Tom Hymes from the Free Speech Coalition Saying Hello

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  • TheSenator
    Too lazy to set a custom title
    • Feb 2003
    • 13340

    #51
    Originally posted by Hymes
    Good afternoon, GFY! I'm postingf or the first time, so....

    There were a few long threads late last week about the Free Speech Coalition and 2257, to which I would have posted if I hadn?t been in very long meetings and then at home with the cable down, a holiday gift from Adelphia. My loss, but Connor Young more than held his own, and I doubt I could have improved upon his comments.

    However? let me add a few thoughts of my own before I officially start tomorrow.

    First, I am very excited to be jumping into the much-needed position of Communications Director, working for a great new Executive Director and a dedicated and talented Board, which also with some new members. I have so much to do it?s almost overwhelming, but I am optimistic about what we can achieve, and look forward to getting started.

    My first official request is to implore those of you are so inclined to hit me up and let me know what you think the FSC can and should do to ensure the survival of this industry, and how you would like to help. While I begin work with a full slate of immediate and long-term goals, I think it?s important that anyone, especially on the Internet side, who has something constructive to add, take the time to communicate with its most effective and organized trade organization, and why not through me?

    If you don?t have my numbers, please hit me up at [email protected] or [email protected], or call the offices at 818-348-9373. Office Manager Neva Chevalier ([email protected]) handles official volunteer coordination, but I am very interested in hearing what you have to say, and will respond with ICQ, AIM and cell numbers galore to everyone except unhelpful flamers. (I especially request KB to get in touch with me, as I envision him helping in great ways.)

    Second, as a brief but important aside, I hope it?s clear that the FSC is not the enemy; the creators of these new regulations, and certainly the regs themselves, are. It is they, not we, that have brought us to a point where armed agents of Homeland Security, wielding the 2257 regs in one hand and a copy of the Patriot Act in the other, could very likely be making some extremely intimidating visits to adult companies within a month. So the question is, do you feel lucky, punk, or do you want to do something about it?

    No matter what other legal challenges are undertaken, I obviously think it?s important for everyone to support the Free Speech Coalition, in the long term and short term, by especially by supporting what will be a significant and multi-pronged legal challenge by experienced lawyers who have won before, and I expect that over time everyone will step up and do just that.

    It?s important, because:

    - A full-frontal assault like these regs, so arrogant in their unconstitutional hostility to our fundamental rights, and so impossible to comply with, demands your attention!

    - The selfless members of Board of the FSC, who receive no compensation for the significant time they spend working on your behalf, deserve your support!

    - The brilliant attorneys who are already hard at work preparing challenges to these regulations - for a fraction of what they could make in private practice - absolutely warrant everyone?s gratitude and support!

    As a last matter, no one from the FSC has said or meant to suggest that someone should become a member of the FSC in order to be protected under an injunction that does not even exist. While it is a fact that under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure only parties to litigation are covered by an injunction, it has also been amply explained by now that while technical limitations apply, the practical result of some injunctions is that no one is prosecuted while the injunction is in effect, as has happened with COPA.

    At any rate, the FSC press release of May 25, 2005 makes clear that ?being a member of the Free Speech Coalition does not mean that compliance is unnecessary. Every producer of actually sexually explicit conduct is covered by the existing regulations and the new regulations (which take effect June 23, 2005).?

    In short, there are a hundred great reasons to become a member of FSC, but impermanent and impossible to define protections that may never materialize is not one of them.

    Peace, and see you on the battle lines,

    Tom Hymes
    Communications Director
    Free Speech Coalition
    [email protected]
    I think "we" as an industry need "talking points" to clarify what we are fighting for.

    For example, when asked by a non-industry people, "What is the big deal in record keeping?"
    Answer:
    .....fill in the blank....

    or when non-industry people use the CP card(just like the race card)
    Are you against CP or not?

    We need easy to use laymen terms to clarify our ideas as a whole.

    Thanks
    ISeekGirls.com since 2005

    Comment

    • NTSS
      Confirmed User
      • Mar 2005
      • 5688

      #52
      Welcome Tom...congrats on your new position!
      ICQ: 150-803-430
      Email: marketing7(at)cox(dot)net

      Comment

      • RedShoe
        赤い靴 call me 202-456-1111
        • Feb 2001
        • 14831

        #53
        welcome to gfy

        SPECIALTY COSTUMES • PROPS • FX
        Superheroes • Monsters • Robots
        PM for details


        For any manufacturing needs. Adult or otherwise.

        aka BonsHigh on Insta
        Bonsai weed plants


        Comment

        • TheLegacy
          SEO & GEO Connoisseur
          • Apr 2003
          • 18078

          #54
          finally some sanity and clear answers rather than hearing armchair lawyers giving mis information. IM glad that webmaster paradise has supported and will continue to support Free Speech Coalition. Keep up the good work.

          RobertWarrenSEO.com
          Telegram: @TheLegacy54

          Comment

          • Hymes
            Registered User
            • May 2005
            • 72

            #55
            Originally posted by dcortez
            That's great to hear!

            I do appreciate that Peer Review is a Pandora's Box, but I don't think there is a better industry than ours to address the challenge of distilling/defining a model which balances 'Freedom of Expression' with 'Accountability for Expression' (visa vi economic harm to the industry, lost opportunities/access to markets, undermining accomplishments in cultural acceptance, etc.).

            The scope of what I was proposing may (understandably) step outside of the core mandate of FSC. The difficulty in achieving a tolerant (at the very least) mainstream perception of the adult industry is compounded when the extreme niche producers get 'mixed in' with the less mysogonistic producers and the public sees us as the worst and most extreme examples available.

            This is definitely a pardox. I don't want to limit anyone's ability to produce any creative works they choose (aside from the obvious exploitive stuff), but I also don't want my efforts and investments in my own 'textures' of erotica and adult entertainment to be materially undermined by those (albiet legal) working at the other end of the scale. How do we acheive this?

            I suppose separate professional associations could contain the guidelines and standards to establish and maintain their own repective positions in culture and the marketplace (eg. Soft Erotic Entertainment Association, Extreme Free For All Group, etc) without infringing on any freedoms of expression.

            I believe the accounting world has several classes of accounting professionals - maybe adult could be handled the same way, so those who want to penetrate the mainstream world more effectively won't be hampered by those who scare mainstreamers.

            Or, do you think that an ideal success for FSC would be for mainstreamers to not be scared of anything?

            -Dino
            Dino,

            I really have to run out. After all, I really start full-time tomorrow. ;-)

            But I will respond to your very thoughtful post when I can. I agree with much of what you say, and certainly see - and have lived - the paradox as well as the challenge. Now my job is to work at that place where they intersect, and to find solutions, and I have been giving it a great deal of thought lately, to say the least.

            You sound like a pragmatist who believes very deeply in freedom and responsibility. Or am I projecting, for that is exactly what I am.

            I look forward to continuing this.

            Comment

            • Hymes
              Registered User
              • May 2005
              • 72

              #56
              To all,

              Thanks for the kudos and kind thoughts.

              Now I'm really inspired!

              Comment

              • xxxjay
                Tube groupie.
                • Aug 2002
                • 13482

                #57
                Originally posted by TheLegacy
                finally some sanity and clear answers rather than hearing armchair lawyers giving mis information. IM glad that webmaster paradise has supported and will continue to support Free Speech Coalition. Keep up the good work.
                Yeah, you can say that again.
                http://donttellmehowtoruinmylife.com/ - http://www.jmdigitalmarketing.com/my...s-and-reviews/ - http://www.wouldyouhitit.org - http://shinyobjectreviews.com/

                Comment

                • Kimmykim
                  bitchslapping zebras!!!!!
                  • Jun 2001
                  • 16015

                  #58
                  Yippee, Tom starts working tomorrow!!!! Congrats on the new gig, anything I can do to help you out, you know how to find me - however, with that said, I think you still owe me a trip out sailing, maybe we can have a "meeting" about these issues on the boat ;)

                  For anyone that isn't familiar with Tom, he is one of the most literate, intelligent and progressive thinking people in this industry. He's never been judgemental of the people in the business, while doing a very good job reporting on the business.

                  Great choice by the FSC getting him on board.

                  Comment

                  • Fleshlight
                    Confirmed User
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 127

                    #59
                    Tom,
                    What about Google, MSN and Yahoo? Has FSC contacted them?

                    Check out these Google pages ->
                    http://images.google.com/images?as_q...arch=&safe=off

                    http://froogle.google.com/froogle?nu...Search+Froogle

                    BTW, Fleshlight.com became a FSC member yesterday and I copied you on an email sent this morning.

                    Comment

                    • Hornydog4cooter
                      Confirmed User
                      • Jan 2005
                      • 2859

                      #60
                      Tom,

                      What does person or group have to do to become a member of the FSC?

                      Thanks

                      Comment

                      • grumpy
                        Too lazy to set a custom title
                        • Jan 2002
                        • 9870

                        #61
                        Just move to a descent country.
                        Here is the reason for your problems.


                        Don't let greediness blur your vision | You gotta let some shit slide
                        icq - 441-456-888

                        Comment

                        • Jake
                          Confirmed User
                          • Nov 2001
                          • 3056

                          #62
                          Hey Tom, Welcome to the board and congrats on your new position. Looks like you'll definitely have your hands full.

                          Comment

                          • Sharpie
                            Confirmed User
                            • Mar 2002
                            • 438

                            #63
                            Tom is just what the Free Speech Coalition needed. I have always found him intelligent, thoughtful & more than fair.

                            Cybernet Expo http://www.cybernetexpo.com/seminars.html has given our conference space over to the Free Speech group at the close of our regular scheduled seminars. Everyone is invited to attend. I am sure it will be newsworthy, informative, and well worth your time to be there.

                            Comment

                            • The Adult Broker
                              Confirmed User
                              • Dec 2004
                              • 5265

                              #64
                              a big welcome Tom, great to see you here!

                              I guess life just got very busy for you with th 2257 and .xxx bullshit.

                              Gamma Entertainment | | Camz | Fleshbot| TheMobileBroker AdultShowsOnly
                              Lori Z., The Adult Broker | theadultbroker.com | [email protected] |
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                              ICQ: 289567792

                              Comment

                              • latinasojourn
                                Confirmed User
                                • Oct 2003
                                • 3191

                                #65
                                Originally posted by Hymes

                                As a last matter, no one from the FSC has said or meant to suggest that someone should become a member of the FSC in order to be protected under an injunction that does not even exist. While it is a fact that under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure only parties to litigation are covered by an injunction, it has also been amply explained by now that while technical limitations apply, the practical result of some injunctions is that no one is prosecuted while the injunction is in effect, as has happened with COPA.

                                Peace, and see you on the battle lines,

                                Tom Hymes
                                Communications Director
                                Free Speech Coalition
                                [email protected]

                                well, i respect a guy who tells the truth. i will take a new look at FSC.

                                Comment

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