I haven’t been too engaged in the whole debate about the Chris Handley case (he’s charged for allegedly possessing manga that the government claims to be obscene), but a big ass post about freedom of speech by Neil Gaiman struck me. Here’s one of my favourite authors writing about what I feel is an important topic, with my favourite quote here:
I loathe child pornography, and abuse of children in general, and I think to a certain extent that lolicon and shotacon manga may contribute to further interest in child pornography for the same reason that some people go from smoking cigarettes for the kick, to messing with crack for an even greater kick. You might go from drawn stuff to real stuff, and that’s when it’s not fiction anymore. That’s when it’s turned into cold, hard reality…
I loathe child abuse, yes, but Mr. Gaiman’s got a point. While I would treasure no thing more than to hit anyone that abuses children like a hammer of god, repeatedly, I’m torn between my vehement support of freedom of speech, and what it may cause. Even a small amount of people matters. That no matter how few depraved beings takes a step further, it’s still a few too many.
That’s when the quoted text decides it for me. That’s when I think to myself that I support freedom of speech, and I oppose anything that involves actual child abuse. While it’s not the highest form of art, while it’s not the most accepted genres, it’s still art no matter how hard it is to swallow that fact.
And, while it may sound like some lame excuse, I think that those who take the step to get involved in actual child abuse, or indirect through obtaining or buying pictures/movies others have taken, would have taken that step eventually regardless of other people’s art and words. People who seek justification and gratification will find it wherever it is.
Confusing post, I know…