Christian Attorney to Debate ACLU President on Pornography
An outspoken Christian attorney will be debating Wednesday with the president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over the role that the government has in monitoring pornography that is accessible to youth.
The event - titled "Bare it or Bar It: Should the Government Regulate Adult Pornography to Prevent Exposure to Minors?" - will feature Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel from the Christian legal group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) and ACLU head Nadine Strossen. Discussion will be held at the Adams Center for Law & Society at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., about 150 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
While ACLU's Strossen contends against government interference, Johnson strongly insists that the government should play a large role in protecting children, and that it would in no way violate the constitution.
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"The government has a legitimate interest in protecting children from exposure to pornography," said the Christian attorney in a statement. "The Constitution does not prohibit local governments from taking reasonable measures to prevent minors from viewing sexually explicit materials.
"Society must draw the line against the porn peddlers and their assault on the innocence and safety of America's youth," Johnson added.
Strossen would think otherwise, noting that the government does not have the right to make such an action. She has authored a related book on pornography entitled Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights.
Prior to the upcoming debate, ADF has contested the ACLU in the past. The president of the Christian organization – which states its goal is to defend "the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation – has even co-authored a book with author Craig Osteen titled The ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values.
After Wednesday's debate, which begins at 7 p.m. ET, a general reception will be held.
