Bye Bye Max Hardcore, Bye Bye Free Speech
By Wildchyld • May 31st, 2007 • Category: PoliticsOver the past decade our beloved government has created many laws in the name of protecting children that have absolutely nothing to do with the exploitation of minors.
It seems that preying on fear and using skillful marketing tactics allows things to slip right by without being property scrutinized for content or relevance.
One clear example of this is The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, signed into law last year. Touted as an act that punishes child molesters, this act changed the way that people who engage in consensual sexual behaviors are monitored and punished for acts deemed inappropriate by the government. Many of you are familiar with the little notices at the bottom of your adult oriented websites that say “2257 Notice”. Essentially that requirement demands that any website posting any adult oriented photos have on file at a physical location that can be visited during business hours copies of every performers identification proving that the models were over 18. It states that the location must have a representative from the site available and can not be a lawyers office or post office box. What this means is that legally, every amateur internet performer should, on the same site as their naked pictures, post their physical location from 9-5. How safe does that sound? To meet this requirement, the person who posted the images does not have to prove consent or provide a model release, just an ID, so 2257 laws do not protect anyone over the age of 18 whose photographs appear in the net without their permission. Now you know why so many of the amateur sites of yesterday are now replaced by corporations featuring amateur performers.
Of further note is that the FBI’s division that goes after child pornography is not the “child exploitation division”. It’s the “Child Exploitation & Obscenity” section. It’s most recent arrest is of Max Hardcore for several counts including posting obscene materials on the internet. Granted, Max is known for being quite edgy. His movies include fisting, urination, skullfucking and other quite graphic sexual acts BUT they are all consensual and feature adults over the age of 18. Max Hardcore is actually one of the few adult performers that insists that all of his performers be HIV tested regularly through AIM.
The Feds are seeking to seize all of Max Hardcores assets including his websites and his home. You can read the charges on The Smoking Gun.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about saving children from exploitation, two adults engaged in consensual fisting doesn’t come to mind. Explain to me again why the child exploitation department went after him again??? Oh yeah…because when you tack obscenity funding onto a child porn bill people are too afraid to fight it.
Max, I wouldn’t ever appear in one of your movies and I’ve actively pushed other adult performers to turn down offers as well because you’re a little too hardcore for me, but I’ll spend every ounce of energy I have helping defend your right produce whatever movie you can find consensual actors to take part in!
Defending sexual freedom isn’t about protecting those who do exactly what we do, its about fighting for the right of every individual to make those decisions for his/herself without governmental oversight.
Support organizations like The Free Speech Coalition, write letters of outrage & never assume that just because the government says a bill is designed to protect children, that it actually does!
