The Thick Red Line
Op/Ed by the Colonel
One thing I love and at the same time hate about the adult industry is that there’s never a shortage of controversy, drama and war of worlds. People from all around the globe and all walks of life have a morbid curiosity, an obsession, if you may, with all things pornography: they want to know the most private details about performers, directors, producers, etc: what are their hubbies, where do they go for lunch, what was the name of the town they grew up in; and the list goes on. So in an atmosphere where people are this much obsessed with little, irrelevant details, of course when a true controversy occurs, everybody seems to have an opinion of some sort; and unfortunately most people don’t bother to exam and review all facts before expressing their opinions and starting a war of words to defend and justify those opinions.
Some true controversies in the recent months are indictments and convictions of notorious pornographers Max Hardcore and Rob Black based on obscenity charges. From day one, I made it clear that I do not defend, justify or support either of them in no way, form or manner, even though I’m in the same profession as they are. The fact that I make a living by producing and selling porn doesn’t mean that I have to support anybody who attempts to violate and dehumanize unsuspecting victims under the pretence of making movies and exercising his freedom of speech. There’s a fine line between making sexually explicit movies with consenting adults and exploiting naive girls and putting them in situations where they don’t know how to get out of; the line that Max Hardcore and Rob Black knowingly and willingly have crossed time and again, and to make matters worse, they constantly defied and humiliated the authorities. To them, it was a game of name seeking and publicity, a tactic to sell a few more copies of their movies. So when the consequences of their actions come back to haunt them, they should have been ready to face them.
Some people are under the impression that anything and everything must be allowed to expressed, practiced and protected under the First Amendment. I beg to differ. I believe a line must be drawn to distinguish between the acts which are harmful and inflict actual, physical and/or psychological pain on others and the acts that are not harmful and don’t inflict any actual pain. The line must be drawn to clarify and determine boundaries of the freedom of expression. Freedom is not free, nor that should it be allowed to be expressed through harming unsuspecting victims under the pretence of making movies. Moreover, any alert and conscious person with the slightest of dignity can and will draw that line and chooses to take advantage of the freedom of expression instead of abusing it.
If Max Hardcore and Rob Black are to be allowed to produce torture scenes under the pretence of making pornographic movies, then a serial killer must also be allowed to kill and dismember people under the pretence of making horror movies. I don’t blame the civilians who express and discuss their opinions on this topic, some of them are intelligent, well educated people and for that I respect them. But despite their interest in the adult industry, they’re not aware of some dark, disturbing facts of this industry. Obviously they never had the experience of interacting with the performers, videographers, etc. who have worked with Max Hardcore and Rob Black and saw them for what they truly are and not the victims of government’s cruelty as they like to portray themselves.
I’m a part of the adult industry, I make a living by making pornographic movies, material that some people like, some people don’t. But the thick, red line that I’ve never crossed and will never cross is inflicting pain on naive girls who took the Grey Hound bus to Los Angeles to seek a career in the adult industry. The fact that a girl in a Max Hardcore or Rob Black movie signed a 2257 Form and endured a session of brutality, pain and dehumanization just so she can pay her rent or support her child doesn’t make her a consenting adult, it makes her an unfortunate victim of unpredictable circumstances; something they will tell you as they choke on words and shiver with disgust while talking about those cruel, despicable and vile experiences. I’ve seen pain in their eyes, pain that nobody should endure and nobody should be allowed to inflict under any excuse or pretence.
I support the true freedom of expression, that’s why I have always supported Larry Flynt, I supported Adam Glasser and I continue to support John Stagliano; these are the people who deserve to represent the adult industry, not twisted evil doers who do nothing but harm to this industry’s image and reputation. It’s all about drawing the line, the thick, red line.