Larry Flynt: The Right to be Left Alone

[gonzo]

ANN ARBOR - He's best known as a publisher of pornography. But Larry Flynt also knows a thing or two about freedom of speech.

Flynt, who made his name publishing Hustler magazine, spoke to a crowd of about 100 people last Saturday at the University of Michigan Law School. He was in town for the Ann Arbor Film Festival screening of a new documentary about his life, "Larry Flynt: The Right to be Left Alone."

Flynt, who uses a wheelchair because he was shot and partially paralyzed in 1978, opened his speech decrying the "dismantling" of the Constitution by the Bush administration after the Sept. 11 attacks, including through domestic surveillance and asserting the right to ignore habeas corpus - the need to show evidence to keep someone in jail - in certain cases.

"In the wake of 9/11, government (did) what they always do, they try to scare you..." said Flynt, who also gained notoriety through several well-publicized prosecutions and lawsuits.

Speaking more directly about First Amendment issues, Flynt said everyone has their own idea of what free speech does or doesn't include. He said hate speech, pornography and flag burning are examples of where many people draw the line.

"My position is, you can scream 'fire' in a crowded theater," Flynt said. "If someone gets hurt because of that, that's what you'll get prosecuted for."

Flynt also said that in American society, it's permissible to print a photo of a decapitated, mutilated body, but not of two people having sex.

"It says we condone violence and condemn sex," Flynt said.

Flynt blamed "radical feminists" for the failure to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s.

"I just have a problem with the feminist movement, and I wanted to ventilate a few minutes," Flynt said.

Alluding to the title of the new documentary about his life, Flynt said: "The greatest right any nation can afford its people is the right to be left alone."

In response to questions from the audience, Flynt said:

• He "abhors" hate speech but doesn't think it should be banned.

• The age of consent for having sex should be standardized, probably at 16 or 17 years old.

• His purpose in offering money for information about sexual indiscretions of politicians is to expose their hypocrisy, not their sex lives.

• There's no evidence that pornography harms anyone.

• Prostitution should be legalized.

Joan Brooker-Marks, who made the new documentary about Flynt and accompanied him to the speech, said afterward that she made the movie because of Flynt's significance to First Amendment issues.

"What a wonderful opportunity to explore the issue with such a visible and important man," Brooker-Marks said.

Law student Troy Flake said he came to the speech because of his interest in freedom of speech issues. But he questioned Flynt's assertion that there's no evidence pornography hurts anyone.

"My personal belief is that pornography is destructive," Flake said. He cited a 2005 Congressional report on Internet pornography as evidence.

Anya Pavlov-Shapiro, co-chair of the Law School Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the organization invited Flynt to speak in part because he raises free speech issues that aren't easy.

"Free speech (isn't) about the things which make everybody happy," Pavlov-Shapiro said. "You talk about free speech for the things that (make) people unhappy."

[DragonKing]

Good reading.
Men like Larry Flynt dont come aong often. The rest of us are sheep or too scared to rage against the machine


DK

[gonzo]

Larry Flynt is the reason we are all able to be here doing what it is we all dd.

[Rcourt64]

Originally Posted by gonzo

Larry Flynt is the reason we are all able to be here doing what it is we all dd.

You mean you guys also be here to bust one off too?
Thank you Mr. Fint

[RawAlex]

Gotta love the student stupid enough to use a congressional report as support that pornography causes harm. I guess this is why he is still a student, he has a lot to learn.

[pornlaw]

Larry Flynt is the reason we are all able to be here doing what it is we all dd.

Yes, but he was not the first.

Let's not forget the names of the men that paved the way for Hustler...

Reuben Sturman --- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Sturman

Sam Roth -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Roth

Milton Luros -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Luros

I actually dated his granddaughter when I was in law school and would listen to his stories about the beginnings of porn in the San Fernando Valley. He was truly one of the pioneers in this field and has 3 Supreme Court cases in his name. One of the most famous is for importing and distributing the Karma Sutra in the US for the first time. His stories and battles in the name of free speech is what brought me to this industry.

And Harry Mohney -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9..._%28company%29

Was one of the early producers who actually bailed out Hustler when times went bad for Flynt.

My first experience with Flynt was actually quite surreal. I actually negotiated a performer's contract with Larry directly. I went to Hustler in LA thinking I was going to sit down with one of their lawyers to discuss terms and numbers.

To my surprise I was led to Larry's personal penthouse office which is about 3000 square feet and I sat across his huge desk and negotiated her contract directly with him. It is one of the experiences in my career I will never forget.

However, those in this business cannot forget the men that came before Hustler. Not to diminish his role but Larry Flynt has had the chance to stand on the shoulders of giants. Let us not forget the men who also gave their freedoms at the very beginning of this industry so that we can prosper.

Michael

www.AdultBizLaw.com