Okay... let's talk about PORN!

In the interest of keeping my somewhat ample rump off the proverbial fire (to paraphrase the great Dom Deluise, roasting my butt would take a YEAR!), I pulled the shot of Carrie Jean Yazel off the blog. Someone considered it PORN!

Okay. Let's talk about Porn. Or Erotica.

Now, setting aside that lauded judge's opinion that he couldn't define porn, but he knew it when he saw it, I hestate to disagree, but I believe that one CAN differentiate between pornography and erotica. The former is the use of words and/or imagery for the singular and explicit purpose of eliciting a state of sexual arousal within the person perusing the material in question. Pornography seeks to bypass our higher selves and appeal - no, unleash our innate animal sexual nature; yes, Virginia - there is a animal looking back at you from that mirror every morning, and trust me when I agree with Eddie Murphy (from his 1987 concert film Raw) when he said that there isn't a single woman out there who wouldn't rather be off somewhere having really good sex (so to speak). There's a part of every single one of us that lurks just at the edge of our perpherial vision, just on the terminator between our logical selves and that blackness in Zone Four or our mentality (for those of you who know about the Johari Window... that's where the animal that wants to mate (and continuously, given the chance) waits. It's that part of us that watches the way that young woman with the 34C cup moves as she yawns and stretches herself in the office, or takes a second, hesitant look at the guy who wears those jeans so incredibly well... it's a part of us. Our animal nature, the part that education, religion (or spirituality, as some may refer to it), the education of our family, peers and community and yes, the fear of legal sanctions places under control.

That's what pornorgraphy, in my opinion, seeks to unleash. For a moment, I hasten to add... and really, is that such a bad thing? Is that momentary fantasy, that touch of objectification for a brief instant, is that really such a horrible thing? Why is it that we shouldn't look? Why is it that we shouldn't stop and say, 'I wonder what it would be like with that person?'

Now, don't get me wrong - if you have a specific reasoning or belief system, then by all means, don't look. I understand that, and I accept that.

But that doesn't mean that you have the right to tell other people that they can't look, either. I remember something that I started saying back in the 1980's that applies here: 'My rights end at your nose - and vice-versa.'

I won't go off into the 'porn incites crime or the hideous sexual proclivities of some people' arguement here, either. I'm talking about the average, baseline-normal person here, the guy (or girl) that occasionally, with a mischievious little glint in his or her eye, lets that finger stray across the remote control and somehow (Oh, my! How did that get onto theTV?), they're watching The Best Sex Ever or Women: Stories of Passion.

Just for a moment. Okay... to see just how well Dru Berrymore or Kira Reed can fabricate what they believe the viewers will consider an orgasm to be.

Then, we'll turn the channel back to that repeat of The O'Reilly Factor or Power Rangers: Dino Thunder.

That's what Porn is for.

Then, there's Erotica. By my understanding (of course, your opinion may vary), Erotica is the undertaking of creating and presenting materials of higher quality and artistic merit which also (and unapologetically so) seek to showcase the human form and condition of human sexuality NOT to specifically arouse sexual desire, but to present a portrait of that desire for the viewers of said material. Let's be candid here, folks - in the 19th Century (or was it the 18th?), in England, the custom was to cover the legs of tables within one's house, under the assumption that seeing the bare legs of said taable would incite sexual arousal in persons viewing it.

Well. Maybe it's just me, but if simply seeing a barren table leg would make me want to have sex, trust me when I say that ANYTHING I see would make me want to have sex. Remember that hilarious episode of Night Court where John Larouquette's character had to abstain from sex for two weeks - and then, found out that there was a lab mistake which meant that he didn't need to do so? I believe Judge Harry said it best: "Better safe than sorry, guys!"

Maybe it's just me - but we're putting far too much thought into this whole thing. If you like that stuff, fine. You'll find it, one way or another, and as long as you keep it to yourself, don't expose it to the kids and don't get crazed about it all - have fun. If you don't like that stuff - don't have it in your home, don't support the establishments WHICH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ACTUALLY SUPPORT WITH YOUR BUYING DOLLARS that carry it, and have logical, sound arguements that you can bring forth against it when doing so - because win or lose, people will respect you and your position if you can argue it in a calm, reasoned, sensible manner. In our culture, those are the people who get listened to, rather than the ones who rant from a kneejerk position, spout dogma and propaganda at the top of their voices that they can't support with reasoned discussion, and basically carry the standard of 'If you don't believe as we do, you're WRONG!'.

Well, that's my baby rant for the day. Do whatever makes you happy - and just remember to allow the guy or girl next to you to have that same priviledge.

End of line.