LANSING (WWJ) -- Should pornography be banned in Michigan?
A newly-proposed bill, sponsored by multiple Republican lawmakers, would change state law to criminalize the production or distribution of any pornography — including real, animated, digitally generated or written. The latter would mean many of the more racy romance novels would be included.
If the so-called “Anti-Corruption of Public Morals Act” (House Bill 4938) is passed, violators could face up to 20 years in prison.
The bill's primary sponsor, by Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) says he'd also advocate for pornography distributors to be added to the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.
As for his reasoning, Schriver claims watching porn leads to societal decay, affects marriages, and is linked to human trafficking.
"Right now, we have a situation where you have over 90% of youth under the age of 18 who have seen pornography. It’s killing our drive, it’s killing our morality... and it’s something that has no place in western civilization," Schriver said, in a story published by Fox 2 Detroit.
The bill also targets transgender citizens, as it would criminalize any depiction or description of a person representing him or herself to be of the other biological sex.
Others behind the bill include Reps. Matthew Maddock (R-Milford), Joseph Pavlov (R-Smiths Creek), James DeSana (R-Carleton), and Jennifer Wortz (R-Quincy).
Responding to Schriver's X post promoting the bill, some suggested a total porn ban would be a free speech violation, and a bridge too far. If children are the concern, people pointed out that parental controls exist on electronic devices to prevent kids from accessing porn.
Speaking to WWJ Newsradio 950's Jeremy Jenkins, Schriver disagreed that this is government overreach. He simply thinks that no one should be looking at this stuff.
"No, actually," he said. "This is a bill that similar to how heroin is banned. You don't have a free society when your whole society is addicted to something that bears no fruit in their lives, devalues women. It just has no nutritional value, as my mom would say. And so this is something that is actually not a benefit in any way, shape or form."
[Hear our complete interview with Schriver here]
Asking folks around town, WWJ Newsradio 950's Charlie Langton had some trouble finding many who wanted to talk about it.
Asked if she would support a porn ban, a woman who gave the name "Jonny," told Langton: "Sure, why not. But I just think that we have other bigger fish to fry than worry about pornography."
John, of Dearborn Heights, said he can see both sides of the issue; although he does agree that porn causes problems. "I feel bad for the younger children that get to see it, or have to see it," he told Langton.
The proposed bill would have to pass the state House and Senate, and then be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to become law.
As things stand now: The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but no meetings have yet been scheduled to review it.