There is also the argument that "what is allowed in art, is forbidden in reality". If that were so, then it would not be an issue. However, there is that fine line of 'if this is forbidden, then that is also" meaning we could easily argue that no forbidden actions can ever be depicted in art. That would cause a serious dent in a lot of genre's up to and including 'Murder Mystery's", since they aren't actually 'murdering' people, but could lead some people to normalize the act in their minds.

Now to analyze this, 1) we would have to know why the "person(s)" are stimulated by said comics, and 2) is it beyond just mere reading of said Genre, and does it seem to be getting into an addiction. Of course the 'actual' filming of even fake Molestations by real people can't be allowed because the Child can not give their permission for the act - not being old enough to understand the consequences - and it is too easy for the perpetrators to lie and say 'nothing actually happened', also forcing the child to lie also. Further it is way too easy to talk a child into doing something because they are both trusting and curious. Lots of kids like to "play house" or "doctor" with someone their age because it is exploratory and can satisfy the curiosity of "Why did mommy and Daddy do that". So they could be far too easily manipulated to allow any 'real life' pictures of abuse.

So one question would be, if we ban the comixs on the ideal that 'it would allow a person to normalize the situation' then what else would be next. We could end up back in the days of the Hayes Office, where 'morals' were regulated to the point that you could not have a movie depict a man and a woman in an affair (and we aren't talking screen sex, we are taking just indicating that they are lovers), nor could a unmarried woman have sex, or be suggested to have it. Further, if the woman was married, and she 'left her husband' even if the bastard was having multiple affairs, the she had to end up "ruined and abandoned" meaning she could not be allowed to find happiness. This is why we sit com's, where people like Lucy and Ricky could not be in the same bed together, ever, even with clothes on.

The second part would be, at what point would we need to declare this "mentally ill" and/or an addiction and pull the person for a bit of head shrinking.

The final question would have to be though, is there any 'useful social functions' that this 'art' fills. As for why the Japanese tend to allow this, well if you look at the Manga/Anime of Japan, it is one that seems to range from bordering on the mentally unstable psychotic to absolute mayhem. They have this philosophy that the art should range far and beyond the natural and normal. Sometimes I have to wonder if perhaps the artists are working out issues from their lives in the art form. 

So I would say, at least for the comix end of it, no it shouldn't be banned, but it should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the readers to understand, "What is forbidden in life, is allowed in Art, and what is allowed in Art is not allowed in real life. Or as we used to say in the field, "your allowed any fantasy in the world, regardless of how violent, deviant or devilish; what your not allowed is to act upon it, in any way, shape or form. In your head ok, and there is must stay. "

Molly say:
So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.

       

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