First, we register all the booksellers!

Sen. Steele,

I am reading an AP article on the WRTV web site concerning the registration of businesses that sell sexually explicit material.

First, Senator, I apologize for not paying closer attention to the legislative agenda, as I would have written you sooner. It's after the fact, now, and it's my own fault for not knowing about it sooner.

Now, Senator, I cannot express strongly enough what I bad idea this appears to be. Society and communities have every right to determine what kinds of businesses are, and are not, located in their jurisdictions as part of a rational approach to growth and business development. It's perfectly reasonable for a community to want to prevent the inappropriate location of some businesses, especially adult-oriented businesses. (As an aside, the owners of these businesses need to be smart and responsible, too, and not go around insulting their neighbors and customers by sitting themselves down right next to a church or school.)

The First Amendment makes it exceptionally difficult to draw a clear line between what is "explicit" and what is not. Those are the rules with which we live, but I will not at this time go into a discussion with you about what should be available to whom. We both will agree on the obvious extreme that clearly adult-oriented material should not be available to minors. Let's you and I leave it at that for now.

My more immediate concern is the impact this law will have on those entrepreneurs who have a love of books and wish to open a local, independent book shop. Those people will think twice before pursuing their passion. Even the corporates will think twice before opening a new store, refurb'ing an existing store, or moving to a new location. The stigma of being on "The List" is too great a risk for these business owners.

I ask that you take the potential legal challenge to this law seriously in the spirit it's intended (I hope it's intended). Consider more closely the needs of the legit general-interest bookseller and refine the law in some way so that they can continue to offer a diverse selection of information and thought.

Thank you.
-- Sir John Falstaff

Part of the Problem

I watch the news. A lot. I've been a News Junkie for close to 20 years now. It's a calling, a way of life.

Over the past several months I have observed several instances where I have seen too many people being Part of the Problem.

Most days I like to think I'm Part of the Solution, but I have to admit that on at least one particular occasion, I was Part of the Problem. And for that occasion, I owe a long overdue apology to my friend Marvelous Orange.

Because of our assignments, Marvelous Orange and I didn't get to spend a lot of time together. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed MO's company. While visiting my Formerly Adopted Home Town, Marvelous Orange and I were talking. During that conversation, I made the statement that put me squarely in the position of being Part of the Problem.

In a single sentence, I cast aspersions on my friend, a portion of the population of my Formerly Adopted Home Town, and a whole section of our society that did not deserve to be treated that way by me.

In my own mind, at the time, I was trying to express my delight at being home where, in part, the stories I saw on the news were different than the stories I had been seeing for the several months prior to this incident. Specifically, I noted that the people in my Formerly Adopted Home Town used language in a way that I thought showed a higher level of education, or at least respect for communication and language itself, than what I had been seeing on TV and in person where I had been.

That's not how it came out.

What came out of my mouth was, in a singe sentence, a recap of everything that is wrong with being Part of the Problem including grouping people together, application of lower standards, and a general insensitivity.

The point, I believe, is still valid in as much as in some parts of the country, the use of, and respect for, language is viewed differently. But that's it. Had I expressed myself that way, I wouldn't be writing this today, too many years later.

To borrow from South Park, I get it: I don't get it!

Marvelous Orange, please accept these too many years later my sincere and humble apology for running my mouth before considering my words. In that moment with you, I was Part of the Problem.

-- Falstaff