<A HREF="http://www.sltrib.com/2001/Feb/02202001/utah/73061.htm" TARGET=_blank>This is funny. </A> Youths Unified in Effort to Stamp Out Smut, But Divided Over What It Is BY KEVIN CANTERA THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Students from all over Utah spent their Presidents Day holiday in Salt Lake City, where they marched on the state Capitol and rallied against p*rnography. About 400 youths, some from as far away as Kanab, met at the intersection of State Street and South Temple just after 9 a.m. Monday, waving signs reading "p*rn -- Heck No!" or "Scorn p*rn." After about two hours, the raucous group, flanked by police, trekked up the hill to the Capitol, chanting "1-2-3, choose decency" and other refrains. They gathered on the steps of the Statehouse to rail in unison against the evils of p*rnography -- but were less than unanimous when describing what they were marching against. Asked to define p*rnography, Morgan High School senior Karlee Adams answered: "R-rated movies." "Michelangelo's 'David,' " said Ashley Spackman, a sophomore from Timpanogos High in Orem. Perhaps the most utilitarian definition came from Lacee Wilde. "p*rnography is anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable watching with your parents," said the senior from North Summit High School in Coalville. Local radio personality James Brown, who helped organize Monday's rally, seemed nonchalant about the variety of opinions. "We are not worrying about that," Brown said. "We just know what p*rn is, and we want to keep it from our kids." The law itself is vague in defining p*rnography. While the U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment, it has left it up to "community standards" to decide what qualifies as obscene. In p*rnography prosecutions, courts and juries attempt to use the standards of morality and decency commonly accepted in their neighborhoods. Utah law defines p*rnography as material that has no scientific, artistic or political value and appeals only to prurient interests. One rally organizer, Amy Fielding of Cache County-based Homes Offering Moral Empowerment (H.O.M.E.), defined p*rnography as anything that arouses passion among teens. "It is the media -- all the media -- that stirs up those desires," Fielding said. Frank Mylar, a former assistant Utah attorney general, addressed the group via megaphone, calling for officials to fight the smut industry with the same fervor they have shown against big tobacco. "I would rather have my child smoke a pack a day than get hooked on p*rnography," said Mylar, who last November was defeated by Mark Shurtleff in his bid to become the state's attorney general. The two showed solidarity Monday. Following Mylar, Shurtleff told the crowd: "Thank you for saying no to p*rnography." As attorney general, Shurtleff recently appointed former West Valley City prosecutor Paula Houston as the state's "obscenity and p*rnography ombudsman," the first such office in the country. "The national media has been laughing at us [because] we have a new p*rn czar. I want to hear how you feel about Paula Houston," Shurtleff yelled to the kids. He then led the group in a chant of "Paula! Paula! Paula!" Following the rally, hundreds of children signed a pledge to steer clear of pornographic images and to avoid products marketed with suggestive or titillating advertisements. "We ask that they not buy anything that is promoted with p*rnography," said Nolan Johnson, a father of three from Morgan, who said that lurid ads are ubiquitous. "Walk through any department store. You have to close your eyes in the perfume aisle," he said. Not everyone shared his ire. Trudging up the hill toward the rally, Johnson's 9-year-old son Neil seemed oblivious to the broader implications of his sign, "Protest p*rn," and the march. "I'm just here to carry my sign and have some fun," Neil Johnson said.
p*rnography is anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable watching with your parents Lol! That is quite the definition. A little too broad, perhaps. When I was in high school, that probably would have included any movie with a rating higher than PG. ------------------ In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. [This message has been edited by SamCassell (edited February 20, 2001).]
There is nothing funny about that, Achebe. It used to be common thought that male ejacuation brought you closer to death. Thus, if it happens too much, it is much more dangerous than smoking. ------------------ Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it. " " " " "
You have been coming up with some good comments lately, but these two are the best! ------------------ Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it. " " " " "
Utah law defines p*rnography as material that has no scientific, artistic or political value and appeals only to prurient interests. This is kind of an odd deffinition also -- "artistic" being a tough term to define. I guess Playboy is fine though, since of course, people just buy it for the articles. ------------------ Stay Cool...
I would love to see these Utah students and their parents... ...get stranded on Hollywood Boulevard!! ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
You know, I'm only 19, but I don't remember being that stupid when I was in high school. Especially the person who said that Michelangelo's "David" was p*rn. What damn morons. ------------------ The Rockets will be the NBA champions. Believe.
I'm with you Puedlfor, what type of idiot calls Michealangelo p*rn. Michealangelo is one of the most beautiful pieces of art ever created, and these idiots call it p*rn. ------------------ "Oh No..." -Bill Walton in 97 just before Stockton's buzzer beater
I have a feeling that these teen protestors are the nerdy, fat ones that nobody likes. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
Remind me never to go to Utah. ------------------ "We got f*cking smashed every day. And then when we came here to Beverly Hills, we had drugs, we had chicks, we had orgies. I thought I'd died and gone to f*cking Rome" ---Ozzy Osbourne, on the early days of Black Sabbath
Whoa whoa whoa. I thought that I could have come up w/ a better title than "... in UT". I didn't mean to belittle UT at all. I live in UT. I haven't met too many people like those quoted here (the dumbest people oftentimes get the biggest quotes). Utah is the most beautiful state in the lower 48. The people are perhaps the nicest (I'm from Charleston, so this is a big call). Don't confuse your Jazz hate w/ this amazing place. Say it isn't so Lynus! Don't miss out! ------------------ Good night everyone, Canadian or American. Just remember that we're all bound together by basketball, the internet and the mullet. (My attempts at trying to sooth over an international incident).
Many are passionate about basketball. Maybe we will someday soon see the Jazz banned in Utah. Down with prn and down with the Jazz! ------------------ Don't come in Bullard's house!
i think the protesters are ones without computers lol. ------------------ May I have another Snowball Clutch? Please may I? Ill be a good little mole.... I promise.
Michelangelo was a short, dirty, ugly man with a horribly disfigured nose and a nast temperament...he was no work of art! ------------------ Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it. " " " " "
Ignorance in Utah, no way. ------------------ Ceo of the Walt Williams fan club. Web site coming soon atheistalliance.org
One rally organizer, Amy Fielding of Cache County-based Homes Offering Moral Empowerment (H.O.M.E.), defined p*rnography as anything that arouses passion among teens. This is my favorite part. Anything that arouses passion among teens. I know that when I was a teen, the thing that most aroused my passion was seeing Laurie Skinner in the hallway. Perhaps Laurie should be made illegal in Utah. ------------------ Houston Sports Board The Anti-Bud Adams Page
LOL Dean. Two thoughts on this: A) This just proves you should never ask teenagers anything other than "Does the Extra Value Meal come with free refills?" B) I would have liked to see John Stockton's short-shorts added to the list of obscene things to be wiped out in Utah. ------------------ I take her to the aquarium, she says shark, I take her to the planetarium, she says dark.
