‘Pornography and Police Power’

We’re astonished by your editorial (“Pornography and Police Power,” Dec. 4) urging the county Board of Supervisors, the Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice not to “make (pornography) a priority” for law enforcement.

Your editorial writer seems to be saying our elected officials should neglect their sworn duty to enforce democratically enacted laws--upheld by the courts--against a $9-billion illegal industry dominated by organized crime.

Your writer also seems unaware that for years the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently upheld obscenity laws covering precisely the kind of obscenity represented by the 30 videos presented to the supervisors--videos depicting the sexual degradation of women and that are no more constitutionally protected speech than libel, inciting to riot or deceptive advertising. Large cities such as Cincinnati and Atlanta, and even entire states, have successfully rid themselves of obscene videos and films.

Your writer concedes that children should be protected from exposure to pornography, but doesn’t “regard (pornography) as a major community problem.” Doesn’t he know that teen-age boys are the biggest viewers of X-rated videos?

The promiscuous attitudes taught by pornography are an enormous factor in a major and costly public health problem: the uncontrolled spread of venereal diseases and deadly AIDS. Pornography users often become addicted and act out what it portrays. Through violence and disease, this acting out can literally kill the pornography user or his victim, just as the men and women used in making pornography sometimes literally die.

Your writer also ignores the grave public safety problem that pornography poses. Rapes, rape-murders, sexual abuse of children and prostitution are all products of the anti-human values and activities that pornography teaches. Is your writer so sheltered that he doesn’t know adults often use X-rated videos to seduce children into illegal sexual relations?

One last point. Archbishop Roger Mahony wasn’t the only community leader there. Representatives of millions of Protestants, Jews and Mormons were on hand, as were the LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department.

This broad coalition will keep pressing for enforcement of the obscenity laws until Los Angeles County is no longer the pornography capital of the world.

MARILYN MATHERS

Archbishop Mahony’s Coordinator

for the Commission on Obscenity

and Pornography

DR. DENNIS JARRARD

Chairperson, Commission on

Obscenity and Pornography

Archdiocese of Los Angeles