There is probably no cultural issue that tests First Amendment freedom of speech protection than pornography. While there were some infamous examples of the need for freedom of speech after the 9/11 attacks (especially Bill Maher being told by then-Press-Secretary Ari Fleischer to "watch what you say"), the enduring attempts to censor pornography are the perennial example of how unpopular speech needs First Amendment protection for there to be free speech for everyone.
The latest public skirmish on this front is the Marriage Vow pledge concocted by an Iowa group called the Family Leader. Presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum have signed this pledge, which includes references to "humane protection of women and the innocent fruit of conjugal intimacy — our next generation of American children — from human trafficking, sexual slavery, seduction into promiscuity, and all forms of pornography and prostitution, infanticide, abortion and other types of coercion or stolen innocence." Bachmann made a point of equating pornography with human trafficking and slavery, according to Larry Flynt (link below). Moralists have long targeted pornography for elimination, and this pledge makes some wild assumptions to link porn with slavery. But if an unpopular form of expression is banned by government, it's that much easier to start curbing or banning less controversial speech (like the Bill Maher example I mentioned) until freedom of speech is largely meaningless.
Larry Flynt: Shame on Michele Bachmann for Anti-Porn Pledge - The Daily Beast
Monday, July 11, 2011
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