Alabama Republican Legislator’s Bill Would Put State In Pornography Business

Republican Jack Williams represents Alabama House District 47 (Hoover and Vestavia Hills) in the Alabama House of Representatives, and is Chair of the Commerce and Small Business Committee.

Jack Williams, a Republican Representative from Vestavia Hills, who represents portions of Jefferson county in Alabama House District 47 has filed HB 428 which would “prohibit the sale of a device that provides Internet access unless the device contains an active filter that blocks access to specified types of obscene material.”

Sounds good, right?

Of course, there are plenty of off-the-shelf subscription services to which anyone can subscribe which blocks such material. And some Internet browsers have such detection systems built-in. It’s not always perfect, and when Super Bowl XXX was played in 1995, it inadvertently created some problems because the Roman numeral X was displayed in triplicate, as if it were associated with some type of pornographic exhibition, and most porn-blocking software blocked the Super Bowl website, and news articles which mentioned “Super Bowl XXX.” That was in the “early days” of the Internet and filtering. Now, Google, and other Internet search engines have made milestones in filtering out objectionable, sexually explicit, and illegal material.

No parent wants their children subjected to such material, and every adult has the right to decide whether they want to view erotic or sexually explicit material, or not. After all, that’s what freedom means… the opportunity to make a decision, even if your neighbor doesn’t like your decision, or vice versa.

But no child should be subjected to exposure to pornography. And no rational adult would even consider doing such a thing, regardless of their personal opinion about erotica, or not. That’s a good parenting decision which rightfully belongs to parents, not the government, because no one wants the government telling them how they should raise their kids… especially in Alabama. And yet, that’s exactly what Vestavia Hills Republican Representative Jack Williams’ HB 428 does.

Federal laws protect those who decide to become involved in the production of sexually explicit material, and requires proof-positive identification of all participants being aged 18, or older, at the time of production – and has, for many, many years. In fact, Congress enacted the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1988 after it was discovered

A Libertarian Nightmare

Typically, libertarians are described as social liberals and fiscal conservatives.

That description, while simple, is fairly accurate. For example, when it comes to illicit drugs, the call for their legalization has come not from dope-smoking hippies, or those championing marijuana for medicinal purpose, but from libertarians. And they do so precisely because of the philosophy that guides libertarianism – laissez faire, which is defined as “a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering.” In other words, hands-off, and leave things alone. In the United States, that translates into the mantra “smaller, less intrusive government,” with “less regulation.”

However, the primary problem with such an approach is that things are never “left alone.” For when they are abandoned, they are instead subjected to a torrent of change.

So, it should come as no surprise to learn that the former global haven for such trade has discovered that legalization or turning the proverbial blind eye to such issues only serves to encourage criminality.

It’s true with marijuana – the Netherlands has embarked upon changes to their formerly liberal policy to marijuana usage precisely because it has given rise to increased crime. And by the end of this year (2012), foreigners will no longer be able to purchase marijuana at the “coffee shops.”

It’s also true with prostitution.

Authorities in the Netherlands have also found that