WASHINGTON (September 28, 2010) – The Coalition for the War on Illegal Pornography (WOIP) directed by Morality in Media is launching a new campaign today calling on all presidential candidates to state their position on the enforcement of federal laws prohibiting the distribution of illegal, hard-core and obscene pornography.
“The Obama Administration has turned a blind eye to the harm from pornography and has not initiated a single new federal obscenity prosecution since President Obama was inaugurated,” said Patrick Trueman, president of Morality in Media and former Chief, U.S. Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. “We need presidential leadership on this issue.”
Harm from adult pornography is at pandemic levels. Exposure to pornography is causing many children and adults to become addicted. It is a leading cause of broken marriages and the sexual exploitation of children and women. It contributes to sexual trafficking, and it is gateway to child pornography and, in fact, is a major reason why child pornographers are increasing at unprecedented levels.
“We want assurances now that the next President, whoever that may be, will agree to make the prosecution of illegal hardcore pornography a priority of the U. S. Department of Justice. Only then will the harm begin to subside,” Trueman said.
Current federal laws, upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court, prohibit distribution of hard-core obscene pornography on the Internet, on cable/satellite TV, on hotel/motel TV, in retail shops, through the mail and by common carrier. Trueman asked why the pornographers should be given the green light by the Department of Justice to spread illegal porn across America?
Trueman, who was in charge of adult obscenity prosecutions in the Reagan and Bush I Administrations, said vigorous prosecutions of the nation’s top pornographers not only led to a dramatic decrease of pornography but also a significant change in the nature of pornography. The porn industry stopped producing violent-themed pornography such as rape films as well as themes involving children under the leadership of these Presidents.
“A renewed prosecution effort now by the Department of Justice will certainly lead to a change in the amount and nature of pornography as well as a dramatic decrease in the harm from pornography,” he said. “But, again, presidential leadership is the key to success.”
Citizens will be able to go to waronillegalpornography.com to access the contact information for all the presidential candidates. With one click of a button, they can send their concerns to all candidates at once, including President Obama. Updates will be provided on the site as each candidate responds.
The War on Illegal Pornography is a bipartisan coalition of over 115 national and state groups working together to get our federal obscenity laws enforced. This coalition is directed by Morality in Media, the leading national organization focused on opposing obscenity and indecency through public education and the application of the law. For more information: www.waronillegalpornography.com, www.pornharms.com and www.moralityinmedia.org.
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