Comments | tonyvila: Simpson on Simpson action? That's a jailin'.

tonyvila

Simpson on Simpson action? That's a jailin'.

Dec 08, 2008 13:32

( a discussion of detestable pornography and thought-crime )

Comments 6

dajoey December 8 2008, 19:08:24 UTC

I think it depends. It's definitely a law that could very easily be abused. But I think there might be more to it than what the news article reveals. For instance, how dirty was this cartoon, and what was the subject matter? Was it something that he used in some sort of fantasy that could lead to destructive behavior? I don't think we should punish people for what they MIGHT do, but it could still be an indication of something that needs to be watched out for.

But again, it's all conjecture since we don't know all of the little details of the case. And I do think that there would be another way to prosecute him for any potentially dangerous crime that he is guilty of other than ruling that cartoons are people too. That's just a) ridiculous and b) easily abused.

tonyvila December 8 2008, 23:32:10 UTC

I would posit that there is no possible arrangement of lines and colors on paper that, by being drawn by an adult and shown to other adults, could harm a child. SHOWING inappropriate material to a minor, ACTING on feelings that may be inspired by such a drawing, true, these things are vile, despicable, and illegal. But the drawing itself has to stop at vile and despicable.

dajoey December 8 2008, 23:46:01 UTC

Right. I completely understand that. I'm just wondering if isn't more to it. The only reason I say that is b/c I agree that no rational court should punish someone for a drawing.

fancycwabs December 8 2008, 19:29:34 UTC

Bart and Lisa Simpson are well past the age of consent, ESPECIALLY if you consider The Tracey Ullman Show.

Sorry, based on that criterion, Lolita is effectively kiddy porn, and while actual kiddy porn is reprehensible, fiction is just fiction.

cwjordan December 8 2008, 22:24:05 UTC

Oddly, Neil Gaiman just wrote several things on his journal about censorship, ending with this very topic. Starting here: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/12/why-defend-freedom-of-icky-speech.html

tonyvila December 8 2008, 23:35:43 UTC

Glad to see I fall on the same side as Gaiman - he's a guy whose work has horrified and disturbed me, charmed me and amused me. I still recoil in horror when I recall some of the stuff in Sandman - the Corinthian and the Cereals convention, specifically.