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Pornography Goes Public
by Jacob L. Warner
THE LAST FEW YEARS have evinced a volcanic eruption of pornography in the fiction of this and other countries. So much so that it is rapidly restricting my choices in reading modern fiction.
Lest you misunderstand, let me assure you that I freely admit to being a “dirty” old man and am not shocked by hard core pornography, nor do I want to censor it, nor do I want to deny it to anyone who feels a need for it.
The difficulty is that after a few thousand repetitions pornography is a crashing bore and since pornographic books usually contain little else, the overall effect is a stunting of possibly interesting fiction. Pornography suffers from the same monotony that killed burlesque and for essentially the same reason – the possible variety is very small.
It used to be that pornography was not intrusive. If one wanted to read it, he went to some effort to obtain the special books printed in Havana and sold illicitly under the counter in bookstores all over the country. He knew what he was getting, and he could get an additional fillip, gratis, by the knowledge that he was a lawbreaker. Now one may spend considerably more money for a copy of a new novel displayed in stacks atop the counter and find it to contain the same old hard core pornography. One valuable thing the reader of the Havana books did learn and that was to identify and recognize pure pornography no matter who writes it, publishes it, reviews it, advertises or sells it. I would like to name some books and authors who currently follow the Havana pattern, but for all I know, such statements might be libelous.
The basic nature of pornographic books was discussed in a paperback book, Pornography and the Law, published some years ago. The book was quite popular, perhaps, because it quoted long selections from pornographic books, ostensibly to illustrate the argument. Since it was published about ten years ago, even the quoted examples would probably seem mild in comparison with recent novels.
In the courts, books are judged to be not obscene if they have a single redeeming feature of social significance or artistic merit. I’m very glad I’m not a judge, but I am tired of reading books with a single redeeming feature. That’s not enough by a long shot. Whole books are being published which are nothing but an unfunny dirty joke, and nothing is so unfunny as an unfunny dirty joke.
Art Buchwald in his new book, The Establishment is Alive and Well in Washington, says that to be recognized as a serious writer one must write at least one pornographic book. In fact, he claims it is a status symbol much on the order of bagging a lion in the Hemingway days.
It is interesting to note that even Buchwald cannot parody pornography. His attempts in the above book might well be taken from a “serious” novel. It’s similar to the problem of parodying a TV commercial.
Most libraries have long ago recognized that Whodunits, Science Fiction and Westerns are specialized categories and have separated them from the books. Possibly, we could establish a Pornography Section though it might leave the New Fiction shelf rather bare. And it is not clear that the average librarian has had the proper training to enable him (or, more likely, her) to so classify. The only pornography section in any library that I know of is the Library of Congress where all the Havana editions and many others are available. Browsing in the shelves is not permitted.
The least objectionable pornography is in otherwise quite mild novels. One can almost see the author and the editor deciding that it’s time to liven up things so a page or two of pornography is grafted into the story much like the fold outs in girlie magazines. This was once a regular feature in paperback Whodunits but has now spread to “serious” novels. Whodunits are now among the milder forms and are inoffensive by comparison. The great popularity of “Historical” fiction in the past was due to similar tactics. A few authors made good money for years on this formula.
There is no mystery about the cause of the flood of pornography; it is, by all odds, the best way to sell books. I’m not denying its popularity, but its popularity does not increase my regard for it anymore than it does for the swill that masquerades as entertainment on TV. As an aside, pornography might improve TV; at least it couldn’t hurt it.
I understand that the Netherlands has removed all restrictions on pornography and on obscenity. I doubt if it will help. By the time one generation is fed up, another is arising with money in its pockets. Possibly, in the long run, new attitudes about sex will discourage pornography, but it’ll be a long, long run.
The Post Office Department has traditionally been the great, self-appointed guardian of the public’s morals. It used to try to protect us from the Petty Girls of Esquire Magazine. Those pictures would now be thought suitable for publication in My Weekly Reader. Progress. It now is opening and examining mail to and from France, always a suspicious place in matters of sex and morals. There is a well known syndrome which is: If you can’t do the job you’re hired to do, throw up a smokescreen by tackling other tasks and claiming they are part of your job. When and if the Post Office solves the problem of delivering the mail, I will be ready to consider it taking over the protection of my morals. Since I believe this to be a much more difficult job than carrying mail, I have difficulty, at present, with the best will in the world, envisioning the Postmaster General as my protector.
What do you suppose the bookstores are selling under the counter now?
More on Patriotic Maryland
by Jacob L. Warner
William Raspberry in The Washington Post, 4 May 1970, discusses Maryland’s impending law which will make it mandatory that every public school pupil recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag each day. In an article entitled, “Patriotism Can’t Be Legislated” he says, “There is something more sad than menacing about the Maryland General Assembly’s effort to legislate patriotism.”
He also recalls that the solemn oath is not uncommonly recited as “… and to the republic of Richard Sands” or “… one nation and a vegetable.” All such versions will, of course, be strengst verboten and a misdemeanor. I trust that foreign accents will not be illegal since foreign citizens are not exempted. Maryland – “The Free State.”
Raspberry’s argument is not much different from that of Boxwooder No. 11. He concludes, “What possible good can come from the absurdity of forcing a person to say that he is sharing in ‘liberty… for all’?”
I was thunderstruck to find that the American Legion is opposed to the bill. Lest you lose faith in the Legion let me quickly reassure you. The Legion’s opposition is because the bill exempts from the pledge those students who have religious objections. The Legion insists that these pupils, too should be forced to recite the pledge in spite of a 25-year old Supreme Court decision to the contrary.
I have always been baffled at how being drafted (some leaving long heel ruts) transforms one into a repository and arbiter of patriotism, national honor and foreign policy. I could believe expertise in profanity, poker, crap shooting, hard drinking and some unmentionable fields.
VAPA Meeting
by Jacob L. Warner
Dave, Leah and I attended the recent Virginia Amateur Press Association meeting and had an enjoyable day seeing Alan Wheeler’s fine printshop, and we especially enjoyed meeting people who had been only names to us.
Don Brady stunned us with his examples of bookbinding. He claims there’s nothing to bookbinding that you can’t learn in 25 or so years.
David had the good fortune to print alongside of J. Ed Newman and to grill him thoroughly. He claims some of J. Ed’s skill may have rubbed off on him. We’ll see.
Kultur Department: HAIKU
(Dedicated to Phlugg No. 22)
Sensitive smithies
send sizzling sparks soaring
striking Spring showers.
Provoker Carroll
defines Haiku out, but his
Webster’s obsolete.
Printed by Jacob L. & David L. Warner at their private press.
Greenbelt, Maryland 20770