New Censorship Bill Turns Parents into Prosecutors

[LiviaOlivia]

And now for something truly disturbing
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http://www.cbldf.org/pr/archives/000181.shtml

May 18, 2004
New Censorship Bill Turns Parents into Prosecutors
On April 28, California Congressman Duncan Hunter (R) introduced legislation that could “turn parents into prosecuting attorneys fighting a wave of obscenity,” the representative told Family.org.

H.B. 4239, also called the “Parents’ Empowerment Act,” would allow the parent or guardian of a minor to sue in federal court anyone who knowingly disseminates any media containing “material that is harmful to minors” if the material is distributed in a way that “a reasonable person can expect a substantial number of minors to be exposed to the material and the minor, as a result to exposure to the material, is likely to suffer personal or emotional injury or injury to mental or moral welfare.” The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

The bill allows compensatory damages starting at no less than $10,000 for any instance in which a minor is exposed to “harmful to minors” entertainment products. The bill also allows that punitive damages and reasonable fees may be awarded to the prevailing party at the discretion of the court. The bill also seeks to strengthen the current test courts utilize in determining what is obscene material by providing a separate definition of obscenity specifically for children. It is an affirmative defense to action under this bill if a parent or guardian of the minor owned the material.

The bill is in its earliest stage, but if it passes, it will seriously threaten retailers, distributors, and publishers. Family.org talked to Hunter who said, “If the people who published (the material), published it in such a way that they could reasonably have expected children to access it, then the parents can receive an award of $10,000.”

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Hunter’s bill enjoys the support of several religious, family, and conservative legal groups including the Christian Coalition, the American Center for Law and Justice and the World Family Policy Center at Brigham Young University. Working closely with Media Coalition, the CBLDF will continue to monitor the progress of this bill.

[LiviaOlivia]

1. I have been unable to find anything at DU on this

Tort reform hypocrites line up.

[Democat]

2. This bill better be stopped - it is so bad that founding fathers....

...are turning over in their graves.

What part of the First Amendment does Duncan "I hate America for it's freedoms" Hunter not understand?

[gmoney]

3. The Helen Lovejoy act?

"Won't somebody PLEASE think of the CHILDREN??"

These are the same guys that are fighting for tort reform to keep frivolous lawsuits from clogging up our courts.

"My daughter died because the surgeon left a sponge inside her, but I can't sue so Mrs. Lovejoy can sue a guy wearing a Marilyn Manson t-shirt at the mall..."

[Dr.Phool]

4. What a great idea!!

There's a book out there that causes all kinds of mental illness. It's full of blood-curdling tales of people being burned alive, slaughtered nations, drunken fathers screwing their daughters, homosexuality and more.

We can sue the Christian Coalition for passing out BIBLES! All of this is in there.

Like our fearless leader sez, "Bring 'em on"!:evilgrin:

:toast: :wtf: :spank:

[prodigal_green]

5. Does this include military recruiters? eom