To The Daily Yomiuri (written December 2, 1992, published Dec. 12)
- Letter to the Editor -
To the Editor:
Re: Madonna's "Sex" book controversy. (unpublished: Previous writers (Bridget Trainor/ Bill Gulliver) have complained about the inconsistency of Japan's anti-obscenity law that allows the portrayal of any kind of perversity as long as public hair and the genitals are not shown. I think these writers were right. There exists however an even greater inconsistency, that still permits us to carry the authentic parts in our pants. We can be glad that the law-givers did not yet forbid that.) The editor of the Daily Yomiuri started publishing the letter after the interesting introduction not knowing the basics of writing, namely not making statements without proofs and explanations:
Japan's anti-obscenity law is a farce, demeaning, ridiculous, an insult to the public. There is no reason why we should have a more unnatural relationship to our genitals than to the other parts of our body. There is also nothing wrong with enjoying other people's fantasies. Not fantasies but actions are causing suffering, even actions like the actions of censors or the making of repressive laws. Mr. Wornath's recommendation of totally banning Madonna's book has no merit at all, it only deprives people in Japan of an opportunity. People who buy that book do not commit a crime or hurt anybody. I would buy that book, but not in Japan, because it is soiled by Japan's censorship.
Rape, sexual harassment and discrimination are serious crimes against women. But these crimes are not related to sexual permissiveness and pornography. On the contrary, in a more restrictive environment it is always the weak who are victimized. During the "good old" days the victims did not even venture to say that they were victimized.
During the long centuries in the most pious and restrictive reign of christian morality, we had celibates torturing naked women on the rack and burning them afterwards at the stake.
I hope that one day love-making - say in parks
or on beaches - will become as acceptable as kissing and hugging
in public became recently. We should all freely admit to our
sexual feelings and longings, there is nothing wrong with them.
What we ought to be ashamed of are hatred, aggression, ignorance,
bigotry, our out-dated morality, our ancient superstitions etc.
but not SEX.
Holger Hermann Haupt
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