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HYPERASHEL
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 Posted: 10/12/05 - 16:02 Post subject: MW can never visit Pffft apparently
Store Clerk On Trial For Selling Adult Toys
Police Charge Worker With Obscenity For Possessing Sex Toys
UPDATED: 3:19 pm EDT October 12, 2005
HOUSTON -- A Houston store clerk could face up to a year in prison because of the provocative items being sold on a north Houston store's shelves.
Houston police charged Jose Escalante with obscenity because he was in possession of adult toys with the intent to promote and sell them. If convicted, Escalante could face up to a year in prison and a $4,000 fine.
Escalante is an employee of the Adult Video Megaplex location on Interstate 45 in north Houston. The store sells items that are considered obscene because they are designed to be used in a sexual act.
On June 9, vice officers with the Houston Police Department arrested Escalante at the store and seized some of the toys.
Richard Kuniansky, Escalante's attorney, said thinks the case is ridiculous.
"He's simply a clerk at the store, and the vice squad went in and arrested a clerk for possession with intent to distribute obscene devices. It's absurd," Kuniansky said.
The defense asked an officer who testified Tuesday to define what makes an adult toy obscene since there were numerous items being sold at the store that were not confiscated.
The officer said an adult toy is obscene if it is contained in a package with a label that indicates the toy is designed to be used in a sexual act.
Many of the adult toys not confiscated from the store are advertised as massagers.
Adult Video Store, Houston
"These devices are for sale all over town, at passion parties, and some of the establishments do put on the devices that it is intended for novelty only. In my opinion, that means nothing," Kuniansky said.
Kuniansky told KPRC-TV in Houston that he believes his client was unfairly singled out.
However, prosecutors said the law is the law, and that anyone caught in possession of six or more adult toys deemed obscene by the law is presumed to be promoting them and could be arrested.
Although Escalante has said he was only a store clerk, prosecutors have said he was a store manager, meaning he was in possession of all of the products being sold in the store.
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MW
Freak du Jour
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 16:42 Post subject:
Oh for crying out loud.
Edited to say:
You would think those cops have better things to do than bust some guy for selling a vibrator. You know...drugs..speeders....child molestors...not the average Joe who's trying to make a living in a lucrative business.
IT's JUST SEX!! When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!??
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HYPERASHEL
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 16:44 Post subject:
| MW wrote: | | Oh for crying out loud. |
yeah, i knew youd be :rolling eyes: over this.
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 16:50 Post subject:
| MW wrote: | | When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
<on topic>
"Healthy" is pretty much a matter of opinion though, donchathink?
</on topic>
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HYPERASHEL
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 16:58 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | MW wrote: | | When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
<on topic>
"Healthy" is pretty much a matter of opinion though, donchathink?
</on topic> |
To me it's no different than if you like you chili spicy or mild. as long as it's consentual and no children or animals* are involved go for it.
*living things than can not make an informed educated decision for themselves
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 17:07 Post subject:
| HYPERASHEL wrote: |
To me it's no different than if you like you chili spicy or mild. as long as it's consentual and no children or animals* are involved go for it.
*living things than can not make an informed educated decision for themselves |
"Like" brings a psychological dimension to it all though. Just because a person "likes" something doesn't mean it's "healthy" is my point. People's likes will run the spectrum and I'm sure any psychologist viewpoint is going to tell you that like all things in life, there's a healthy range and an unhealthy range. I have a different line in the sand than you do, but I won't blame Houston police for trying to enforce the line in the sand they have on the books as illegal.
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Floridaboiler
POTFH
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Joined: 18 May 2002
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Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 17:09 Post subject:
| MW wrote: |
IT's JUST SEX!! When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
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Cappy
Excelent
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Joined: 16 May 2002
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Location: Spreadsheetylvania
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 17:12 Post subject:
| Floridaboiler wrote: | | MW wrote: |
IT's JUST SEX!! When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
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I'm with MW on this.
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HYPERASHEL
Member
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 17:13 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | HYPERASHEL wrote: |
To me it's no different than if you like you chili spicy or mild. as long as it's consentual and no children or animals* are involved go for it.
*living things than can not make an informed educated decision for themselves |
"Like" brings a psychological dimension to it all though. Just because a person "likes" something doesn't mean it's "healthy" is my point. People's likes will run the spectrum and I'm sure any psychologist viewpoint is going to tell you that like all things in life, there's a healthy range and an unhealthy range. I have a different line in the sand than you do, but I won't blame Houston police for trying to enforce the line in the sand they have on the books as illegal. |
yes "Like" does bring in a psychological aspect, as does sex. human do not have sex just to reproduce, a lot of times that is an accidental side effect. In my opinion it really is no different than food. I can't be expected to "like" "enjoy" the same foods as you so why would something that has such psychological aspects as sex be fit into one category.
while i agree that the law can be enforced dos not mean it should be. In NY city it illegal to hang laundry. when was the last time that was enforced? how many tickets for jaywalking are written? if there is no harm, then there is no foul.
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 17:22 Post subject:
| HYPERASHEL wrote: | | if there is no harm, then there is no foul. |
I'll hang in here for one more reply, but then I gotta skeedaddle..
"No harm" isn't proven out by studies and statistics though. I've looking into some domestic violence towards women and there has been studies done on the effects of watching porn or the effects of fringe sexuality (I can't put a link here right now, but I've read about it) and these types of things DO coincide with increased incidents of rape or violence towards women. Sex toys aren't innocent play things. There's a side to the human psyche that takes sexuality out of a person's mind and alters their reality and that one in a thousand warped person is going to act out someway and really damage someone somehow. I just don't think it's worth it. 
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HYPERASHEL
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 18:59 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | HYPERASHEL wrote: | | if there is no harm, then there is no foul. |
I'll hang in here for one more reply, but then I gotta skeedaddle..
"No harm" isn't proven out by studies and statistics though. I've looking into some domestic violence towards women and there has been studies done on the effects of watching porn or the effects of fringe sexuality (I can't put a link here right now, but I've read about it) and these types of things DO coincide with increased incidents of rape or violence towards women. Sex toys aren't innocent play things. There's a side to the human psyche that takes sexuality out of a person's mind and alters their reality and that one in a thousand warped person is going to act out someway and really damage someone somehow. I just don't think it's worth it. |
in that same vein the same could be said for guns, for cars, for knives. no matter what useful/enjoyable purpose something is created/used for it can also be twisted. if i were to shove and apple into your mouth at full force it becomes painful, should it now become illiegal?
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j1miller
Puppy Love!
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 19:57 Post subject:
| MW wrote: |
IT's JUST SEX!! When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
Big Fat
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Sahara
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 22:20 Post subject:
criminy... i edit myself... in short,
The arrest of the clerk was assinine.
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MW
Freak du Jour
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Joined: 22 Dec 2004
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Posted: 10/12/05 - 23:14 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | HYPERASHEL wrote: | | if there is no harm, then there is no foul. |
I'll hang in here for one more reply, but then I gotta skeedaddle..
"No harm" isn't proven out by studies and statistics though. I've looking into some domestic violence towards women and there has been studies done on the effects of watching porn or the effects of fringe sexuality (I can't put a link here right now, but I've read about it) and these types of things DO coincide with increased incidents of rape or violence towards women. Sex toys aren't innocent play things. There's a side to the human psyche that takes sexuality out of a person's mind and alters their reality and that one in a thousand warped person is going to act out someway and really damage someone somehow. I just don't think it's worth it. |
One in a thousand people is going to act out regardless. I posit that the use of "marital aids" brings many couples much closer sexually than they would have been previously due to physiological needs.
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DCRunningDiva
Look at me!!! ©
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Joined: 10 Oct 2003
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Location: Washington DC Metro
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Posted: 10/13/05 - 07:06 Post subject:
| HYPERASHEL wrote: | | jrjo wrote: | | MW wrote: | | When are we going to get over the fact that a healthy sex life is not perversion!!?? |
<on topic>
"Healthy" is pretty much a matter of opinion though, donchathink?
</on topic> |
To me it's no different than if you like you chili spicy or mild. as long as it's consentual and no children or animals* are involved go for it.
*living things than can not make an informed educated decision for themselves |
What's wrong with animals???
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