Whatever you thoughts on this are, please understand I don't want
to start a thread on the FFML concerning this subject.  File this away, 
throw this away, do whatever you want with this.  I think there's something 
here but I'm currently at a loss as to exactly what it is.  It may be nothing.
I certainly don't want to sound like an alarmist but some of these people
sound a bit fanatical.

**********

	Earlier last week, a man in Kansas City was busted for distributing 
child pornography over the Internet.  When they raided his home, they found 
a computer full of digital kiddie porn pictures and KIDDIE PORN STORIES.  
A spokesmen for the group that helped the Feds make a case against the man 
indicated that pictures were not the only thing they were concerned about.  
He didn't elaborate but since the news reporter said that written stories 
were found as well, I'd have to conclude that the spokesman was also
referring 
to those stories.

	I'm not all that sure how much of this is, or even should be, of 
particular concern to this ML.  We are certainly one of the smaller fish in 
the Internet ocean and as such probably won't even be noticed.  However, 
based on the current climate surrounding the Internet, the increasingly 
virulent activities of certain civic minded groups, and the inevitable 
inclusion of that 800 pound gorilla known as the United States Government, 
I find it hard to believe that things won't eventually be taken to their 
illogical extremes.

	What I'm talking about is the issue of 'Kiddie Porn' as it potentially 
relates to Anime lemon fanfictions.

	While there should be no argument that the world would be a better 
place if the evil and exploitative 'industry' of kiddie porn were eradicated, 
I have noticed some not-so subtle signs that the crusaders are not going to 
stop at photographs.  We all know what happens to groups that have grown fat 
on their own success and suddenly find themselves out of targets.  They look 
for new targets.

	It would not take a great deal of linkage to make the connection (as 
some groups already have) that kiddie porn stories are related to kiddie porn 
pictures.  Where you find one, you usually find the other.  As kiddie porn 
stories feature sexual activities that involve legal minors, this creates a 
definition of the genre that could eventually include Anime lemons.
	Take for example, the contents of various lemon stories concerning 
the cast of 'Ranma 1/2'.  Almost all the participants are high school aged 
or less, clearly labeled by the Anime or Manga to be under the U.S. age of 
consent and participating in some form of highly descriptive sexual
activity.  
I won't even go into the descriptive sexual activities of the junior high 
crowd in 'Sailor Moon' lemons.  Many of these stories tend to be most graphic 
in their depictions of sex.  While members of the FFML may very well consider 
the quality of writing to be the point that most interests them, the content 
could most likely come under fire if read by the wrong people.

	Please don't look at this as an attempt to tell you to stop writing 
lemons as you see fit.  I don't believe in censorship.  However, I *have* 
seen how America works.  Too often, it has nothing to do with whatever you 
might have read in your Civics book back in high school.
	There are groups out there, some even on the Internet themselves, 
that have already targeted certain web sites, ISP's, and newsgroups.  The 
newsgroup alt.binaries.pictures.erotic.anime has been mentioned by name as a 
child pornography site.  That's beginning to strike a little close to home.  
As the dragnet gets bigger, size may no longer protect us.
	All the elements are in place for an anti-Anime fanfiction lemon  
campaign.  What remains is for some sharpie to connect the dots and make the 
'logical' connection between child pornography and Anime lemons featuring 
under-aged participants.  Especially if they are trying to say that Anime 
lemons encourage Anime porn pictures that leads to the desire for
kiddie porn pictures.
	Could the fact that these stories are about fictional characters from 
fictional environments be the saving grace?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  In an 
environment where Joe Camel is thought to entice children to smoke
cigarettes, 
I can easily see where someone could make the link where stories about 
fictional under-aged persons having sex could lead to kiddie porn and
possibly 
worse.
	What about the First Amendment?  Wouldn't that protect us?  Again, 
maybe yes and maybe no.  If a strong enough link can be made between stories
and pictures, I seriously doubt that the First Amendment would protect the
writer - especially if the 'case' is tried in the media instead of the
courtroom.

	My worst nightmare includes everyone related to this ML.  I can 
easily see where a crusading group, wishing to make a big media circus out 
of 'busting a kiddie porno ring' (and what group doesn't want that kind of 
attention nowadays), naming a lemon Anime fanfiction author as a bonafide 
child pornographer, Thom Youngblood as a distributor of child pornography, 
and everyone in the ML database as possible suspects in a wide-ranging child 
pornography ring.
	As we do just about everything else these days 'for the children', 
is it stretching things too far to see a public media-fed campaign to stamp 
out written pornography featuring underage participants?  Especially when 
the crusaders can make a logical-sounding connection between READING about 
kiddie porn and VIEWING kiddie porn.  Remember, to the vast, unwashed masses
out there, Anime is nothing more than 'adult' cartoons.  The fact Anime
sometimes feature minors only aids the crusaders in making their desired 
connection.
	What a deliciously easy target it would be too.  Who would stand up 
publicly to defend such an author - especially when they would most certainly 
be lumped in with pedophiles and those who distribute kiddie porn.

	I can recall, not too long ago, a young high school-aged ML member 
had her Internet connection revoked by her parents because she got caught 
reading a lemon fanfiction.  Imagine what could have happened if those 
parents had been more reactionary and discovered that the characters depicted 
in the story were under-aged.  Potentially, all it would take is one irate 
parent and the right media environment for the kind of trouble I described 
above to take place.

	Again, I don't want to sound like an alarmist on this.  I just want 
everyone to be aware of what COULD happen.  Each person on this ML will have 
to determine for themselves whether or not there exists a genuine risk in 
posting lemons based on under-aged Anime characters.  If some of these
civic organization's web sites are to be believed, we are still just off 
the radar screen.  But that could always change.
	The warning signs are out there.  Whether or not anything will come 
of it, only time will tell.  It's like being under a severe storm watch.  
The conditions are right for a severe storm but there is no guarantee that 
one will develop.  It just means that everyone should be aware of the 
conditions and be prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to protect 
themselves.

	The whole issue may be a bit of a stretch and I might just be 
concerned about nothing.  (Most of the folks I've already talked with about
this seem to think so.)  But the very fact that the child pornography 
crusaders are now talking about STORIES along with pictures is enough to 
give just about anyone a moment's pause.  I just want you to take a moment
and think about this topic.  If you conclude there's no danger, so be it.
You're probably right.
	Personally, I'm hoping the crusaders keep themselves busy elsewhere.  
If not, we could just as easily find ourselves on the menu.  

	I've seen stranger things happen.