At last! The Federal Conservatives appear to have exhibited some backbone: they’ve taken steps to burg the pornography industry.
Proposed legislation to ban child pornography has been rightly applauded as a measure necessary to stop the abuse and exploitation of children. However, proposals to define and curtail so-called “adult” pornography has been greeted with derision, and called “obscene,” “censorship” and an “unwelcome” return to “Victorian values.”
Justice Minister John Crosbie has already indicated that his proposed definition of pornography may well yet be watered down during the parliamentary committee process that all new legislation must undergo before it is voted on in the House of Commons. Unless, that is, the committee members are convinced that their constituencies support the proposed definition and legislation. It reads as follows:
“pornography” means any visual matter showing vaginal, anal or oral intercourse, ejaculation, sexually violent behaviour, bestiality, incest, necrophilia, masturbation or other sexual activity.
At issue is the right of Canadians to be free from the effects of pornography, as opposed to the perceived rights of “adults” to be pornography consumers. We are not talking about “pin-ups” or bathing beauties: we’re talking about explicit photographs, videos and films showing rape, sodomy, bestiality, sexual violence and mutilation. We’re talking about the essentially private act of sexual intercourse being publicly viewed as having no deeper significance than a National Geographic pictorial on the mating ritual of the loon.
There is already evidence aplenty to confirm that “soft-core” pornography is harmful. A person who constantly views such material becomes addicted and desensitized so that he goes on to seek more explicit, more degrading pornography. Our understandable zeal to protect freedom of expression should not – and must not – lead us to assume that there should be no restrictions on pornography. Any thinking person can see that the battle has nothing to do with “freedom of expression and everything to do with a multi-million dollar industry that panders to – and cultivates in us – voyeurism and lust.
There will be heavy pressure to water down this legislation using the pretext of civil liberties. There’s a devil of a lot of money at stake here, so the counter-attack will be hard and swift. Nevertheless, we who want a porn-free society have civil liberties and rights too – and we ant them protected.
Mr. Crosbie and the Federal Government are, for once, listening to the voice of true conservatism. They believe the proposed legislation is the appropriate – and popular – response to this growing social evil. Let us make every effort to support them in this bold initiative. As a beginning, it is up to each one of us to contact our members of parliament during the summer and let them know we support his initiative from the government.
Well done, Mr. Crosbie!
