Meese Commission
Overview
[edit]The Meese Commission was a federal commission charged with investigating the nature, extent, and impact of pornography on American society. Named after Attorney General Edwin Meese, the commission was a direct response to the "Porno Chic" movement of the 1970s and the rise of the home video market.
Unlike the 1970 President's Commission on Obscenity and Pornography (which recommended decriminalization), the Meese Commission concluded that pornography was linked to sexual violence and recommended a massive law enforcement crackdown.
Formation and Goals
[edit]By 1985, social conservatives and certain wings of the feminist movement (led by Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon) had become increasingly concerned about the mainstreaming of explicit material. The commission was established with a $500,000 budget to:
- Determine the link between pornography and anti-social behavior.
- Analyze the involvement of organized crime in the industry.
- Recommend new federal and local legislation to contain the spread of obscenity.
Key Findings
[edit]The commission divided pornography into four categories, assigning different levels of "harm" to each:
- Sexually Violent Material: The commission found a "causal relationship" between exposure to violent pornography and increased aggression toward women.
- Non-violent but Degrading Material: Found to contribute to the "subjugation" of women and the distortion of sexual reality.
- Non-violent/Non-degrading Material: Largely considered "victimless," though still viewed as a moral concern.
- Child Pornography: Unanimously condemned as a criminal enterprise involving the physical abuse of minors.
Notable Testimony
[edit]Linda Lovelace
[edit]Perhaps the most famous moment of the hearings was the testimony of Linda Lovelace (Linda Boreman). She told the commission:
"Virtually every time someone watches that movie [Deep Throat], they're watching me being raped."
Her testimony provided the moral weight the commission needed to frame the adult industry as an industry of coercion rather than "sexual liberation."
Impact on the Industry
[edit]The commission's 92 recommendations led to immediate and long-term changes:
- Retail Pressure: The commission sent letters to major convenience store chains (like 7-Eleven) warning them they might be listed as "pornography distributors." This led to the widespread removal of magazines like Playboy and Penthouse from mainstream retail shelves.
- Task Forces: The creation of the **National Obscenity Enforcement Unit** (now the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the DOJ), which began "multiple-district prosecutions" to bankrupt adult film distributors through legal costs.
- RICO Statutes: The commission recommended using anti-racketeering laws to seize the assets of adult film companies.
Criticism
[edit]The "Meese Report" was heavily criticized by civil libertarians and scientists:
- Bad Science: Critics argued the commission ignored existing