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Tuesday, April 20, 2004
The encroaching nanny state
I generally dislike the massive growth of the nanny state, but I confess feeling a slightly bemused schadenfreude at a couple of items this week.
The first was seeing the Khadr family finally getting some scrutiny for their jihadist activities. Not, apparently, from the Federal government who appear quite willing to defend them, but instead a Children’s Aid Society has decided their jihad for kids philosophy of child-rearing may constitute child abuse. I think they frequently overreach their authority, particularly when they snatch Mennonite kids from loving parents who refuse to promise to “spare the rod”, but I think I just watch and see how this develops.
And I found this item, where California and Los Angeles County may crack down and ban certain acts in the porn industry. Not because the land of fruits and nuts has finally decided there are some moral limits after all, this being the state that would more likely ban school prayer and declare lap dancing constitutionally protected expression. And, this being the modern regulatory nanny state there’s no need for any vote or other democratic niceties, the state Division of Occupational Health and Safety will simply issue a diktat about what is permitted, what is banned as an occupational hazard, and what is required, such as condoms:
In addition to a condoms-only policy, enforcement of existing state regulations would require porn producers to bear the costs of any testing, vaccinations and medical care associated with their employees in the workplace, Kerndt said. It would also mean an end to practices in some pornographic movies that involve contact with semen.
Last year, the county health department issued a report concluding that the porn industry posed a health risk to its workers and the general population.
The victims of the encroaching nanny state are certainly many, though it’s hard to muster much sympathy for some of them.
Posted by Kevin Jaeger on April 20, 2004 in Current Affairs | Permalink
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» La guerre de la porno from Le blog de Polyscopique
In the United States, the Welfare State and some religious conservative organizations are teaming up to launch a new war against pornography and obscenity. Here are the first salvos: the health authorities of California are now requiring the wearing of... [Read More]
Tracked on 2004-04-20 6:18:29 PM
» Now they're in trouble from Right On! Blog
Where the gutless politicians fall down, the monster they've created steps in and may even do some good.
I generally dislike the massive growth of the nanny state, [Read More]
Tracked on 2004-04-20 6:39:47 PM
Comments
Well, strictly speaking, we should defend the Khadrs and pornstars just as vigorously as we do the other victims of nanny-statism, but I agree with you about the schadenfreude of seeing our Islamist First Family finding that it cuts both ways. Come for the free medical care, stay for the intrusions of hirsute Childrens Aid zealots!
If California required condoms in the porn industry, I can't imagine it being much of an inconvenience to them; they'd just pick up and move to Nevada. Or worse, Mexico. After all, what are their infrastructure requirements? A fake bedroom, some lights and cameras, and a few drums of lube. I mean, it's an industry much of whose appeal rests on the transgressive nature of the acts performed; they're not going to risk losing their customer base over a couple of HIV cases. (And speaking of which, if these are the first HIV cases in a while, the industry has been doing pretty well, no? Thousands of girls and guys over the years, many of them using, and they still keep a lid on things? That's an enviable safety record if true.)
Posted by: mgl | 2004-04-20 5:15:01 PM
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