The article below highlights what one MN county is attempting to do as an effort to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault. Which would normally be something that I would applaud. In this situation though I think this an extreme waste of time, effort and possibly even money; spent debating this proposed bill.
First off let me say that I’m not dense and in a sense I get what they are getting at...in that forcing employees to not stay at hotels that offer porn channels would maybe in the long run force the hotel to stop offering these channels; and maybe this would have some positive impact.
When I initially read this article my thoughts flew off in so many directions. I have re-read this piece a few times to make sure that I was really reading what I first thought I was. My first thought upon reading the headline was: wow, they must have a problem with county employee’s and porn.
My next thought was more along the lines of: what if they have a lazy employee that would rather just stay where ever is convenient for them without asking if the hotel offered pay per view porn, even if they would not be reimbursed for the room costs, would that person then be looked at differently and silently accused of something...stereotyped even?
But wait, they have added in all the provisions to make sure they can still stay at hotels where porn is available and get the reimbursement.... so who really are they trying to protect? Or, better yet, who really are they trying to fool with this bill?
So staying in a hotel that offers porn channels is ok as long as it costs less to stay there or it is the hotel where a conference is being held? So as long as it is cheaper and more convenient to stay there then combating domestic violence and sexual abuse are ignored? What kind of message is this actually sending?
Minnesota county considers anti-porn bill for employee hotel stays ~ By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
Does the hotel you just booked offer porn on its pay-per-view system? A Minnesota county is considering banning its employees from staying in hotels that offer porn. File photo, taken May 25, 2005, shows a spacious room - and flat-screen TV - at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel. By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
A Minnesota county tomorrow will consider passing a bill that would ban county employees from selecting hotels with porn on their pay-per-view TV systems.
Concerned about sexual and domestic violence, Winona County commissioners will consider a so-called "clean hotel" policy, the Winona Daily News reports. It's not clear how county employees would figure out whether or not the hotel they're thinking about booking offers porn.
The county's move comes about five months after Minnesota state lawmakers considered passing a bill that would restrict Minnesota state employees from staying in hotels that offered violent porn movies for state-sponsored trips. In mid-March, a state House committee voted down the bill.
According to the local paper, Winona County employees would not be reimbursed for their hotel bill if the hotel offers pornography. Some 480 hotels meet the criteria, the story says.
The bill would allow for some exemptions: County workers could stay in a hotel that offers porn if it's the official hotel for a conference, or if staying at the porn-free hotel would cost 15% more than another hotel, the paper says.
Winona County's proposed bill also calls for the county government to ask the Association of Minnesota Counties to adopt the same rule.
Anti-porn bill proponents say the bill can help reduce sexual and domestic violence, the story says. "In and of itself, this policy is not a cure-all," a county paper reads, "but it is an important effort to help prevent a social disease and its related costs to the public."
The state of Minnesota spent $221 million in 2006 on costs linked to sexual violence, the paper says.
Readers: What do you think about the anti-porn bill proposal? If you agree with the anti-porn effort, do you ever check to see whether the Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Best Western or any other hotel you're thinking of booking offers porn?
Posted Sep 6 2010 4:08PM
Minnesota county considers anti-porn bill for employee hotel stays - USATODAY.com
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