Sande Weinstein writes [and Gloria Leonard responds]: " I will qualify myself as an avid supporter of adult entertainment, be it film, clubs or print and I've been involved in the adult industry for some time off and on. I read AVN regularly and I have been a daily visitor to both yours and Luke Ford's websites for some time mostly because of your consistent Abbott & Costello back and forth comedic relationship. You both have cured me of my nasty habit of skimming the National Enquirer in the checkout line at my local supermarket. I just print out both your webpages and take them with me.
That being said, I wanted to let you know that I was in attendance at Free Speech Coalition's Free Speech Lobbying Days '99 in Sacramento. I would like to offer an "outsiders" point of view of both the positive and negative elements of the event and the industry at large. My friend, Mike Renzulli, an impassioned Libertarian, and I were attending this get-together because of circumstances in our state of Arizona.
In Phoenix, a real hotbed of democracy, our city council, at the behest of the National Family Legal Foundation which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, has found it an urgent need to pass new more restrictive ordinances regulating the adult entertainment industry in Phoenix. The industry in Phoenix like all over the country was apathetic and lethargic when the public hearings were being held and the ordinances were easily passed. I would like to do anything I can to change that, hence, my attendance. I guess I just love my porn. I thought networking to get new ideas would help with this.
First of all, I attended the National A.C.T. fundraiser at Centerfolds in Sacramento on the Saturday before the Lobbying Days event was to begin. I would like to offer my "outsider" view of this event.
We went to Centerfolds that night with Kat Sunlove, whom I finally met that night after corresponding with her for several months. Despite what Michael Ross contends, both Mike Renzulli and I knew that this fundraiser was for National A.C.T. because I asked and received an email notice of the fundraiser. I don't really think it mattered to the customers at the front door but they were told several times about the fundraiser by the D.J. after they got in. I saw no conflict or conspiracy by Kat Sunlove or anyone else with regard to the Free Speech Coalition and National A.C.T. sponsorship of the event, although, if it had been me, I would have made damn sure I had the pre-publicity and advertising exact and correct long before the event.
Mike Renzulli and I stayed for the first half of the event due to transportation arrangements but I enjoyed the show immensely as did everyone else apparently. Christy Lake put on the best show I've seen in awhile but Johnni Black, having never danced live in a club before looked to me like she'd been doing it for years.
It should be noted and it was an obvious foretelling of coming events to follow that when Mike Ross finally arrived as I knew he would eventually [with Luke Ford in tow], the D.J. rudely, inappropriately and repeatedly announced that Mike Ross was "in da house" and that he was the "adult industry lobbyist".
Mike Ross does represent this and most of the clubs in California and obviously this D.J. are very good friends. I, for one, know absolutely that Mike Ross had nothing to do with this prime example of bad taste to occur. People in this industry just take this shit entirely too seriously. The night was an absolute success, Kat Sunlove and Bobby Lilly and everyone else involved with this event did a great job, and if the leadership of National A.C.T. are smart, it would continue these events often in many other venues in the future. Contrary to Mike's opinion regarding the destination and use of funds collected; this was a National A.C.T. "fundraiser" to raise money. Non-profit organizations raise money. These funds could just go to the organization's coffers for use later.
As I said earlier, I had confronted Kat Sunlove months earlier by email and phone because in Arizona I found the industry here is as much a lapdog in fear of government as it is in California and nationally. As an outsider to the adult industry elite invited to this event, I was interested and honored to be here and I was eager to add my 2 cents worth in discussions regarding the status of this industry nationwide and locally. I found both Jeffrey Douglas and Kat Sunlove staunch in their desire to make this event a "feel-good time" with as little controversy as possible. I could already tell this was definitely a public relations exercise as well as a talent parade.
During the Lobbying Days '99 event, there was some formal discussion of the First Amendment and how it applied to the adult industry along with a review of case law history of the industry with very limited discussion. What I believe was missing was an overview and discussion of the present status of the industry now and its future in the new millennium.
This industry is missing VISION and CREATIVE THOUGHT. The adult industry has no vision and is devoid of any creative thought when it comes to foresight and future planning. It doesn't take a genius to rip off the plot in a mainstream movie or television program and turn it into a adult film. It's so used to working in the shadows it refuses to mature and come out into the open and stand up for itself. There was approximately 30 in attendance when the public political salon was finished. Over half in attendance were past and present talent obviously there to be shown off on Tuesday's Capital Day.
Not one of the top 10 production companies were represented other than one public relations staff member. Why so few in attendance from such a large industry? Where were the big producers and owners of the large companies this organization allegedly speaks for?
No matter how many porn stars you present to legislators, the understood language of the legislature is "business, professionalism and money". These people want to know about business economic and market impact in their state and just handing them a white paper by adult film stars with facts and figures on it won't make them change their attitude that this is still the "pornography" business. This fact does wonders for the industry's credibility, respectability and reputation. For an industry to be taken seriously by government, it must have credibility, respectability and have some semblance of a positive reputation, something this industry is clearly lacking.
Tuesday at the Capital, several attendees from the prior days events were conspicuously absent, some due to prior commitments. As far as I can remember there were approximately 20 people at the press conference on the steps of the capital. I noticed immediately prior to the press conference that the ONE cabaret owner still supporting the Free Speech Coalition and the dancer from his club were NOT in attendance. Apparently it looked like no one mentioned this to the Free Speech Coalition spokespeople.
At first Jeffrey Douglas took the position that the Free Speech Coalition did not represent clubowners but he was quickly corrected smoothly by Gloria Leonard and Kat Sunlove. They had previously done the same thing, omitting the mention of cabarets or cabaret owners, on the Free Speech Coalition Mission Statement and in my opinion, that is probably why the cabaret owner who came to Sacramento out of loyalty to the Free Speech Coalition left early and decided not to be at the capital. He had previously told me that he would be there. Luckily, press coverage for this event turned out to be negligible at best, considering it was difficult to find any press on it.
I'll repeat the mantra that everybody repeats - How can such a high profile industry said to be worth approximately 8 billion dollars per year consider political advocacy and industry representation such a low priority. An industry such as this that has a history of governmental and right-wing religious persecution and regularly gets pummelled harder than Stone Cold Steve Austin would realize this isn't working. This is one of the reasons that I think Jeffrey Douglas doesn't give a damn whether the Free Speech Coalition accomplishes anything or not nor does he give a rat's ass whether he keeps his position as Executive Director or not. He's a lawyer. He represents the industry. He must since he was included in this past week's Cancun excursion. He's going to make money no matter what happens because he lives to litigate. He apparently has convinced the video production end of this business that he and any lawyer they hire can make all their problems disappear with a little courtroom action. If that's so, then why even the need for the Free Speech Coalition?
And while we're talking of Cancun, I would bet big money that Mike Ross' name was discussed at length many times throughout this porn pow-wow.
[Gene Ross interjects: "Neither was Ross' nor Kat Sunlove's names brought up, specifically."]
"What is this scary fixation on Mike Ross? Trust me, I've met him, he's not that pretty. When I mentioned Mike Ross' name to Jeffrey Douglas in Sacramento, I thought he was going to pop a blood vessel and go into convulsions. I've been corresponding with Mike Ross for over a year now, back when he WAS the Free Speech Coalition's lobbyist and I've found Mike to be intelligent, assertive and most of all, politically informed and savvy.
However, according to the Free Speech Coalition, Mike Ross is the anti-christ! I met Mike Ross face to face, at the National A.C.T. fundraiser but according to the Free Speech Coalition, I expected him to resemble Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" with his head spinning and spewing split pea soup. Trust me, it didn't happen. It is painfully obvious and it should be for the Free Speech Coalition and the production end of this industry that Michael Ross knows what he's doing otherwise they wouldn't be as obsessed with him as they are.
I constantly read on Luke Ford's website responses from Gloria Leonard to things Mike says. She can't stand Luke and can't stand Mike...so why does she end up in print on there? Mike Ross is doing the things right now that the Free Speech Coalition should have been doing years ago. The Free Speech Coalition and the production end of the industry has clearly shown, so far, that they are definitely not the NRA gun lobby, nor the Liquor and Spirits lobby because those industries are professionally represented both in Washington, D.C. and in every state in the Union.
I was told by some in the Free Speech Coalition while in Sacramento that Mike was too aggressive, too radical, too assertive and one person told me he was too SMART to be the lobbyist or the Executive Director. I was also told that it was just those attributes that got him removed from his position as association lobbyist. I think that about says it all, doesn't it? Why would the Free Speech Coalition or the industry want to stop Mike Ross? Apparently, the industry and the Free Speech Coalition have a death-wish.
They will stand hand-in-hand at the barricaded door until that Family Values steamroller comes crashing in, then the industry will crawl underground and then its everyone for itself! Those who fail in the courtroom just fade away and those who win can stay afloat until the next time continue to stay in the game. Geez...Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. What about all those people we heard about at the Lobbying Days seminar who fought in the courtrooms before you? Without the voice of the "LEFT" and the collective voices of this industry, Reagan was easily elected to the White House and of course Reagan biblically begat Edwin Meese and you all know how that story turned out.
With solid industry backing and professional representation nationally instead of just being a big deal in the San Fernando Valley, the possibility is greater of getting good people who believe in the Constitution, freedom of speech and expression, returning the government to, by and for the people instead of people living for the government and people who remember the separation of church and state and will get these people elected to local and statewide government and elected to Congress and the White House. Its not like the federal government hasn't made mistakes. Why was Clinton impeached? Who was ultimately responsible for Ken Starr running amok? On Dateline the other night they ran a story about the many malicious prosecutions that the Justice Department have run in recent years on basically innocent people using that same prosecutorial/Ken Starr tactic of trying to get them to inform on someone else.
And while I'm writing this, Rev. Jerry Falwell is on my TV doing his usual Sunday night Liberty Foundation Church service repeating his "Take America Back" sermon. During his windy diatribe, I've already heard him repeat over and over again, "It is my life's work to take America back and to take back our government and rid our country of so-called musicians like Marilyn Manson, guns and pornographers who desecrate our children and our country." I guess the "pornographers" want to see how it feels to be one of the Teletubbies! Remember Tinky Winky? Well, at least we have something to look forward to in the new millennium.
\nGloria Leonard responds: "First, let me say, with all due respect, that Sande is an "outsider." [His own description, not mine]. Secondly, due to time constraints of a one-day lobbying effort and that of the legislators involved, it is not necessary for more than 20 or 30 people to attend inasmuch as we visit in teams of threes and fours. Sande, who was assigned to my team, is a rather large man who had some difficulty in keeping up and though he was welcome, chose not to participate in any of the actual meetings we had with legislators. Therefore, he has no clue as to the "professionalism" level projected by us - my team in particular, was one I was exuberantly proud to be with; Seth McCoy of Wicked Pictures has a non-porn background, having worked previously for the Mayor of Boston; Margot Rutman, the other third of my team, not only works as an exotic dancer but has put herself through law school on those earnings and will, before long, be a practicing attorney.
Our lobbying effort is absolutely not intended to be a parade of porn stars since those who participate, volunteer knowing full well that more than just a modicum of intelligence and political savvy is required for the job. Further, many non-performers were in attendance - Mara Epstein, Dr. David Hall, attorney Al Gelbard, Peter Scheick and others. Sande's allegation that we are industry in the "shadows, refusing to stand up for itself," is at best, an oxymoron, given that we were in the Capitol meeting with government representatives. [It is my personal feeling that we were met with considerable courtesy and respect, now having had a presence in the Capitol for four or more years running]. Additionally, he suggests that the names of cabaret owners are omitted from our Mission Statement - NO owners of any kind are mentioned in that document. So far as media coverage is concerned, almost twenty news outlets covered the event and upon request, I will be happy to provide names of all tv and radio stations, newspapers, wire services, etc.
To wrap this up without nitpicking every inconsistency in Sande's missive, he states that he was in contact with Mike Ross for "over a year now, back when he was the FSC lobbyist" - kind of difficult since Ross was fired two years ago. To be sure, there is absolutely a lot more that can be done however, what we are doing is still a helluva' lot more than was ever done before. There are only a handful of us who seem to actively give a shit and with the limited resources available to us, I think we're doing great! And of course, I couldn't sign off without reminding everyone that if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. Quit whining, get off your collective butts and PARTICIPATE!
