I’m angry! Government is meddling way too much into the lives of American citizens. And, in my opinion, it’s not merely about protecting us from terrorists, disasters, criminals, etc., but rather it seems to also be about forcing some of the government’s subjective, unrealistic, and political views upon us, the governed. Our time-tested constitutional freedoms are being constantly attacked, particularly in the last 4-5 years, and it’s happening at all levels of government, not just the national arena.Legislators seemingly hoping to endear themselves to demanding constituents and potential voters with highly subjective viewpoints are introducing many laws that cater to religious hypocrites and political financial contributors, and in so doing threaten some of our American freedoms. Numerous cities are trying to write laws that stamp out constitutionally-protected Free Speech and access to adult entertainment in favor of appeasing local loud-mouth groups, right-wing religious hypocrites, and entities that are way out of step with reality and what American citizens really want. Many of these local ordnances and laws end up being stricken down due to constitutional flaws, but the onslaught of new legislative proposals continues unabated.

What do the citizens really want, or what don’t they want? In my opinion, they want government to stop interfering in their private lives. They don’t want taxpayer money going towards pork barrel projects or the shutting down of adult entertainment venues. They don’t want government lawmakers using “children” as a catch-all term to justify intrusive laws that have nothing to do with children. Indeed, we all want to always protect children, but using the term “children” as a false and misleading cloak for censorship is insulting to citizens. That kind of behavior hurts legitimate laws intended to really protect children. American citizens don’t want governments pushing religious views upon non-practicing citizens, or certain religious beliefs upon others who practice different religions. They don’t want politics diseasing the American education system, and they certainly don’t want governments at any level telling them what consenting adults, in the privacy of their own homes, can or cannot read, watch, feel, enjoy, or think!

I’m appalled that “big brother” would possibly like to legislate against letting consenting adults watch other consenting adults in an adult video, or in a gentlemen’s club, or in the privacy of one’s abode. What’s possibly down the road? Could it perhaps be religious “thought” police? Mandatory government cameras in bedrooms of adults? Arrest for folks like me for stating my opinion in personal columns like this one? The jailing of citizens who don’t believe in the same God as the one worshiped by those in power? Arrest for parents and grandparents for spending money on clothes for their family’s children instead of contributing to government-approved candidates in a political campaign? Bottom line, in my opinion, is that Americans want the dividing line between church and state to become much more pronounced, and they want elected officials to totally cease injecting their own religious and subjective values and beliefs into politically intrusive governmental obstruction of our beloved American Constitution. We are at war in Iraq, and against global terrorism, but I sense that perhaps our Founding Fathers are in “their” heaven looking down at America and worrying that some folks in government are war with Americanism and our constitution!

As an example of what’s causing my present anger, just look at what the Department of Justice (DOJ) is doing with the recent publishing of their revised 2257 regulations. Although it claims to protect American citizens under the age of 18 from becoming adult film stars (the financial and marketplace aspects already assure that no sub-18 performers are booked), 2257 does little if anything to advance the stated goals of the DOJ regulations; rather, it is the same old false and misleading tactic of using of the term “children” in a quest to garner legitimacy for the government’s invasion of citizen privacy. Among many other inappropriate and seemingly unconstitutional things, these intrusive regulations requires the proliferation of model release forms and ID copies (yes, including state driver’s licenses and all the personal info on them) to many sub-producer levels where identity theft and the stalking (or worse) becomes an invasive danger to the film stars. Until the June 23, 2005 effective date of the DOJ’s revised regulations, only the entity which initially produced the free speech protected adult entertainment project had to keep such records and make them available for unannounced inspections by the government. It almost seems like DOJ is hoping to jail non-criminal folks on felony charges for clerical oversights – not only at the primary production level, but also at the many levels of the DOJ-mandated maze of massive record keeping requirements. All in the name of “protecting children,” of course.

The non-legislative DOJ, with these regulations, are effectively requiring that producers of adult entertainment prove the actress was over 18, instead of the prosecutors having to prove the girl was under 18. What happened to the “American Way” of people being innocent until proven guilty? What happened to constitutional laws? Why might an administrative or filing oversight like misplacing a piece of paper be considered a felony punishable by jail? Could this new regulation be a way of repaying the demanding religious right for their political and financial support in past elections, and for “prepping” them for supporting future elections? Are American elections becoming tainted by the radical religious right and its influences upon elected officials? Is our constitutional freedom and protections ebbing? Dang!

I’m also angry as a taxpayer. I’m upset that the DOJ spent taxpayer money and used government manpower and logistical assets paid for by American taxpayers to write such flawed and probably unconstitutional regulations. I’m upset that citizens and organizations are now having to expend considerable funds and time to seek relief via the courts to defend America against this 2257 abomination that the DOJ has published. And, I’m likewise angry that the DOJ is spending our taxpayer monies to defend their affront against American taxpaying citizens, voters, and consenting adults. I am particularly sad that the money being wasted on 2257 isn’t instead being spent by DOJ on efforts to better protect American citizens against terrorism, and against illegal drugs that get into the hands of children, gangs that prey on and/or victimize children, and fraud and abuse against all citizens. I call upon Department of Justice to wake up and put their priorities and assets where the Constitution and the vast majority of American voters/taxpayers/citizens seem to want them to be – and it’s not on 2257!

I usually try to keep below the radar on controversial matters, but the present lessening of the line between church and state has got me reeling; and, the government’s folly in the revised 2257 regulations is an embarrassment to them, to our great Constitution, and to everyday and normal Americans. The personal opinions I’ve expressed above are strictly my own, and I should probably have stayed below the radar, but I strongly feel that the matters I’ve addressed need to be voiced before the chilling effect upon the First Amendment of the United States becomes burdensome or debilitating. I sense that millions who are presently keeping below the radar agree with my concerns!

The America we love needs our prayers – God bless America!