MATTACHINE SEMINAR

Sex and Censorship

ELSA KNIGHT THOMPSON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS Director FOR RADIO STATION for KFFA-FM IN BERKELEY, CALIF., ACTING AS MODERATOR OF THE MATTACHINE SOCIETY'S PUBLICATIONS DAY SEMINAR DISCUSSION OF "SHOULD AMERICANS READ ABOUT SEX?" AT THE BELLEVUE HOTEL IN SAN FRANCISCO LAST MONTH, OPENED THE SESSION BY CHALLENGING THE QUESTION AS WORDED.

SINCE EVERYONE READS ABOUT SEX IT'S IN THE BIBLE AND ON THE BILLBOARDS – THE QUESTION SHOULD BE "WHAT SHOULD WE READ (KNOW)

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ABOUT SEX?", VRS. THOMPSON SUGGESTED.

MOLLY MINUDRI, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW AND PRESIDENT OF SAN FRANCISCO'S "VIGILANTE" COMMITTEE FOR DECENT LITERATURE, OPENED THE DISCUSSION EXPLAINING THAT WHILE HER COMMITTEE WAS NEW TO SAN FRANCISCO IT WAS NOT NEW TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, HER COMMITTEE CAME INTO BEING BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD OF LITERATURE ON THE MARKET WHICH "WE FEEL MAY SUBVERT THE MORALS OF OUR YOUTH."

THE COMMITTEE'S PROGRAM IS TWO-FOLD: (1) TO MAKE PARENTS AWARE OF THE SITUATION WHEREBY SMUTTY READING MATERIAL IS READI◄ LY AVAILABLE TO OUR YOUTH; AND (2) TO PREPARE AND PRESENT ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OR STATE WHEREBY POLICE CAN ACT EFFICIENTLY IN THE PROSECUTION OF DISTRIBUTORS OF SUCH LITERATURE.

MRS. MINUDRI CITED THE FACT THAT PRESENT LAWS ARE INEFFECTIVE AND MUST BE TIGHTENED TO EFFECT PROSECUTION AND ELIMINATION OF "SMUT".

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"WE ARE NOT CENSORS OR BOOK BURNERS", SHE EMPHASIZED. "CENSORSHIP BELONGS WITHIN THE FAMILY IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS TO SEE THAT VULGAR LITERATURE DOESN'T ENTER THE HOME. MORALS DIFFER IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, AND IT IS OUR DESIRE TO RAISE THE READING STANDARDS OF SAN FRANCISCO," SHE SAID.

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