Hi Alex,

Things are wet on the this side of the island, but then, aren't they always?

Your point is well taken. I suppose I'm just wondering what we'd be missing out on if zero tolerance of certain subject matter had always applied to works of fiction - Lolita, 120 Days of Sodom, Romeo & Juliet? I may be giving, to some of the stories on the site, more credit than they deserve, but, in their own way, they're still works of art. They can still teach us something about ourselves, if only because they are so socially repugnant.

Example : Before coming here, I don't think I'd read a BDSM story featuring minors. Never occurred to me that I should. But I've now read 'Brotherly Love', a tale of incest and slavery between two eleven year old twins, and have been awed by it. There's romance and tenderness in this story that, given what it's about, I would never have believed possible. Something ugly has been made beautiful, if only in my mind. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think this tale is even remotely plausible. It's just that, for me, the literary eye-opening it gave me trumps any disgust at the actual events portrayed.

Given the nature of this site, it just seems ridiculously arbitrary to draw a line in the sand and say, "Here, but no further." The only rationale I can see for doing so, is for the reason it has been done here. To avert political interference of a perceived wrongdoing. Then, at least, the censorship serves a purpose beyond the maintenance of a morality that, while appropriate in the real world, has no relevance in fiction.

And, as for giving perverts ideas, I'm not convinced they need any. Entertainment, whether literary, visual or auditory, can only add details to somebody's sick desire, not create the desire in the first place. It's like blaming 'The Matrix' for Columbine because they wore long, dark coats. Specious reasoning.

All that said, though, I completely respect your opinion. I just think the potential of what we're giving up might be of far greater value than what we think we're gaining.

Agree to disagree?

Up to six cents, now. This is getting expensive.

Carnivale Ed, never in his life believing he'd, one day, be defending 'kiddie porn.'