Often I feel not so much like a resident of Alabama as an embedded journalist deep behind the enemy lines of wingnut wackiness. Remember this lovely moment from our State Legislature?
This week Alabama's Calhoun County GOP actually honored the punchy State Senator at a dinner, bestowing upon Senator Bishop a boxing trophy. Republicans giving each other awards for bad behavior? Yer kidding.
And then there's the sex toys thingy.
It is illegal to sell a sex toy in Alabama and six other states. The Supreme Court refused to challenge the law this week. In lower court hearings, the State's attorney argued that "it is enough for a legislature to reasonably believe that commerce in the pursuit of orgasms by artificial means for their own sake is detrimental to the health and morality of the State."
The court agreed.
[The woman who challenged the law,] Sherri Williams, owner of Pleasures stores in Huntsville and Decatur, said she was disappointed, but plans to sue again on First Amendment free speech grounds. "My motto has been they are going to have to pry this vibrator from my cold, dead hand. I refuse to give up," she said.
I don't want C&L readers thinking that Alabamians are prohibited from enjoying sex. It's obvious that Senator Bishop's late mother did, at least once, and we have to assume she did so in Alabama.
If this law's purpose is to outlaw the tools of orgasm, clearly it fails, since we Alabamians can buy (and more to the point, sell) all the video porn, bondage rope, and Boy Butter we want. And smart Alabama shoppers order their sex toys online from Walgreen's anyway. Notice how many of their "sexual wellness products" are "web exclusive" with "free shipping." Coincidence? I think not. (hat tip for the cold dead hand quote to Media Bloodhound.)
Update: WHOA. Too many email inquiries about Boy Butter. Here's the link. You guys are crazy I love ya now get outta here. --BG
