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Duck & Cover - Resources and Links
in the Fight for Freedom of Speech
Part 4 of 5
Compiled by Sensuous Sadie
SensuousSadie@aol.com
www.sensuoussadie.com
The full series includes:
About this Series
In
September of 2005, the FBI formed an anti-obscenity task force to crack
down on pornography. Any website that has content containing
"sadistic and masochistic behavior" can be shut down. Not only
can the FBI shut down your website, but they can initiate a criminal
prosecution for obscenity, which is a felony and is punishable by jail
time. It is this criminal charge that is the most challenging problem
for any website owner, because once you are charged by the FBI with the
federal offence of obscenity, you are pretty much screwed because the
legal costs of defending yourself create an untenable situation. While
the first amendment protects free speech, it does not include all
speech, such as, for example, yelling "fire" in a crowded
auditorium.
Website Signoff Forms – Courtesy of Photographer Barbara Nitke
Model Release
Model Release/Primary Producer’s Compliance Statement
Photo Statement
Primary Producer’s Compliance Form
National Resources
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
http://www.ncsfreedom.org/
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Advocating individual rights by litigating, legislating, and
educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual
freedom.
http://www.aclu.org/
ACLU
Action Checklist
**this is a very practical and useful document
The actions listed below are meaningful ways of raising
public awareness and shifting policy. They can be undertaken by
individuals or groups of interested people.
http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AP_action_checklist
ACLU Letter to the House of
Representatives Urging a "Yes" Vote on H.R. 1606, the
"Online Freedom of Speech Act"
(11/2/2005) Re: VOTE "YES" ON H.R. 1606, THE "ONLINE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH ACT
http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/cfr/21193leg20051102.html
Letter to House of
Representatives Urging Opposition to H.R. 310, the Broadcast Decency
Enforcement Act of 2005
http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/11247leg20050215.html
Free Speech Coalition
Organized in 1991, Free Speech Coalition is the trade association of
the adult entertainment industry. As a 501 (c)(6) not-for-profit
corporation, FSC is funded by membership dues as well as by fundraising
efforts.
http://www.freespeechcoalition.com/
BDSM Activists & Related Resources
Barbara Nitke's photography website
http://www.barbaranitke.com/
Mistress Heart's Website
http://www.mistressheartsf.com/
Suicide Girls Article can be found at:
http://www.punknews.org/article.php?sid=13930&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
Some Members of BDSM Community Self-Censoring, Citing Obscenity
Prosecution Fears, by Connor Young
http://www.ynot.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=news_article&sid=9853
Red Rose Stories Closed by FBI, By Jayson Romaine
http://www.xbiz.com/news_piece.php?id=10680
Kinky Friendly Website Hosts:
I've been very happy hosting my
website with Doteasy. They're inexpensive, and it's been far easier to
manage my website than with previous internet service providers.
~ Sadie
What is the Communications
Decency Act (CDA)?
The Communcations Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1934 which
puts it's rather puritanical approach to obscenity in context. Among
other initiatives it launched the Federal Communications Commission.
This would later morph into the Communications Decency Act (CDA) and in
1997, the Supreme court confirmed that every website on the internet can
be held to the CDA standards.
The CDA refers to interstate communications "by means of a
telecommunications device knowingly makes, creates, or solicits, and
initiates the transmission of, any comment, request, suggestion,
proposal, image, or other communication which is obscene, lewd,
lascivious, filthy, or indecent… knowing that the recipient of the
communication is under 18 years of age, regardless of whether the maker
of such communication placed the call or initiated the communication…
uses any interactive computer service to display in a manner… or
describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary
community standards, sexual or excretory activities or organs.
The CDA is nearly 4500 words, so included below is a link below to the
full text.
*Taken from the Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org/free_speech/CDA/cda.html
** Please note that I am unclear on the current legal status of this law
and it is a complex issue. The notation on the website above states that
the law was struck down, but since the NCSF continues to fight this
issue, it is clearly not quite as struck down as it might appear.
Sensuous Sadie is the author of It's Not About the Whip: Love, Sex,
and Spirituality in the BDSM Scene. Read an excerpt at http://www.trafford.com/robots/03-0551.html.
She is the founder and leader (1999 - 2001) of Rose & Thorn,
Vermont's first BDSM group. Comments, compliments and complaints, as
well as requests for reprinting can be addressed to her at SensuousSadie@aol.com
or visit her website at www.sensuoussadie.com.
Sadie believes the universe is abundant, and that sharing information
freely is part of this abundance, so she allows reprints of her writing
in most venues.
Copyright 2005 Sadie Sez Publications
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