Michigan needs restraints on pornography

Regarding the proposed pornography legislation ("Keeping Porn Out of Lansing," March 30): I have been reading that so-called "experts," speaking before the Michigan House Ethics and Constitutional Law Committee, were lauding pornography and claiming there was no correlation between this vice and crime. Such reports are both misleading and dishonest.

I retired in November of 1990 after almost 30 years on the bench, having served in the capacity of probate, juvenile, circuit and court of claims judgeships in Ingham County. During my last year on the bench, I served on a one-man grand jury investigating 12 unsolved murders. A majority of these cases involved pornography and drugs. There was a direct correlation between pornography and the subsequent murders.

In a circuit court case, after twice viewing the porn flick Vanessa, a man saw a young East Lansing housewife. He kidnapped her, raped her and brutally snuffed out her life on a golf course north of Lansing. Vanessa had a direct correlation with this major felony.

Still another case involved the prosecution of a paroled prisoner who was attending Michigan State University on a scholarship. After viewing Deep Throat, he attacked a look-a-like co-ed and forced her to play the part of this depraved pornographic video character. He filled his mind with perverted trash. It led directly to his felonious act.

His victim lost her innocence and required extensive psychiatric treatment. The parolee lost his chance at a normal life. Finally, because the Legislature neglected needed restraints on pornography, society lost a decent, safe environment for its citizens. Who won? The whoremongers who sell this trash.

There is no scientific justification here that the provision of sexually explicit materials and services causes direct harm, says the "expert." That claim is false. The evidence from trial court cases as well as the tragic experiences and shattered lives in our community call for common sense. I encourage concerned citizens to contact legislators to encourage them to establish the needed legal restraints for pornography.

James T. Kallman, Retired Circuit Judge, Lansing
http://www.detnews.com/EDITPAGE/0004/12/letters/letters.htm

Email Us at [email protected]

This site developed/maintained by Maranet Website Development Services
Site Hosting by AFO (American Family Online)