Freedom or Exploitation?

Two of the largest Internet Service Providers in the world, Verizon and Time Warner Cable have joined forces with Sprint, another giant wireless company in the United States, to eliminate access and storage of child pornography online.
They are putting aside their compulsive competitiveness, and have committed money and resources to stamping out the exploitation of our most fragile members of society.

It's a bold move, and over here, it's a first.

Whilst everyone publicly applauds this idea, I am always intrigued by the dissenters, the ones who protest for the protection of freedoms and other notions of this ilk.
Their fear of sounding like perverts is overwhelmed by their fear of losing some fundamental rights to expression, movement and speech.
To most of us, these are abstract ideas and don't pack a punch like explicit child pornography which makes every mother gasp with anxiety and horror, no matter how liberal or worldly.

In 1995, the South African Parliament tabled a bill that changed the regulation and definition of pornography in the New South Africa. It all began with a few controlling boards and bodies in the old apartheid days that needed to be reinvented and redesigned, and made fit and suitable for a spanking new democracy.
The Film and Publications Amendment Bill was born, and seeing that in this ideal new world every person could have their say, public hearings were arranged at parliament so that all interested parties could air their point of view and concerns.

The whole shebang became my first bill to guide through the entire parliamentary process.

Political party members huddled behind closed doors and discussed possible amendments and party policies.
Secret and meaningful glances and notes were exchanged in passages before our Committee met solemnly in dark, teak-and-leather boardrooms. The chairperson heading this group of serious politicians spoke with calm authority and suitable officiousness at all of these preliminary meetings. Political parties were asked to consider all input and submissions carefully, and to draft amendments to the old Act in a timely manner. Procedures, rules, regulations and guidelines were carefully covered and documented.

As for me, Mr Chairman confidently handed me all his correspondence, schedules and assorted documents, and made it all my problem with one winning smile. I was to schedule the public hearings, press releases, meetings, deliberations and all the logistics that were required for these. It was a public hot potato, but he knew I was up for the job he said.

My name and number was published as the contact person for all inquiries and information. Boy, oh boy. The smart man had shifted all the hoopla onto my unsuspecting shoulders, whilst the members of parliament prepared in earnest for this bill.

I got a nice big office with a lot of space and started collecting public opinion.
You can only imagine the volume of calls, faxes, petitions, letters, mail, and surprising office visits that came my way.

I scheduled an entire week of public hearings before the parliamentary committee.
Citizens literally got fifteen minutes of fame, and both left and right, conservative and liberal, jostled equally for the limelight.
I think I may have seen and heard it all that month.

Ultra conservative religious groups sent petitions and hand delivered them with vitriolic zealousness that was at times quite frightening. These pale men and women stood around in the hall outside my office peering anxiously over piles of documents and papers, nervously worried that they may inadvertently spot some real pornography and have to loosen their skinny ties. Their sour fear was awkward in the carpeted passages of our bustling, multi colored New South Africa government buildings. Nevertheless, they got a spot to say their say. So too the local artist who brought large examples of her erotic art into my office one busy Thursday afternoon.

For weeks I answered what seemed like hundreds of calls a day. Each one, carefully planned by the caller to achieve maximum satisfaction. I heard verbosely angry, businesslike calm, emotionally wretched, esoterically nonsensical, religiously outraged, friendly, flattering and cajoling.
There were religious groups of all persuasions, performance artists, the gay community in its many forms, Hustler and Playboy magazine dudes, prisoners, and many extremely odd people.
Every one of them had a point of view, opinion and a strong yen to state their case.

They sat all day and waited for their number to come up during the hearings. I herded them in and out, took their notes, tried to calm their nerves and strong emotions and once even frog marched a tiny man off the stage who inappropriately dissolved into a tirade after his fifteen minutes were up.

Democracy in action. The chairperson always in control, running the show and asking relevant questions. Astonishing mounds of information and opinions. And always, an outstanding lunch served at noon. I quickly learned that this was essential for goodwill, progress and general happiness. I skimped on other things to stay on budget but made sure there was extra dessert.

Amendments were drafted, negotiated and voted upon. A new Bill was submitted to the Houses of Parliament and adopted.
The new Film and Publications Act kicked in in 1996.
Many people don't like it. They say that it infringes on freedoms of speech, expression and movement.
But it distinctly bans child pornography and protects the vulnerable members of our society, and for that, every South African mother, black or white, liberal or conservative, is grateful.