From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxa!mhuxh!mhuxm!pyuxjj!pyuxcc!bdp
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Title: re: obscenity and Ma Bell
Article-I.D.: pyuxcc.300
Posted: Tue Jul 13 08:43:03 1982
Received: Wed Jul 14 02:09:09 1982

The US Communications Act of 1932 says it's a foul thing to be obscene
over any communications system (well, at least radio and TV, though
I don't remember the wording  -- anyone with a radio license remember?)
Please consider prime time TV;  somehow it would smack of hypocrisy
to single out the usenet in the presence of a much more substantial
violation of the law.

Personally, I think the law is silly and puritanical.  The real problem
is harassment of people via a communications system NOT obscenity.
Folks have the legitimate right not to be harassed by their appliances.
On the other hand we each have a right to self-expression; that's what
the First Amendment is all about.  If a life-style or a mode of expression
bothers you, you'd best learn to live with it.  An offense of taste
is not a felony.  If it was, I have a long list of moronic movie directors,
orchestral conductors, and authors that I would have turned over to
the FBI a long time ago.  Tolerance is not an anachronism, even if
that cowboy is in the White House.

--Bruce Parker
  BTL Piscataway