"Crush Videos" -- Banned in the US...

The "Internet!" The mention of one word, "internet", can inspire such varied and passionate reactions in people. These reactions stream along a curve from the positive to the negative. The internet is a wonderful resource. Yet, it is also a place where there is much to be found that highlights the darkness and depravity that makes some of us tick. Crush videos are one of those things that hide out in the deepest and darkest recesses of our existence.

The US Senate voted unanimously to ban the creation, sale and distribution of crush videos. For some of you, this might be the first time you have ever heard of the term crush videos. You are also wondering "what the hell is he talking about?" A crush video, to all of you reading this who have lived very sheltered and protected lives, are sexual fetish films in which small animals are maimed and killed. It is probably worth noting that the law does not cover "cruelty" to small animals that fall victim to hunters or who might suffer in the care of veterinarians.

If you are anything like me, then you are having a hard time getting your head around the idea that there is anything sexual in the maiming and killing of small animals. Then again, I have always wondered what it is that makes a seemingly super-ordinary person a serial killer? For me, the what makes them "tick" aspect of it all.

I really do not have any problem with parliament getting involved in this way. I have absolutely no problem with crush videos being banned. I do not see the banning of these sorts of videos as an impingement on the freedom of speech of those who make them or those who want to watch them. I would reckon that in this day and age of modern technology there would have to be a way to satisfy this sexual fetish 'virtually'.

Yet, come to think of it, it would not take a whole lot to ban virtual sexual fetishes either. The law as it was passed seems to provide a free pass to virtual content as the wording goes something like this: "actual conduct in which one or more living animal is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, or impaled in a manner that would violate a criminal prohibition on cruelty to animals".

Digressing a little, has a crime been committed against a person, a child, in a virtual child porn, operation? I have been watching too much "Law & Order: SVU" of late.

Back on track, and back to the internet. The internet is a vast resource if you know how to look for certain things or if you are looking for specific content. To be honest, I have not ever looked for crush videos. To be equally honest, I have not studied sexual fetishes that closely to know that there was even a sexual fetish that involved cruelty to animals.

Nevertheless, the truth of the matter, these videos have traditionally been distributed for free utilising file-sharing peer-to-peer networks. The internet and ever-improving connection speeds have ensured that the ability to disseminate and distribute content has become much easier.

As context to why the US Senate had to pass a law on this sort of material arises from a US Supreme Court decision from this past April that declared an earlier 1999 law that criminalised videos that showed abuse and cruelty to animals to be unconstitutional. The 'unconstitutional-ness" of the 1999 law stems from the fact that SCOTUS held that the original law was too broad and therefore a violation of people's First Amendment rights to free speech.

Free speech vs. the right to life of some small defenseless creatures...hmmm, consider the animals for a moment and let's stop the crush!

Twisted & Bitter

I am an unhappy trooper today! I am pretty busy but felt like I should write this particular post as an animal lover and a pet owner!

This follows on from the moving house piece. After my two dogs were poisoned the better half and I seemed to be adopted by a cat. It kept coming around and we kept feeding it and as cats are prone to do it kept coming back. So, we named it and thought the right thing to do would be to bring it with us to our new place.

The cat (aka Smudges) was a little bit confused in his new surroundings and meowed a lot at the top of his little lungs. The little fella is as gentle as can be and wouldn't harm a fly. It is not interested in anything remotely violent. He is but a kitten and spends his time amusing himself playing with string and other little trinkety, shiny objects.

As I was leaving this morning for work Smudges was sitting on the fence having a little bit of a wail to himself when my new next door neighbour brought out his air rifle and shot poor little Smudges off the fence. I was heading over to the fence to lift the little fella down so I am not too happy that my cat was shot and I am not happy that if I had been a little quicker I might have copped a little pellet as well. The puss scampered off, I could tell that it was hit but I do not know how bad as I have not been able to locate him.

I am going to photograph my next door neighbours house and my neighbour and then post his picture and address. The neighbour is an Indonesian of Chinese ancestry, I am not sure that this makes any difference to what transpired but he did suggest that he was operating under a different set of rules. I am sure this is a breach of Internet etiquette and myriad of other etiquettes, but whatever, an abuser of animals is an abuser of animals and deserves to be outed!

This bloke has a really big house and is obviously loaded. He has no birds or anything else that apparently need protecting from a little cat. His reason when I confronted him was that he hates cats and he has permission from some bloke to shoot and kill cats. A little bit of research uncovered that the name he gave for the permission giver is a resident, but one who is neither the RT, RW, or the coordinator for security. I am not sure whether it is worth following up and lodging an official complaint, but I did nearly jump the fence and tear the bastard a new arsehole.

I have absolutely no respect for wankers who kill family pets for fun. Smudges is but a poor defenseless little cat up against a grown man with a rifle. The outcome should probably never have been in doubt.