THE OBSCENITY DEBATE
What is obscene? It is obscene to make any part of one’s living off the question. It is obscene of the preacher to pretend that he randomly hit on the broadcast of Robert Chesley’s “Jerker”--the man monitors such things. It is obscene to pose as a defender of free speech in broadcasting such tripe when one hopes mainly for higher audience numbers, when a station’s chief selling point is, willy-nilly, to be considered nobly avant-garde.
It is obscene for a preacher to use irresponsible extremes such as “Jerker” to further the sexual repressions of most Christian religions and to call attention to himself as a defender of a rancid “purity.” It is obscene of an author to foist off his catharsis, his desire for sex without consequences, his pitiable need for attention, as a piece of worthy drama.
It is obscene that the antagonists in this matter, so admirably altruistic, depend so on each other. Eliminate the one and the other would have to find another pernicious way to earn a living.
FRED SCIFERS
Inglewood
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