(Greenwich, 9/23/2006) I grew up in a small town in Illinois entirely without the benefit of federal government indecency regulations. We didn’t have laws against pornography or FCC commissioners ruling just exactly how much of a certain person’s left breast we can watch on Super Bowl Sunday. What we had was an understanding. If you show what I determine to be pornographic material to my child I will come to your house and kick your ass.
Worked pretty well for the most part.
I am very, very, very much opposed to government officials interfering with free speech. If you want to know why read the history of the 20th century, when more than 100 million people were killed by their own governments. I like my government small and inobtrusive. Even in the area of “indecency.” I do not want government employees decidig what my children can see. I will handle that, thank you.
My friend Adam Thierer from the Progress and Freedom Foundation said this more elegantly than I hav done in the piece he filed at the FCC on the subject. In his paper, Adam describes all the tools parents have now to manage the issue. You can read Adam’s paper by clicking here.
I expect to see a lot more social and family meddling coming out of Washington in the coming weeks as the mid-term election draws near.
JR
I just found your blog. I loved the reports from China. It’s great to know that other parts of the world understand what “free” enterprise is about.
GG
Goethe Girl,
That’s what makes it so fun to travel there. Thanks for reading and writing your comment.
JR