Outlawing sex toys just might push the right wing past the point of no

[NVMojo]

return...

High court declines to review Alabama's sex-toys ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to review the constitutionality of a state law banning the sale of sex toys, rejecting an appeal that said consumers have a right to sexual privacy.
Without comment, justices let stand a lower court ruling that said Alabama had a right to police the sale of devices that can be sexually stimulating.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the challenge on behalf of merchants and users seeking to overturn the 1998 state law. They say the Supreme Court's 2003 ruling in Lawrence vs. Texas, which decriminalized gay sex on privacy grounds, protects sex toy users from unwarranted state intrusion in their homes.

"The sexual devices covered by the statute have many recognized beneficial uses and are used by consenting adults in deeply private acts that are beyond the reach of government regulation," argues the filing on behalf of Sherri Williams, an adult novelty retailer, and seven other women and two men.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-02-22-toys_x.htm?csp=34

[chicagojoe]

1. Moronic laws in Alabama? Why doesn't this surprise me?

[radfringe]

68. it's the conservative way

get government out of the corporate board rooms and put them into private citizens' bedrooms

I think they have a problem with voyerism....

[WindRavenX]

2. Can someone tell me...

...a fundie arguement why banning sex toys is a good thing and constitutional?

[NVMojo]

3. It leads to more open minds and they can't have that in fundie land!

[donco6]

6. You want a good argument or a fundie argument?

Two different things.

Fundie argument: Sex is sacred and should only be performed for procreation - missionary style, as passionless as possible.

Good argument: There isn't one.

[The empressof all]

21. Here's my take on the argument against toys

Sex toys are un-natural and lead to non pure thoughts which contribute to sex outside of marriage. They increase the chance of pregnancy outside of marriage and increase the likelihood of ABORTION. Everybody knows that sex toys lead to the corruption of minors and we must protect the children from being exposed to sex acts that are un-natural.

Jesus wouldn't use a sex toy!

[gizmo1979]

4. Men can make just about anything into a sex toy.

ie Firemen are called to a house to extricate a man with his penis stuck in the bathtub spout.They found him in the shower a playboy centerfold taped to the wall candles lit and the phone nearby.Finally managed to get his penis out when his wife came home and asked if he had his dick caught in the shower again. So they have alot of work ahead of them.

[NVMojo]

7. HAHA! reminds me of the time 9-1-1 responded to a local hotel ...

where a man had his wanker stuck in one of those outgoing suction vents in a hot tub!

And, come on Alabama!! Girls always have the bath tub faucet!!!

[FreedomAngel82]

53. LOL

Too funny. These people are really bored aren't they? They're also very obsessed with sex. :eyes: Maybe they don't get any so they don't want anybody else to have any.

[MellowOne]

13. Too funny! My aunt is a scrub nurse at a trauma unit

They've had to remove a baseball bat from a guy's anus, he was clearning the garage nekked and fell on it. Same thing happened to another guy but he back up into a golf club. (And we believe those stores!) I could go on but it gets way too embarrassing the things people do. Lots of women with bottles and such. People will find a way.

[MADem]

39. There is a website devoted to your aunt's experiences

Complete with rather compelling X rays!!!

http://www.well.com/www/cynsa/newbutt.html

[MellowOne]

41. OMG!!!

I emailed the link to my aunt! Thanks for that.

[XemaSab]

47. I hate having to go to the ER

with a frozen pig tail up my bum.... it's just embarassing.

[uppityperson]

15. Quick, buy stock in mitten factories!

or are hands not toys?

[FreedomAngel82]

54. Something I wonder

is if this law passes are they next going to raid everybody's houses and find if they have sex toys and if they do throw them in jail? :eyes: I mean c'mon. Let people have their sex.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. Vacuum Cleaners...

Gentlemen, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.

[Qanisqineq]

5. Good grief, now I know to never live in Alabama

No sex toys? What's a girl to do!
:evilgrin:

[7th_Sephiroth]

9. i live a few miles from the alabama border

just cross it and there are porn shops along every road leading into florida

[NVMojo]

10. good economic development opportunity!!

What enterprising Alabama Dem is going to take up this issue? He or she would probably get his or her life threatened by the uptight fundies!!!

[7th_Sephiroth]

12. most likely

but the porn industry (retailers and sellers) have enough $ sway to atleast keep thier shops in buisness

[fryguy]

8. sex toys leads to prostitution????

in what world does permitting consenting adults to purchase sex toys "open the door to the legalization of undesirable sexual behavior such as prostitution."?

this is getting absurd. when is the government going to stop policing our bedrooms?!!?

[EVDebs]

11. Conflict of laws seems afoot here. Who decides what

'undesireable sexual behavior between consenting adults' is ?

Legislating morality should not be the province of legislators, from what I've seen of them...

BTW, I've heard there are some lending outfits out there charging 800% interest LEGALLY. I'd say that's a hellofalot worse than the illicit sale of dongs and dildos, IMHO !

[coloradodem2005]

14. You know there is a book called "Legislating Morality"?

It was on the local Christian station when a guy was talking about how he thought the presidential debates would go when the subject of abortion came up. Where he defended abortion and held up the book.

[NVMojo]

17. I see a connection to the same people who hate homosexuality and

abortions. They spend too much time sticking their noses where they don't belong.

[coloradodem2005]

19. Maybe someone should punch them in the proverbial nose then.

For sticking it where it don't belong.

[NVMojo]

20. I keep trying, coloradodem2005!!

[Philosophy]

30. If you're not allowed to stimulate your own genitals

Would that not increase the demand for prositutes?

[NVMojo]

32. Haha!!!! Good point!!!

Besides, sex toys and prostitution are widely available in Nevada!!

[FreedomAngel82]

55. I know when

When nobody is having sex anymore and they all go crazy from the raging harmones. Next they're going to ban people from masterbating.

[smoogatz]

16. In Other News, Alabama Zucchini Sales Skyrocket

In addition to brisk sales in zukes, Alabama grocery chains report strong cucumber and banana numbers. Elmer Fodrest, manager of the Piggly Wiggly in Bungstop, AL, reports that summer sausage is also flying off the shelves.

"Dangedest thing I ever saw," Fodrest said, scratching his head. "It's like they was goin' out of style."

[NVMojo]

18. On ongoing investment in the local agriculture market ...perhaps

that was the original intention? They don't want to lose that Bush Farm Aid!! HAHA!!!

[Vinca]

36. LOL!!! We ought to put ribbons on those shrink wrapped,

gourmet cukes and send 'em off to the Repukes.

[NVMojo]

45. yeah, just to help loosen their minds up a bit!!!

[Freebird12004]

22. ... so there will be a dash for the border.

I can see it now ... an afternoon shopping trip across state lines.

[FreedomAngel82]

56. LOL

Yep. So you can tell your SO "I'm going to Florida to buy some sex toys honey. Be back in a bit. Don't let Big Brother know." :eyes: These people are really nuts.

[Freebird12004]

61. Something tells me that there will be tons of mail-order toys.

:shrug: When there is a will - there will always be a way!:think:

[Montauk6]

23. So let me get this straight...

From the article:

A divided three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed. It said in a ruling last July that siding with the sex toy merchants could open the door to the legalization of undesirable sexual behavior such as prostitution.

"If the people of Alabama in time decide that prohibition on sex toys is misguided, or ineffective, or just plain silly, they can repeal the law and be finished with the matter," the court said.

So the state can pass any law it wants, no matter how unconscionable or repressive or Hitlerian. It's, then, up to the people to repeal the law. Nice country.

[FreedomAngel82]

57. I can't wait

to see if Malloy talks about this today! And he's on Rhandi as well. Do you think he will with the afternoon crowd?

[Syrinx]

24. hopefully, that stupid law will be changed soon

I saw a poll in the local paper, and even about 80% of the people here think it's a stupid law. (I'm a bit worried about the other 20%.)

By the way, there's a sex shop about 3 miles from where I sit at the moment, and they're still open as far as I know.

[Catt03]

25. Certainly a law that effects women

with the right ...errr...toy, don't need them that often.

Seriously, Republicans are afraid of sex, except for the sneeky kind.

[SpiralHawk]

26. This is about controlling women and their bodies

The only state-permissible orgasm is with your legally married spouse, whom you must "honor and OBEY."

The state regulates your sex life -- this is Republican morality. The Repubs want the Government (Big BushCo) in the bedroom.

What underlies this legislation, I feel, is male fear of female sexual power and independence. And this legislation, too, shall fall into the crapper of history eventually.

[Pepperbelly]

29. no it's not ...

it's about pushing a particular philosophy to the point of banning things it does not like. It is about religious interference with the secular world.

It's about meddling fucking puritans.

[Stephanie]

49. That's exactly what it's about

Those Alabama legislators are threatened by the size of the vibrators on the store shelves. They are threatened by women's sexuality. They are terrified by it.

[NorthSideCubsFan]

27. When they pry my cold, dead fingers.........n/t

[Stephanie]

50. Welcome to DU!

LOL!

[spooky3]

28. Guess we're supposed to hire Jeff Gannon instead.

[FreedomAngel82]

58. Ew no

He's not very cute so no thanks. I'd rather do Paris Hilton and I'm not that way so that's saying a lot.

[KaliTracy]

31. Texas has a similar law -- can sell as "novelty" but it's "criminal

obsentity" if sex is mentioned as the reason for sale.

"Texas law allows for the sale of sexual toys as long as they are billed as novelties. But when a person markets the items in a direct manner that shows how they are used in sex, it is considered criminal obscenity."

http://www.unknownnews.net/040723countybacksdown.html

other articles on texas

2004 (laws in texas and other states) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6620768/

2000 http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2000-08-11/xtra_feature2.html

[FreedomAngel82]

59. Strange

So you can tell them it's a nice new piece of art??

[KaliTracy]

63. when would they see it? That's what I don't get in all of this -- it only

matters to them when it is sold (or how it is sold, I suppose). They have no right in a person's house, OR bedroom, so what is the big deal?

[CoffeeCat]

33. But I heard that the court issued a decree...

...that from this day on, a certain sex accessory will now be referred to as the "American Tickler."

Any references to the old wording will lead to confiscation of said "American Tickler"

Enjoy.

[Withywindle]

34. "Freedom ticklers"! n/t

[Johnny Noshoes]

46. I almost fell of my chair

Freedom ticklers indeed :evilgrin:

[adigal]

35. Right-wingers probably use them more

than anyone. You ever notice that the most self-righteous people are the biggest sickest perverts???
(I am not seriously saying that those who use sex toys are perverts - I realize how that sounded. I was just making an ironic point - sorry)

[DistressedAmerican]

37. Thanks for posting the link. I had heard a case was out there.

I had missed the details. I was too busy getting laid.

[MADem]

38. Poor granma, she'll have to go back to sitting on the

...washing machine during the spin cycle!

On the plus side, your laundry will be clean as the driven snow!

[high density]

40. There goes that "way liberal" Supreme Court again! (NM)

[Pushed To The Left]

66. Exactly

The Supreme Court still leans heavily to the right, but they still get blasted by the right wing for making a handful of decisions that they didn't like. The political movement of the religious right needs to be ended.

www.aclu.org
www.pfaw.org

[Gman]

42. It's incredible how they pick and choose states' rights

To wit:
"If the people of Alabama in time decide that prohibition on sex toys is misguided, or ineffective, or just plain silly, they can repeal the law and be finished with the matter," the court said.

Then I think of Bush v. Gore where the court illegally denied the state of Florida the right to conduct it's election as it saw fit.

Make no mistake whatsoever. This is all part of the right wing revolution and the shoving of the right wing agenda down our throats which started with Bush v. Gore.

And we accept this illegitimate government that calls itself the government of the United States of America?

[Warren DeMontague]

44. You'll get my good vibrations catalog

when you pry it from my cold, dead, sort-of calloused hands.

[Stephanie]

48. I wish she didn't say "deeply"

[paineinthearse]

51. Frist says sex toys cause aids HIV

(joke) but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

[MADem]

52. He probably swings a dead cat in his office to get his jollies

...much safer activity, to his mind, the sick bastard!

[FreedomAngel82]

60. LOL!!

Too funny.

[Telly Savalas]

62. So does this mean that dildo we call the president can't visit there?

[Syrinx]

64. unfortunately not

He'll be here in the morning (March 10) promoting the destruction of Social Security.

[kodi]

65. why, they'll have to pry my penis pump out of my cold, dead greasy hand

with profound apologies to charlton heston

:spank:

[LittleClarkie]

67. They'll be banning carrots and cucumbers next

Probably donuts as well.