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Home > ATLarts > Archives > 2008 > June > 02 > Entry
Let’s all hang out in an adult bookstore
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
And we thought the folks in the Georgia Legislature were taking the lead on interesting approaches to legislation.
They have some serious competition from Indiana, which recently passed a law that any store that sells even a single “sexually explicit item” must pay the state a $250 fee and register as an “adult” retail business.
And what is “sexually explicit?” The law doesn’t say. It could be a paperback copy of Nabokov’s “Lolita.” Certainly Salman Rushdie’s new novel, “The Enchantress of Florence,” would qualify. It might be an art book with pictures of Michaelangelo’s “David” and other nudes in the museum gift shop. It might be that DVD set of HBO’s “Sex in the City.”
In other words, pretty much every bookstore would be an adult bookstore in Indiana.
The law is scheduled to take effect July 1. But first there is a lawsuit, with a whole slew of plaintiffs, from various indpendent bookstores to the Indiana Museum of Art to the Association of American Publishers.
Since we are so experienced here with a creative legislature, we’re qualified to give advice to the poor Hoosiers who will soon have to furtively sneak into Barnes & Noble, which presumably will have a huge flashing XXX sign outside. What would you like to say to the readers in Indiana?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Books
Comments
By Jeff
June 2, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
Well, there is a very prominent adult store on Exit 121 on I-75 that I’ve been to a few times. I can honestly say that for adults, it isn’t a big deal. Legally I don’t think anyone under 18 can be in there, though I might support upping that to 21, but there are some GREAT things in there.
So, for Hoosier adults, I would say this:
Placing a XXX sign on ANY establishment is probably going too far. As long as the sign CLEARLY labels it as adult, and they have people near the door to enforce this, there is no need for such extravagance.
Indeed, other than the fact that the name of the place is “Lion’s Den Adult Store”, you really couldn’t distinguish the building itself from many small town libraries I’ve seen. Kiddies can ride by that place every day of the week and never know what they sell inside, and that is the way I think it should be.
Placing even the word “Adult” on a place such as B&N, Borders, or Books A Million is DEFINETLY going too far.
Phil, one thing you didn’t mention: Since Christian bookstores sell books dealing with sex as well, even THEY could be labeled as “Adult Stores” based on your description of the Indiana law…
By Hoosier
June 2, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
Indiana has a long ways to go before it reaches the heights of ridiculous that GA has. They don’t allow the churches to ban beer sales on Sundays or the banks to decide lending practice laws…
By Real Hoosier
June 3, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
Uhh,
You’ve never been able to buy booze in Indiana on Sundays.
The Hoosier bankers just aren’t quite as dirty as the GA ones. They still makes the laws.
By Sheldon
June 3, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
When you elect stupid people to government you get stupid government. How many times and ways must this be demonstrated?
By Capitol Hack
June 3, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
Hey, THANKS Indiana, for giving Georgia politicians another stupid idea! Given time, I’m sure we could have come up with this on our own. I’m sure we’ll improve on it when it gets introduced next year in the GA. General Assembly…maybe also require readers to present valid IDs in order to make purchases at bookstores…
By b*******
June 3, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
It is time to bomb all these treasonous politicians to oblivion.