“Family-friendly” Rosemont to Host Convention of Perversion
Exxxotica Expo 2011 — a traveling “adult” entertainment show and erotic convention — is coming to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, which is owned by the City of Rosemont. Organizers are expecting this 3-day xxx-rated gathering to attract roughly 20,000 people.
Exxxotica Expo 2011, or as its promoters refer to it, an “adult circus,” is billed as one of the biggest porn conventions in the country. It will offer sex seminars as well as 24 hours of “live entertainment” with “bondage and burlesque entertainers” and “women performing on swings, poles, stages and trampolines,” according to organizer J. Handy. Handy claims Rosemont has been more helpful than any other location where they’ve held this.
According to a recent Daily Herald article titled Family-friendly Rosemont hosts porn convention:
Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens doesn’t see hosting the convention as clashing with the village’s family-friendly image, nor as an endorsement of the porn industry.
“Expositions are put on by diverse groups and associations of people and may be faith-based, politically affiliated, trade oriented or sports and entertainment associated,” Stephens said in an emailed statement. “The shows at the convention center do not reflect the position or affiliation of the village of Rosemont.”
…Stephens said decisions about which conventions are allowed are based on many factors including, fiscal impact, consumer demand,tastefulness and conduct. (emphasis added)
Hosting a 3-day XXX-Rated porn party is not only inconsistent with a family-friendly image but it is a stamp of approval on an exceptionally lucrative so-called industry that exploits women and children for profit. How is that possibly family-friendly? Furthermore, it would be highly unlikely that this event would not violate both state and federal obscenity laws.
The Daily Herald further reports:
It’s not the first time Rosemont has hosted a sex industry convention. Last year’s Exxxtacy 2010, put on by New York-based Taboo Entertainment, brought to town more than 100 sex-themed vendors and dozens of adult film stars — including the mistresses of high-profile celebrities.
It’s interesting to note that New York is home to Morality in Media. Back in 1999 Morality in Media President Bob Peters ran an advertising campaign that generated tremendous opposition from the New York citizens against the “Erotica USA” 1999 trade show. While Mr. Peters won’t take the credit, the fact remains they never held their lewd conventions in New York City again. Apparently even New York-based Taboo Entertainment has enough sense to peddle their smut elsewhere. They know where they’re not welcome. So, who welcomed this New York-based company? You guessed it. Last year, family-friendly Rosemont threw out the welcome mat for pornographers.
If New York residents can generate enough opposition to keep these public orgies out of their towns, so can we. All it takes is a few minutes of your time to make a huge difference.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email or a fax to Mayor Bradley Stephens and Rosemont Trustees Ralph Dimatteo, Jack Dorgan, Karen Fazio, Jack Hasselberger, Sharon Pappas, and Roger Minale. Ask them to comply with the state and federal obscenity laws. Tell them that pornography degrades and exploits women and children and that allowing this porn convention is an affront to families.
If you’re not convinced and you still think that pornography is harmless entertainment, please check out www.pornharms.com. The research shows otherwise.
The Law
Obscenity, which is commonly referred to as hard-core or XXX-Rated, is not protected ‘speech’ under the First Amendment. The problem is that the laws are rarely enforced. Someone once said you have about as good of a chance of being struck by lightning as being prosecuted for obscenity.
A portion of the Illinois Obscenity Law from § 720 ILCS 5/11-20:
Sec. 11-20. Obscenity. (a) Elements of the Offense. A person commits obscenity when, with knowledge of the nature or content thereof, or recklessly failing to exercise reasonable inspection which would have disclosed the nature or content thereof, he:
(1) Sells, delivers or provides, or offers or agrees to sell, deliver or provide any obscene writing, picture, record or other representation or embodiment of the obscene; or
(2) Presents or directs an obscene play, dance or other performance or participates directly in that portion thereof which makes it obscene; or
(3) Publishes, exhibits or otherwise makes available anything obscene; or
(4) Performs an obscene act or otherwise presents an obscene exhibition of his body for gain; or
(5) Creates, buys, procures or possesses obscene matter or material with intent to disseminate it in violation of this Section, or of the penal laws or regulations of any other jurisdiction; or
(6) Advertises or otherwise promotes the sale of material represented or held out by him to be obscene, whether or not it is obscene.
Federal Obscenity Laws can be read HERE.
The Miller Test for Obscenity
The U.S. Supreme Court case Miller v. California, established a 3-prong test to determine whether material was obscene:
(a) Whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.
(b) Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law.
(c) Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.