Trashy Novels “Have a Place in Our Society,” Judge Rules
A New York state court ruled on this day that “trashy” novels “have a place in our society,” and deserved the same constitutional protection as recognized literary classics.
The judge dismissed obscenity charges against three book distributors and their executives charged with selling obscene publications.
He agreed that the 25 books in question were “poor writings, bad in taste, profane, offensive, disgusting and plain unvarnished trash.” Nonetheless, he ruled, they are entitled to First Amendment protection.
Learn more about the obscenity, pornography and First Amendment: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/pornography-obscenity
Read about the crusade against censorship: Charles Rembar, The End of Obscenity: The Trials of Lady Chatterley, Topic of Cancer, and Fanny Hill (1968)
Learn more about the myths and facts about pornography: Marcia Pally, Sense and Censorship: The Vanity of the Bonfires (1991), http://mediacoalition.org/files/Sense-and-Censorship.pdf
Learn more at the National Coalition Against Censorship here.