Fear and Loathing at the Cartoon Expo

The American Family Association visits a comic book convention and freaks out. Seems you can't shake a stick there without hitting porno, Satanism, or frightful scenes like this one:

Heather had a disturbing encounter with an artist who, in his own words, was 'prostituting himself' for the day to raise money for his newest project. He had a sign at his booth similar to this:

Peck on the cheek…$1.00
Kiss on the lips…$3.00
French kiss…$5.00

Unfortunately he had 'customers.'

Now the AFA is taking aim at the Make a Wish Foundation, which not only held two charity events in this nest of sin but permitted gambling at the first fundraiser and alcohol at both. "Send a letter," the family folks suggest, to "let them know their association with known pornographic events is harmful to their character and credibility."

[Via Gravity Lens.]

Comments

[scott]

The dope who wrote that press released used about 100 exclamation points. My dog writes better then that brain dead dolt.

And their assertion that they know more about comic books than the vendors was HILARIOUS.

please die.

[Madog]

'Gee' it 'looks' like 'exclaimation' marks aren't the 'only' thing the 'author' likes to overuse.

[trainwreck]

>>>Obviously all connected to the convention are blinded to the potential dangers of permitting these young men this 'little peek.'

I always loved that dippy hippie adage, "make love, not war" no matter how silly it seems, it's always fascinating to me how people think human sexuality is more corrupting an influence on our youth than the extreme forms of violence we all get exposed to through various media including comic books A little peek at bare breasts is more dealy than the murder and mayhem that takes place routinely in the pages of comic books.

Where does this thought process come from?

[Jon B.]

Charley- YOU are priceless!

I want these illiterate groups telling people what to read as much as I want a Creation Scientist who doesn't believe in Carbon dating to run the local nuclear plant.

Why would libertarians be offended about a group who is afraid of a little freedom? I dunno...

[Jough]

I found this pretty funny:

"Heather and I walked down the first aisle a little further and immediately began encountering blatant pornographic material--Playboy magazines on the bottom shelf and right at eye level of young children."

Good thing they didn't see a Hustler or Club International - someone might have had a grabber!

I've been to the Chicago comicon a few times - don't recall seeing many little kids around. If yound kids are present, surely they wouldn't be wandering around by themselves thumbing through old playboys (would last about 5 seconds before the vendor tells 'em to "beat it kid").

[Jim]

It's a good thing those folks live here in the good ol' US of A.... in Germany the pornography is located in gas stations on the lowest shelf, with exposed boobs right on the cover. Here in America the magazine's behind the counter... covered in a black plastic bag... and the girl on the cover still has a top on...

I'm no Europhile, but I hardly think Germany's youth has been corrupted too much by occasionally seeing breasts on a magazine cover.

[Lonewacko]

"Tic Tac Toe Three in a Row!"

[Jim]

"let them know their association with known pornographic events is harmful to their character and credibility."

Why don't we send letters to AFA and let them know that their behavior is hamrful to their character and credibility. Geez...

[Anonymous]

So a private organization is upset with the actions of another private organization. And this upsets libertarians because...?

[Plutarck]

"And this upsets libertarians because...?"

Doesn't, or at least shouldn't. Really pisses of off the fundamentalist conservatives, though. That pretty much tells you all you need to know about them, I think.

[Jesse Walker]

Dear Anon.,

If you read what I wrote very carefully, you will note that the phrase "This should be upsetting to libertarians" appears nowhere in it.

-Jesse

[Jim]

There are a lot of private organizations that push non-freedom political agendas. AFA is one of those organizations. To the extent that they are exercising their first amendment rights, libertarians have no problems with this. However, to the extent that we disgree with their political ideas (which are also the basis of their criticism of the private sector) we can still be unhappy with the actual content of their criticism.

[Brad S]

The AFA is worried about alcohol at events? Boy. Somebody had better tell the leadership of the AFA to bone up on the Gospel. Jesus himself frequently enjoyed wine.

[SM]

Does Heather know where i can find an issue of Batman 300 ? Maybe not. Does'nt seem like they were there to fill out their comic book collections.

[Miki]

I just sent a letter through the AFA link encouraging
the Make A Wish Foundation to ignore the idiots.

[Sven]

Somebody keep her away from my family renunion, for God's sake.

[Lefty]

Isn't there something illegal about taking your child to a porn show?

[Kevin]

Is this the same Heather who has two mommies?

[Sean]

The most shocking thing about this story is that a guy with a kissing booth at a comic convention actually had customers. What in the hell is this going to do to the comic geek image?

[Charlie]

Peck on the cheek...$1.00
Kiss on the lips...$3.00
French kiss...$5.00
Pissing off the AFA, checking out porn stars, and getting drunk and gambling with the Make a Wish folks .... priceless!!

[justin]

I support mandatory euthanasia for all members of AFA, Christian Coalition, Family Research Council et al, in order that they might be closer to their maker.

[Jozef]

R-rated anime, Playboy stars and French (uh...I mean Freedom) kissing? And I missed all that? Darn...

[martin]

If it isn't illegal, it demands immediate action by the authorities. These irresponsible parents exposing their innocent children to such smut should expose them to more wholesome entertainment such as TV.