New 2257-Related Bill Could Spell Big Trouble for Industry

**basschick** · 09-14-2005, 10:50 PM

"WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., this week introduced a bill before Congress that would strengthen the recently amended 2257 record-keeping requirements and heap even more restrictive provisions on the adult entertainment industry.
The bill authorizes forfeiture of assets related to both child pornography and obscenity cases, expands administrative subpoena power in obscenity cases and broadly prohibits the production, transport, distribution and sale of obscene materials.

One area of potential impact is Section 3 of the bill, titled “Strengthening Section 2257 to Ensure that Children Are Not Exploited in the Production of Pornography.”

Language in that section extends enforcement of 2257 to “mere distribution or any other activity that does not involve hiring, contracting for managing or otherwise arranging for the participation of the performers depicted” in pornographic materials. In other words, 2257 would apply to retail stores that previously were exempt from the law.

Pence is linking the bill as an amendment to the Child Safety Act of 2005 to speed its passage and avoid a lengthy committee process.

The bill, said Pence, is designed to “crack down on child pornographers, specifically so-called ‘home pornographers.’”

“We specifically, in my bill, close a loophole that exists in federal law today that allows pornographers who produce child pornography at home with digital cameras, Polaroid cameras, or video cameras, [or who download child pornography] on their home computers, to actually escape prosecution,” Pence said.

Pence, a member of the House Judiciary Committee and a rising star in the Republican party, is no stranger to the anti-adult agenda. In May, XBiz reported that Pence organized a “summit” of Right Wing politicians and lobbyists to discuss strategies for forcibly migrating all sites containing sexually explicit material to a .porn top-level domain.

Conservative groups have hailed the legislation.

“It tightens up the record-keeping requirements of it for sure, and it broadens the kind of material that record-keeping requirements are applied to,” said Benjamin Bull of the Alliance Defense Fund.

Daniel Weiss of Focus on the Family Action added that the bill will give the Justice Department a large hammer to wield against the industry.

“Any one of [the bill’s provisions] may not have immediate large impact, but when you take them together, you’re seeing a significant strengthening of obscenity and child pornography laws,” Weiss said. “I think it’s going to pass Congress, I think the President will sign it into law, and I think it will immediately be challenged in the courts.” "

http://xbiz.com/news_piece.php?id=10324

**tombarr** · 09-14-2005, 10:58 PM

Damn you are fast!

yeah this bill is really troublesome....

what is more troublesome is the reality of the supreme court justice openings that many people in our industry ignored in the last general election when they voted republican....

now this new chief justice nominee says porn does not count the same as other forms of speech and should not be given the same protection....

and this bill likely will end up in front of him with constitutional challenges to the the very 1st ammendment he is saying does not cover porn production...

indeed another attack by the right...... doing business in this porn industry seems to be equivalent to walking through a mine field these days.

**basschick** · 09-14-2005, 11:44 PM

you know what bothers me about all these obscenity-related laws and bills has never been touched on anywhere that i've seen...

ANYTHING can be deemed obscene by SOMEone. two people kissing in public, fully dressed with no other contact, is obscene to some people. a girl in a two piece bathing suit is obscene to SOMEone.

the government is trying to define more and more things as obscene, and that is what troubles me. videos that have been through court already and were NOT found obscene are up for grabs all over again. if they can find a spin to make our constitutionally protected free speech appear obscene to any group of people, they can claim it is obscenity and prosecute.

as long as obscenity has no legal definition, they can use this to their own policitcal or religious ends...

Happysucks · 09-15-2005, 12:02 AM

It's strange... All I keep thinking is Iraq and how the women were to cover up everything or it is deemed obscene.

**basschick** · 09-15-2005, 12:06 AM

thank you, Happysucks. that is exactly what i'm talking about.

we're not talking about rational people here - we're talking about the type of people who cover fine art because they think it's obscene. they cannot see any form of nudity without their dirty minds turning it into something sexual and foul. they should not be validated, and they certainly shouldn't be in charge of anything.

**Squirt** · 09-15-2005, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by basschick

the government is trying to define more and more things as obscene, and that is what troubles me.

It's not the government in general, it's the religious right.

Remember it's the government so far that has upheld our right to free speech.

Please don't give these fanatics more worry then they're worth.

This has been a battle that has been fought since before Larry Flint. This is something that will continue to be fought until the religious rights voice is so small that nobody listens, as it's become in other countries.

Don't forget.. our whole judicial system is full of activist judges that are "to liberal for America" LOL

OppositeTheory · 09-15-2005, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by Squirt

It's not the government in general, it's the religious right.

Remember it's the government so far that has upheld our right to free speech.

Please don't give these fanatics more worry then they're worth.

This has been a battle that has been fought since before Larry Flint. This is something that will continue to be fought until the religious rights voice is so small that nobody listens, as it's become in other countries.

Don't forget.. our whole judicial system is full of activist judges that are "to liberal for America" LOL

I agree with not paying the Religious Right too much mind, but at some point I have to ask myself at what cost will I remain detached from it all.

Hey...just an observation, Bush got elected...I keep exhaling in disbelief at how much that guy gets away with.

Is there any question at all that Osama is still no where to be found and that we are still in Iraq, all the while people were perishing in Louisianna because of our Bush's indecision with the Hurricane Katrina.

A Hurricane! We all watched it happen.

We will have lost more people in Hurricane Katrina than in 9/11 and Pearl Harbor Combined: it is estimated by various sources, anywhere from 6,000 to 11,000. Emotionally I physically hurt when I think of those abandoned people who died. I am hurt and enraged at the inaction of a spineless and self serving President.

A lot of what is happening today is fear based and utter propaganda and in direct violation of each American citizens personal rights.

"So what? Nothing will happen...Don't worry they'll balance out in the end?"

Bullshit. It's happening now. I will keep my side of the street clean, but I am not afraid to say what I feel or fight back against thos self righteous zealots. This is the land of legal stipulations and politically warping intentions to serve ones own needs.

The Religious Right will continue to push their legislation through regardless of whether it is justice or not, whether you agree or not.

If I have to buy fucking Birkenstocks and start protesting with the rest of the über green granolla folk, I will, but I will definately have my "Poket Nolo Briefs" book in hand and have a getaway car stashed. Thank the lord I live in San Francisco, the last free city in the United States.

Fuck that Crack-Head Bush:goof: ,

OppositeTheory:argue:
ICQ: 241130076

Dzinerbear · 09-15-2005, 09:11 AM

You all ought to see, if you haven't already, the Power of Nightmares, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/3755686.stm

It's a very interesting film. It essentially says this and I paraphrase: the rise of individualism has lead to Americans not holding the family and country as close to their hearts as they used to. People used to do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. With a good percentage of your population running around looking after their own interests, there was little focus on a common interest, i.e. America or the family.

The film shows how the neo-cons in the 80s helped create this overwhelming fear of a third world war and communists blowing us all up. So the country started to rally. At the same time, Christians were preached to that it was their duty to get out and vote and get control of the government. (Christians previously didn't have a lot to do with politics.) Once communism fell, however, there was nothing left to fear in the world.

Eventually "terrorism" was created as the new enemy.

Watch the film, it essentially shows you how your goverment and people interested in controlling it have completely concocted most of the fear around a third world war back in the 80s and much of the fear that your government uses today. It's an eye-opening experience.

Michael

**Squirt** · 09-15-2005, 09:22 AM

That was an interesting read! I'll have to see where I can dig up that film~!

**JustJohn** · 09-15-2005, 01:57 PM

This bill, which has already passed the House, is perhaps the scariest thing I've ever read from this government. I'm sure it will sail through the Senate, as its attached to a larger bill no one will vote against and will therefore have to be challenged in the courts.

The XBIZ article doesn't really do the bill justice... check out this AVN article for a more thorough, and terribly disturbing, analysis.

http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary...tent_ID=240327

**Lee** · 09-15-2005, 02:04 PM

You know, im almost starting to hope we DO turn in to a country policed by the 'religious' way of thinking. Can you imagine it?

People being stoned to death every weekend, broadcast on national god-tv.

No more seafood.

Everyone going to church on Sunday.

Im pretty sure those in power would start realizing just how much they fucked the country up after a week or two, it wouldnt be long before there was a mightly big wake up call not only to the government, but also those religious whack jobs who want this stuff.

Perhaps its time to stop fighting this crap and let it pass, before long there would be calls to bring back the good old days, i guarantee it.

We may even call on North Korea to come and liberate the oppressed American people

Regards,

Lee

Slade · 09-15-2005, 02:37 PM

While I admire everyone who is getting involved to some degree in voicing their opinions and trying to make a difference in the political process, I also urge some of you to sit back and look at the "bigger picture."

What do I mean by the bigger picture?
There are ALREADY laws ON THE BOOKS..ready for enforcement, that can bring as much crap down on the porno industry, if not more, than the proposed new laws. So, if you REALLY want to get "freaked" out about the religious right/conservative right, you should take a look at some exisiting law and realize that if the neo-cons really wanted to "kick ass"..they could do it NOW!

So, the question is why haven't they?
It's one thing to PASS legislation, it's much different to have the ability/willingness to ENFORCE it. And then on top of that, to be ORGANIZED to the point of doing any meaningful enforcement.

We've just seen how incompetent the federal government is at saving lives during/after a hurricane..trust me, that's not the only dept they are incompetent in.

When I get some time..I'll dig up some existing laws and you can see some specifics of which I speak.

**Squirt** · 09-15-2005, 02:38 PM

Listen people. Stop being afraid.

If you end up not having freedom of speech in America, you will have it overseas. Relax :francais:

**Squirt** · 09-15-2005, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Slade

We've just seen how incompetent the federal government is at saving lives during/after a hurricane..trust me, that's not the only dept they are incompetent in.

BAAAAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA BUAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

" I might not be able to be there for you in a natural disaster but BY GOD I'll be able so stop you from seeing porn"

BUUUUAHHHH HA HA HA HA HA LOL

**DonMike** · 09-15-2005, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Happysucks

It's strange... All I keep thinking is Iraq and how the women were to cover up everything or it is deemed obscene.

I remember reading 1984 and A Handmaid's Tale and seeing the movie Brazil and thinking how things couldn't possibly get that bad, but looking at things now, I can see a very real possibility there. Create this unseen villian and the people will welcome government cameras on their streets and in their homes to keep them "safe". Big Brother is watching you, and his name is George.