Forum j Anti-porn view not censorship By Annette Bridges The recent letters concerning free speet li and pornography. parti< nlarlv in relation to maga zine sales at the KMtare symptomatic of the simplistic dichotomy by which we gener ally frame the deflate Akin to the simplify ation of the repro ductive rights issue, which Li bels people as "pro-abortion" or "pro-life" and ignores the centrality of individual c hoic.es. the pornography de bate is thought of as a battle be tween advocates of free speei h and censorship We gain .1 deeper understanding of the subject if we re examine our definition of censorship Commentary Feminists who seek to limit the distribution of violent and exploitative porn (or art. or lit erature] are accused of wishing to "censor " This word con jures up images of a dictatorial suppression of artistic freedom, it also implies presentation of a distorted view of the truth In fact, women have never had this supposedh sac red freedom of expression Whether we speak of the media, of "erotic art" (which claims aesthetic worth) or of "pornography" (vvhic It seeks only to c reate "pleasure" lor the vieyver). \vt> find that thrv < ontain exploit.! live images of women ami are generalK produced In those (males) with I'limnmii and so i ietal powor. thus denying women self-expression .old pro senting a skewered image of the world ()ur art and media ■ire in fait filled with censor ship all the more insidious as it is covert, unspoken, and tie [lies the existence of the female creative subject to begin w ith The pornography issue, then, is not an issue of censorship of male pleasure, but rather one of the i i\ 11 rights of women (and ini reasingly of women of color witness the issue of Cent house featuring bound Japanese women) Women experiem e violence daily in our society and porn strengthens the link between this violent e and male pleasure A law banning \ io lent pornography would he based on the fact that its con sumption occurs at the tost of women and not on the same high moral ground Tim \\ebber's rhetoric nl question "And what about all of the nude women in classic arthas an important enrol lary Win is "c lassic art full of nude women of images of rape and kidnapping of women all painted by men' (Certain ly this art has been exploit.! live Not as some would have us believe Ins .him1 ot its midi ty lull rather bei .lusc nt .1 i mu plcn rri iprm its between the aesthete s and the I'tliu s nt .1 sin ids I In' un.ilssis nt this rri iprni its lir.irs im resent hliini i‘ tu lhi‘ moralistic and s.-lf righteous posturing nt .1 (esse I lelms Kvpi 11 ills s intent porn is oh s musls not the only vehii le foi damaging images ot women There are fesv people sslio would ssish to outlaw I’lavbos. but tills does not impls that sve must hestosv our approval I lie KMI' Hoard s decision represents one small (hut sets laudable) at t of inters notion The tear, the rage the shame and the lai k of sell esteem ill svomen to which violence and pornography contribute need to he abolished hetore sse 1 an he gin to speak of freedom ot ex pressinn or ot speei li As leniiy Kane suggested (< >l>i Mas Ja) svomen do work hard to com Itiand respei t and part 1 if that svurk is the elimination nt violent pornography I lei sug gestion that those svomen sshn pose for Penthouse are In blame hossever, is luilii rous in light of male censorship of svomen s attempts to speak, write, publish, nr sell (anything other th.in their own bodies) \niwllc Hridiies is ,1 /ugroe resident and a / ’im ers/ti sfu drill in 1 imi[juniti\ e liter,iturr UO BOOKSTORE nil! AND KINl AID I'M YH.-4MI MDNDAV - I RIDA Y H. *> * 00 (trefoil lJ:nl\ _ _ Emerald I’ II H \ ' I "> t llp l|« lll ri;iHi '*'4111 The Oregon Daify Eme?aid s put-fshed Tuesday and Thursday during mer by the Qrt»yon Daily Dutoaid Publishing C*> at the University o? Of' gt*no. Oregon 0ad> pub‘u at), n bogy's wdh the 'ait The bnu-Mid >•. - jpe-ab'.) 'mkg>*r 'denby ■ ‘ the University ,vdh " • ■ - - ■ 1 • • • , ; ■; *. i. • 1 • r ! . i he LnnMaid is ; ovate propufty ll'c unlawful remova* use ' [r.ipcf > u table by a a Editor a News Managing Editor Graphics Editor t Night Editor Associate Editors Entertainment 1 . b - Advertising Sales r if , Production t Mad- ’f ■ '• ; ’ i , ' General Stall Advertising Director a Assistant to the Publisher Production Manager O Advertising Coordinator Classified Sales ► * • . M Accounts Receivable Circulation. Newsroom Classified Advertising Display Advertising Production, Graphic Services Blau 346 S511 346 4343 346 3712 346 4361 IT'S mMIMfi I IP SMN THE GREAT QI) PIONEER CAR STEREO GIVEAWAY AND PRICE BLOW-OUT!! Coming Soon to the UO BOOKSTORE PRUL MITCHELl CM2 * matrix IREDKEN SEBASTIAN mam /VEDA Nu SklN 7R55 CHEVEUX Scfiupas Kenra 25% OFF These Hair Care products With This Coupon Thru 6-30-90 The largest selection of professional hair and skin care products in this town. Inside Southside Fitness 27lh & Willamette 687 0138 11th & Patterson previously Vogue Hair Salon 343-1637 Unlimited LTD bus service optional student toe That moans rotunds ve available Keep n m nd howt'ver. that yt>ur student IP :\s\ enables you to rule the bus an) time anywhere , ill term1 Aist > remomt >er that t >y suf >; >< irting milim n \! Pm i v. t • you h * hi 'Ipmg . illev. ite !r, ills red:, e air i><>ii, ihon eastrthei 'ampusflarking \mihlem me, pro\.'{to tr, ins/ x irti ition tor then is* it >i is. e'.\opn 11(H) a "I md 5 00 pm June 18-2.' and June do .’9 Also naisiblea! 11[) ts n >ck ting law students THE FAR SIDE By GARY LARSON L J Vincent Van Tantor