Fighting for Truth, Justice and (Ostensibly) the American Way

The list of things in the world more objectionable than child pornography is pretty short, no doubt. I’m hard-pressed, in fact, to think of anything more vile than the sexual exploitation of children.

That said, it is equally horrifying that something like this can occur in the year 2008 in the United States of America:

Mr. Handley’s case began in May 2006 when he received an express mail package from Japan that contained seven Japanese comic books. That package was intercepted by the Postal Inspector, who applied for a search warrant after determining that the package contained cartoon images of objectionable content. Unaware that his materials were searched, Handley drove away from the post office and was followed by various law enforcement officers, who pulled him over and followed him to his home. Once there, agents from the Postal Inspector’s office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, Special Agents from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and officers from the Glenwood Police Department seized Handley’s collection of over 1,200 manga books or publications; and hundreds of DVDs, VHS tapes, laser disks; seven computers, and other documents. Though Handley’s collection was comprised of hundreds of comics covering a wide spectrum of manga, the government is prosecuting images appearing in a small handful.

What’s the key phrase in that passage? How about, “cartoon images.” Christopher Handley, aged 38, of Iowa, is being prosecuted on obscenity charges by some tight-assed (probably) Bible-thumping Midwestern DA over drawings of men engaged in homosexual activity.

Yaoi, for those not in the know, is a kind of Japanese manga meant largely to appeal to a female audience in the sort of the same way that “Hot girl-on-girl action!” American porn appeals to men. It depicts men – generally very “pretty” men – having sex with one another. Not children, mind you, so this can’t really be considered a child pornography case. The men are somewhat feminized and hairless – I guess yaoi readers don’t go for Bears. So these are, let’s make sure we’re absolutely clear, depictions of adults, to begin with. And these are, let’s make sure we’re absolutely clear, drawings. These are comics. Drawings. Marks made with ink on paper that the human brain is capable of seeing as images of people. These are not photographs of actual people engaged in these acts. They are drawings.

Christopher Handley is being prosecuted over “obscene” drawings.

There’s a second key phrase here. Which one is that? It’s, “received an express mail package.” Christopher Handley is not being charged with the sale or distribution of this ostensibly obscene material, to minors or otherwise, as was the case in the absurd prosecution of Rome, Georgia comic book store owner Gordon Lee last year. Christopher Handley is not being charged with the creation of obscene material, as was the case with the utter miscarriage of justice that was the prosecution and conviction (!) of artist Mike Diana in the early ’90s.

Christopher Handley’s sole “crime” is the ownership of this supposedly “obscene” material.

People talk a lot about wasteful government spending. I wonder if the people who think that spending money on Welfare and Medicaid is wasteful would support the prosecution of Christopher Handley. The fact that the Postal Inspector spent a single second on this issue is an example of government waste. The fact that the prosecutor’s office is spending so much as one single dime on this issue is utterly insane. Madness.

If this bothers you like it does me, if it makes you just a little ill to imagine the government telling you that it’s not okay to own certain comic books, or books of any kind, really, then take a moment to click on the brand-new link in the sidebar to make a donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

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