumbsup: Couldnt agree with you more here

Regards,

Lee

[Squirt]

For one thing, each state and local community has differing laws, differing community standards, so getting a conviction in Kansas would be very different from getting one in Los Angeles or New York or even Minneapolis or Atlanta.

I'm thinking an added bonus for the defendents would be finding a juror that doesn't attend one of the 130 churches That would pretty much leave non church attending citizens to rule in a case where the church is being a bully ... hmmmmmmm wonder would would be favored :bunny: