From: dersh@MIT.EDU
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 93 21:01:16
Subject: MIT Porn Policy


>
>This is only my second year here, and it sounds like a really juicy
>story happened a few years ago. [PORNOGRAPHY! FREE SPEECH!
>PUNISHMENTS!] Adam, could you briefly recount what happened for those
>of us who weren't here then?
>
>Thanks,
>
>--Jonathan

Once upon a time,  a long long time ago...

The short version is that for a long time before I got to MIT there was 
a tradition that LSC would show pornographic registration day film.  
This was clearly a tasteless tradition, so the administration did what 
they always do...made new rules.  They came up with the MIT Porn policy 
that prevented all sexually explicit films from being shown on campus 
without going through a long, and typically vague approval process. and 
never on reg. day. 

When I arrived (1985), then found out about this censorship policy, I 
was upset by it, so I spent a while trying to do things about it.  
Finally I decided to challenge the policy by showing a film on reg. day.  
I chose Deep Throat because it is the only film, to my knowledge, that 
is explicitly not obscene (A Cambridge Judge said so...but that is 
another story)  I put up posters, and there was a free screening to 
about 80 people or so.  There was a HUGE amount of flamming in the Tech 
as well.The Administration was not pleased.  They did not know what to 
do, and it took many months (9?), but they finally settled on pressing 
charges in front of the COD.  (There were also threats of harassment 
charges against me!)  Dean Tewhey did so.  (I taped the COD hearing, 
which they were not pleased about, and if you read the COD rules is not 
longer allowed,and still have the tape, )  After the hearing the COD 
ruled that I was not guilty because the policy, "violated freedom of 
accademic expression"  Dean Tewhey and the Admin. were not pleased, and 
refused to change the policy.  

I decided at that point to again show a film, so next reg day went 
through the same routine.  This time I also scheduled a discussion with 
Profemina to take place in the same room after.  This time Keyser showed 
up right before the showing to tell me that I could not do it, and that 
I should have come to him to talk.  I said that I had talked to lots of 
people, and did not know of any reason that I should have come to find 
him, but that he should have come to me.  He said that we should talk 
then,  I said well I only have half an hour until show time.  So we 
talked for a while.  He explained that I would hurt people by showing 
it.  I said I did not want to hurt anyone,  that he had the power to 
stop the showing.  All he had to do was tell me explicitly that I was 
allowed to show it, and I would cancel it right then.  He refused.  

During the showing a group of students, (including Steve Penn) ran into 
the room and cut the VCR cable, so there was a pause in the show.  After 
the show a large group of people showed up for the 
debate/discussion/flamming.  Mostly it was a room of anti-pornography 
people yelling at me, but it was an interesting discussion.

This time Keyser decided to take matters into his own hands.  He first 
wanting me to come talk to him.  We had a discussion, but he was very 
scared when I wanted to record the conversion.  I explained that he had 
to take legal responsibility for his words, and he was really scared 
about a law suit.  (but he is quoted in the Globe saying that free 
speech is Ok but that there are consequences to speech) I ended up only 
taking notes.  He sent me a letter that he wanted me to read a bunch of 
stuff.  I sent one back saying that he should read a bunch of stuff 
starting with the Constitution, and later one of Nat Hentoff's books, 
among other stuff.  He finally decided that I guilty and just had to be 
punished so he put a letter in my file.  
Around this time the Porn policy was also changed, much of the prior 
restraint material was removed, but it is still in effect.  I had some 
discussions with the ACLU about bringing charges, they did do some 
mailings to the faculty but they decided not to pursue it, and the issue 
has basically not been very active since.  Thus I remain punished, the 
policy was changed some but remains in effect, and the harassment policy 
was also changed some, but is also in effect.  There are also a bunch of 
things in the guide that are there because of this battle such as the 
request not to put rights to the "balancing test" and things like that.

Despite much of this going as an undergrad, I was accepted in grad 
school.  

This is the much abidged version of the story.  

--Adam Dershowitz