Hustler, Once More Into the Constitutional Breach

Nick Gillespie | July 1, 2008

In the  hometown of pornographer and First Amendment defender Larry Flynt, another constitutional battle is a-brewing due to Hustler:

A Northern Kentucky mother of two is suing Ohio's attorney general, seeking to overturn part of a new Ohio law that requires those convicted of selling obscene material to register as sex offenders

The woman, identified only as G.B. in the suit, is a manager of the downtown Hustler store that sells magazines, DVDs, videos, lingerie, lotions and other items of a sexual nature.

"She's not been convicted or charged with anything. She's frightened," attorney Lou Sirkin said Monday.

The woman is afraid, Sirkin said, because under the current law, if she sells something at the store that is deemed—even years later—to be obscene, the law requires her to register as a sex offender for 15 years.

More here at The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Update: Now ad-free!

Comments

Josh|7.1.08 @ 9:32AM|#

Why do I see 4 ads inside of the box quote?

J|7.1.08 @ 9:32AM|#

Because there are 4 inconveniently placed ads in the quote box.

|7.1.08 @ 9:36AM|#

Firefox + NoAd = no annoying ads.

BakedPenguin|7.1.08 @ 9:37AM|#

It's being forced to wear a big letter "S" that would upset me.

BakedPenguin|7.1.08 @ 9:39AM|#

And speaking of our puritan heritage, is it just me, or is Cincinnati the Boston of the Midwest?

|7.1.08 @ 9:41AM|#

Is the Buckeye State's government staffed completely by batshit crazy authoritarians?

ktc2|7.1.08 @ 9:47AM|#

The "sex offender" label continues it's spiral into meaninglessness.

Soon we will almost all be "sex offenders".

Jim Bob|7.1.08 @ 9:57AM|#

Too true, ktc2- and there never seems to be any question of degree when the government labels people as "sex offenders." Get caught selling "obscene" materials in Ohio? Grats, you're now no different in the government's eyes than a guy who sexually assaults a woman. It's ludicrous.

|7.1.08 @ 9:59AM|#

No matter how bad Kentucky gets, we can still point at Cincinnati and laugh.

Although, it's not really Puritans that are at the source of the fucknuttery. The city is full of German Catholics. Beer and brats? Oh, yeah. But always served with a heaping portion of sexual shame.

"Boston of the Midwest" is probably fairly close.

|7.1.08 @ 10:01AM|#

She does indeed bring up some valid points! Welcome to the New Regime under the Dictatorship of Dictator Bush! Heil Bush!

JT
http://www.Privacy-Center.net

Josh|7.1.08 @ 10:06AM|#

Firefox + NoAd = no annoying ads.
That's too much trouble. I'll just write my senator instead.

|7.1.08 @ 10:07AM|#

Is this really a problem? I don't think being afraid of a law is legitimate grounds for a lawsuit.

All she has to do is simply obey the law and she will have no problem. Perhaps if she is so concerned, she should simply close her business. It is not as if this kind of business provides any wholesome function in society.

We live in a predominately Christian nation, and this type of business should not be allowed if it violates community standards.

J|7.1.08 @ 10:10AM|#

Is Boston that bad? I've never really lived anywhere else, so I have nothing to compare it with. I know we are one of the better places in terms of ridiculous raids, but I have no idea about 1st amendment things.

EJM|7.1.08 @ 10:11AM|#

Why do I see 4 ads inside of the box quote?

The copying and pasting of the story text resulted in the ad-related HTML from the source page (which is located within the story-related HTML, not before or after it) to be inadvertently carried over into the post here.

|7.1.08 @ 10:16AM|#

As a libertarian Christian, I can't wait until the Buddhists become the majority. As for Cincinnati, it's like some kind of fundy-conservative swamp, where the crazy ideas spring up like mosquitoes to infect the rest of the state. Kentucky should annex it, pronto.

EJM|7.1.08 @ 10:16AM|#

"Resulted in...to be inadvertently carried over" above should be either "resulted in...being inadvertently carried over" or "caused...to be inadvertently carried over". (It's early in the day for me.)

|7.1.08 @ 10:18AM|#

Well, Mr. Smithson. I'm a Christian; but I wish to purchase sex toys for use in the privacy of my own home. I also wish to live in Cincinnati. Can't do it in our free country?

And as for disallowing businesses that are not "wholesome," why limit it to sex shops? How about fast food places, pawn shops, liquor stores...?

|7.1.08 @ 10:21AM|#

And as for disallowing businesses that are not "wholesome," why limit it to sex shops? How about fast food places, pawn shops, liquor stores...?

If that is what the majority wants then why not?

|7.1.08 @ 10:23AM|#

Please tell me Thomas Smithson is kidding.

article: ...because under the current law, if she sells something at the store that is deemed-even years later-to be obscene...

smithson:...simply obey the law...

You don't see a discrepancy here? You have to fucking kidding, right? Moron.

(not to mention, lotions are necessary. You've clearly never been with a 'cougar.')

|7.1.08 @ 10:24AM|#

Thomas Smithson said:

If that is what the majority wants then why not?

Sensors are picking up a troll, Captain.

Episiarch|7.1.08 @ 10:25AM|#

Fire photon torpedoes, Mr. Sulu!

|7.1.08 @ 10:28AM|#

The indispensable Married To The Sea on Cincinnati.

Abdul|7.1.08 @ 10:28AM|#

One relevant question would be how reasonable are the fears that items sold in a typical adult shop would be found to be "obscene" as defined by Ohio law. I'm betting very few, if any, obscenity convictions have been handed down in Ohio in the past 20 years unless they were related to things we probably all would find objectionable and aren't sold in Hustler-brand adult stores (e.g., child porn or selling adult porn to minors).

|7.1.08 @ 10:29AM|#

Sometimes, when being a Columbusite gets me down, I think "Damn, I could be living 100 miles south," and my mood picks right up.

ed|7.1.08 @ 10:34AM|#

Jim Bob | July 1, 2008, 9:36am | #
Firefox + NoAd = no annoying ads.

Why does Jim Bob hate capitalism?

|7.1.08 @ 10:34AM|#

That's a hoot, SugarFree.
My theory is that a lot of Cincinnati's attitude is an overreaction to being known as "The Queen City."
(And are there any regional lexicographers here who can explain just how "green pepper" became "mango" in these parts?

|7.1.08 @ 10:37AM|#

Dammit MP and Epi... I missed it! He must've been cloaked.

|7.1.08 @ 10:43AM|#

I guess we just can't resist the temptation to enforce our own standards on everyone else.

Why is it that we try to exercise our liberty and property rights values at the voting booth, and then come home and call the city about that RV parked in the neighbor's driveway?

If it doesn't meet my standards, they can simply close their businesses... and shuck their livelihoods.

robc|7.1.08 @ 10:47AM|#

Kentucky should annex it, pronto.

We dont want it.

My random smack down on Cincy in a previous thread (the Chicago one) was clearly me seeing into the future and preparing for this thread.

Nigel Watt|7.1.08 @ 10:48AM|#

Why does Jim Bob hate capitalism?

I'm using AdBlock, but I also subscribe to the print edition.

robc|7.1.08 @ 10:48AM|#

If that is what the majority wants then why not?

The majority is always wrong.

|7.1.08 @ 11:17AM|#

If that is what the majority wants then why not?

Perhaps if she is so concerned, she should simply close her business.

Dan T! How ya been, ol' buddy?

|7.1.08 @ 11:22AM|#

Larry Flynt is a tasteless, nickel grubbing, bottom feeding scumbag who possesses certain unalienable rights.

I've never claimed that freedom was pretty.
Go Larry, go.

Jim Bob|7.1.08 @ 11:28AM|#

I'm using AdBlock, but I also subscribe to the print edition.

Ditto.

|7.1.08 @ 11:28AM|#

Please tell me Thomas Smithson is kidding.

Kool, are you famioliar with Dan T? I suspect (a little bit) that Thomas Smithson is merely another incarnation of that "legendary in his own mind" H&R troll.

|7.1.08 @ 11:33AM|#

No offense (OK a little) to my buckeye friends, I have three words about Cincinnati, Ohio that helps us people living in the 21st century understand.

Mayor Jerry Springer.

Metal Messiah|7.1.08 @ 11:34PM|#

We live in a predominately Christian nation, and this type of business should not be allowed if it violates community standards.

Then the free market will take care of it, won't it? No need to send in the jack-booted thugs with guns.

And if the business is profitable, it would not seem to violate the hallowed "community standards."