I have noticed there are some similarities that are taking place between the adult entertainment business often labeled pornography in China and in the United States. Now think about that for a few seconds--China which has a history of robbing its citizens of any type of freedom and human rights and then look at the United States, a country that claims its free.
Recently China shut down over 60,000 adult Web sites and arrested over 5,000 people who were simply engaging in the adult entertainment business. This wasn't child pornography here. While this shouldn't be any surprise in China, as we have come to expect this from the statists, it's beginning to happen in the United States too. My view on this is there is a First Amendment right, and there aren't limits to that First Amendment right. While I am no fan of Larry Flynt, I do believe he was right in fighting for his First Amendment right against the feds who went out of their way to destroy Flynt all for publishing similar types of materials.
Think about that. China and the United States has a similar track record, but one country has the guaranteed freedom of speech. I know. I know. I am sitting here defending Larry Flynt--not one of the most honorable men in our country, but we all should be scared when we see the similarities of what is taking place in China and then seeing it occur in our country where freedom rings.
It's not just Flynt either. Across the United States in this tough economy where we have learned many women have looked at other means to make their living as they have been laid off from their jobs, we see similar laws ready to arrest consenting adults who are participating in a legal industry like that of exotic dance clubs. (Remember freedom of speech and expression applies to speech and expression you may not agree with, but once you attack one form the next form will fall easier.)
Interestingly enough, the United States is making a similar argument that China is making to crack down on its adult entertainment services. The UK Daily writes:
Beijing has run a highly publicised drive against lewd online content which it claims is overwhelming the country’s internet and mobile phones and threatening the emotional health of children.
I have heard that argument before in the United States. In the United States, there are more regulations threatening the people working in these industries with jail time and fines if they break these regulations. These regulations often deal forcing strippers to cover up. They have passed these laws in Missouri recently, which I have written were just goofy considering. Here are some examples of the new laws:
In Missouri, exotic dancers are being forced to cover up. The following outfit would be illegal to wear today in a Missouri strip club.
However, the following outfit would not be illegal to wear in a Missouri strip club:
What's the difference? Well look at the cut of the outfit around the breasts. The first cut is cut in the vicinity of the nipples and the new law says the cut has to be totally above the nipple or the dancer is subject to fines and possible arrest. I am not kidding.
Once again, the following outfit is illegal in Missouri strip clubs:
However, an exotic dancer can wear the following without hassle from the law enforcement community:
See the difference in the cut of the panties? Once shows a little crack, but not as much crack as the local plumber, and the other doesn't.
Now we see similar laws are facing communities like Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dancers at Deja Vu are required to put on clothes at midnight. The reasoning to force the strippers to wear clothes, well it's for the children. How many children are hanging out around Deja Vu around midnight? It sounds like if this is a problem, this is a problem of bad parenting and not problem of consenting adults. Those dancers who decide not to follow the new law in Kalamazoo can be punished up to 90 days in jail.
Do you see the parallels with Communist China? Listen, there is a truth about free speech and freedom of expression. You aren't going to agree with all of it, but when you start picking and choosing what can be free and want should be stopped you take a dangerous chance of stopping all of it in time.
