If you haven't been following the case, Christopher Handley plead guilty to charges of Mailing Obscene Material and was sentenced to six months' jail time and five years' probation. And for what? Lolicon manga. While it's a tad too late for Chris himself, some prominent figures in the western comic book and fantasy industry have spoken up, including Sandman author Neil Gaiman. Gaiman wrote a post on his blog in reply to a letter he received from a fan regarding the Handley case.
The letter, which basically asked him what made lolicon manga worth defending, and whether it was worth banning if it would "save ONE child from rape or attempted rape, or even just lots of uncomfortable hugs from Creepy Uncle Dave."
While hardly an expert on lolicon content or even on the specific details of the case, Gaiman laid out a compelling argument for free speech in general, including the obligation to defend the freedom to make "icky" speech.
If you've ever followed a debate on the various merits of videogame or comic book sex/violence, the argument is probably one you've read before. That said, this iteration is particularly relevant for the circumstances in which Gaiman himself grew up, such as during the trial over Lady Chatterly's Lover and the growth (or rather, reemergence) of comics and graphic novels as more mature forms of literature. It's definitely worth the read.
[Thanks to Rewarp for the tip!]
11 comments
"If you don't like the laws or regulations in your State, you can simply move to another one more in line with your preferences. A decline in population and local business will force States to reconsider their policies. This is better than having the Federal government dictate everything for the whole country."
The basic assertion is true, but only to a point. Voting with your feet is no substitute for constitutional rights; we settled that with the 14th Amendment. Not to mention it's a pain in the ass to relocate. There's your job, family and other important factors to weigh.