LOS ANGELES — Paul F. Little, better known to the adult world as Max Hardcore, put down on paper some of his thoughts on the meaning of the July 4 holiday:
"Every Independence Day, we pause to reflect upon the great sacrifices made by the brave men and women who laid down their lives when they rebelled against the English to create the United States of America. They put their lives on the line not simply for the pieces of paper called the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but upon the principles which they represented with their words. Paramount among these are the freedom to live one's life in accordance with his or her own beliefs, and the expectation of privacy from unwarranted government intrusion into their lives and property."
"At a time when America holds more of its citizens behind bars than any other country in the world, yours truly included, the concept of personal freedom seems to have been forgotten by those in power — and by many of the people they govern. In our blind ambition to band together and battle the common enemy of terrorism, many have stood idle as our government has steadily stripped away the very rights which make our country great, and our people secure in their homes. In a perversion of the English language that is a true obscenity, the Bush administration called their initiative the PATRIOT Act, attempting to cloak an evil program under the guise of civic responsibility. This plot was so diabolical and effective, that even our own representatives in Congress were fooled into acquiescence."
"As I write these words, I am staring into the abyss of many more months in the bowels of the federal prison system, simply for making movies that twelve ignorant citizens allowed themselves to be convinced should not be seen, enjoyed, hated or even considered by anyone else in America. Censorship is insidious, my friends, and almost always starts with attacks against the least desirable material. But it rarely ends there. Just ask anybody from China, whose every keystroke will soon be monitored by Big Brother to make sure they toe the party line and submit to the will of their rulers."
"Don't think that it can't or won't ever happen in our country. The federal government is not finished with the adult entertainment business — not so long as it continues to serve at the pleasure of the evangelical Christians on its misguided mission of enforcing morality-based legislation. If you fail to speak out against censorship, and encourage others not to do so as well, then don't be surprised when the enforcers of the edicts show up at your door someday and tell you that it's your turn to go."
"Now go out and enjoy the fireworks with the family this 4th of July. But don't forget to tell them the real reason we celebrate the day. It could be your last chance to do that for a while — just like me."
Paul F. Little AKA Max hardcore
