At a meeting in Phoenix, Arizona this week, a coalition of groups concerned with the spread of illegal pornography called on Republican presidential candidates to speak against the sexual exploitation of women and children by pornography. "We believe today's presidential debate is the ideal forum for candidates to distinguish themselves not only from each other but also from the current President," said Len Munsil, president of The Center for Arizona policy.
Each major presidential candidate, Republican and Democrat, was asked in August to sign a pledge agreeing to enforce existing federal (hard-core pornography) and child pornography laws if elected president. To date, all major Republican presidential candidates except Governor George Bush and Senator John McCain have signed the pledge. Neither Vice-President Al Gore, nor former Senator Bill Bradley has signed. Non-signers received another request December 1.
"America was winning its war on illegal pornography, with successful federal prosecutions in most states, until Bill Clinton was elected President," said Pat Trueman of American Family Association, who headed federal prosecution efforts against illegal pornography in the Reagan and Bush administrations. "President Clinton stopped that war," Trueman added.
"The Clinton administration has refused to prosecute those who have turned the Internet into a porn shop convenient to most children. Pornographers now know they are a protected class in America. They can violate federal obscenity laws with impunity," Trueman asserts.
"The only question we ask of the next president is whether they are for or against the sexual exploitation of women and children" said Bob Steffens, Director of Victim Assistance for the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families.
The coalition of groups is asking each person seeking to replace President Clinton articulate his or her answer to this question. "No candidate for the highest office in the land can seriously suggest that they oppose sexual exploitation but will protect the illegal pornography industry," Steffens says.
The coalition of groups backing the pledge include American Family Association, American Decency Association, Center for Reclaiming America, Christian Alliance For Sexual Recovery, Christian Family Network, Citizens for Community Values, Concerned Women for America, Coral Ridge Ministries, Enough is Enough, Family First, Family Friendly Libraries, Liberty Counsel, National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, Oklahomans for Children and Families, Straight from the Heart, the National Law Center for Children and Families, and the Center for Arizona Policy.
A online copy of the referenced pledge, along with other pertinent pledge news and information, can be viewed at The Presidential Pledge Website - http://www.presidentialpledge.org .
