Could We See a New Comstock Act?

• July 19, 2014
• civil liberties  
• politics  
• hobby lobby  
• scotus  
• womens rights  

I was listening to the American Freethought podcast and they mentioned the Comstock Act. I had read about those laws (enacted 141 years ago) in books about the history of secularism. The title of the act was “Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use”. In practical terms that meant contraceptive devices and information about contraception. In light of the Hobby Lobby ruling by the Supreme Court of the U.S., the behavior of Republicans in the U.S. Congress, and other disturbing trends at the state level I can’t help but wonder if we might not see something similar become the law of the land again.

If only there was a way to make religious puritans less concerned that someone, somewhere, might be enjoying themselves.