Is Death Fetish Porn protected speech?

[Taverner]

Poll question: Is Death Fetish Porn protected speech?

That is, pornography that simulates death, rape and violence...

[valerief]

1. Does this include video of shooting someone in the face? nt

[Taverner]

14. Only if the person is not really being shot.

[philosophie_en_rose]

2. Probably.

Death fetish porn is protected speech, unless it also violates some other law. (age, consent, copyright, etc).

[Warpy]

4. Agreed

This is part of the price we pay for freedom of political speech.

If an investigation confirms it was simulated using consenting adults, I don't see that much of a problem. I don't like it, but if it's a voluntary thing with ketchup, I can tolerate it.

There is always going to be someone out there who is deeply offended by things we say and do. Remember, religious fascists want us all killed because they can't stand being reminded that the rest of us exist.

[saltpoint]

3. I'm not real sure what it is, but it sounds like it won't be running on the

Hallmark channel anytime soon.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Yes, of course.

[wakeme2008]

6. Well we now have a nude Harry Potter with a horse..

:rofl:

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

17. Yeah, THAT was an eyecatcher this morning. I stopped in front of the television with jaw dropped.

:rofl: MKJ

[rock]

7. Apparently, if the judges get a hard on while watching

it's pornography, otherwise it's art.

On edit: I don't know how the female judges decide.

[Rosemary2205]

8. SIMULATED death is obviously protected speech.

It makes no difference whether it's a Lethal Weapon movie or porn.

As for how one may show an actual corpse on film it would probably depend on the state. Obviously the news channels can show partially clothed corpses (Anderson Cooper CNN showing partially clothed gassed Kurdish men on Saddam's death day) - But most states have laws around the disrespect of a corpse so if some sickass pervert wants to do actual porn with a corpse then they better hire a lawyer first.

[mongo]

12. Bing Bing Bing! We have a winner

Big difference between simulated anything and the filming of an actual crime.

[mongo]

9. What brought this on?

Have I missed something?

K & R btw -- there's a few DU'ers I'd like to see this poll.

[Pithlet]

10. I voted yes.

Consenting adults acting out a scene, no matter how offensive I or others think it is, is protected under free speech.

[porphyrian]

11. We simulate death, rape and violence for entertainment all the time.

Why does adding sex suddenly make it obscene and unacceptable? Viewing porn does not change someone in any essential way, no more than listening to heavy metal music makes you a suicidal devil worshiper. Viewing gay porn won't make someone gay, and viewing death fetish porn won't make people sex offenders. What is there to fear from it simply existing? We don't have to view it if we find it distasteful (and I personally do).

[Taverner]

13. As a free speech absolutist, I agree with you

The sticky part comes when we enter child pornography into the mix...and I know I'm going to get flamed for this but I think laws that ban child pornography as "obscene" are unconstitutional. Not to say posessing child pornography isn't a crime - it clearly is. I just think it violates the Bill of Rights to go after Child Porn on obscenity laws, and instead go for exploitation of a minor - and make poesession aiding and abetting a criminal act.

[porphyrian]

15. Child abuse is already a crime, and making child porn is child abuse.

I think all exploitation of children should be illegal, especially those damned pageants. But we shouldn't confuse the relationship between the evidence and the crime, so to speak. The child abuser caused the evidence, the evidence didn't make the abuser abuse children. Especially with topics such as this, where people feel very strongly about it, there is a tendency to allow the end to justify the means, and either good laws get used in shady ways or bad laws get written to get the bad guy. I think censorship is one type of bad law we see.

[Taverner]

19. Yes...I agree 100%

[WCGreen]

16. What about your average prime time CSI show...

if that isn't cheap prurient fare, I don't know what is...

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. Of Course It Is. Why On Earth Wouldn't It Be? (Caveat Being That It's Consentual, Of Course)