Letter: We need definition of pornography

Mon, 03/31/2008 12:11 PM | Reader's Forum

The bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday is supposed to tackle "cyber-crime", including online pornography.

As such, it is a good and much-needed bill.

There were two quotes in the article titled "Newly passed law banning online pornography 'needs clear definition'", published on March 26, that caught my attention.

One from Abdullah Azwar Anas reads, "I think nudity certainly falls within the category of pornography". Another from Seto Mulyadi reads, "I think pornography includes pictures or information that can arouse sexual desire. It doesn't necessarily mean nudity".

As for the first quote, Abdullah's opinion is too strong, and it leaves the door wide open for legal manipulation and arbitrariness.

Nudity, as such, is not pornography. Ancient and modern works of art, whether erotic or religious, can not be classified as pornography.

But this depends on the background and personal views of the beholder who judges such works.

The second opinion is wider in respect to its possible consequences but more problematic as it is narrow-minded and self-centered. Seto is careful by saying "I think".

People can get sexually aroused by many things that are not pornographic. A picture of someone fully clad in a business suit may be "sexually arousing" for me but perhaps not for someone else. Saying "I love you" can create sexual desire in one person but not in another.

As long as the law does not clearly define what pornography is exactly, anything -- whether it be a word or sentence, an object or picture, cyber or real -- could be interpreted and classified as pornographic and will belong to the sphere of immorality, depending, of course, on whether the censor feels sexually aroused or not.

Without clear definitions, this bill may theoretically lead to tearing down Monas, as the monument can be and has been interpreted as a phallic symbol and, as such, may arouse sexual desire.

D. SCHAAREMAN
Jakarta

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