Post by progressiveelement on Mar 24, 2017 16:37:31 GMT
www.erietvnews.com/story/34956494/utah-responds-to-deadpool-lawsuit-says-alcohol-and-sexual-content-an-explosive-combination
The state of Utah has enacted a censorial local law banning cinemas that sell alcohol from screening R rated movies. And indeed state officials tried to ban such a cinema from showing Deadpool.
This resulted in a challenge to the Utah ordinance on the grounds that censorship is unconstitutional. Utah officials are now trying to get that legal challenge quashed. They are asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed over liquor and Deadpool , claiming it is somehow not suppressing First Amendment-protected ideas or expression.
The Utah Attorney General's Office argues the law should remain in place because it reduces adverse secondary effects. It claims that:
Judicial opinions and alcohol experts confirm what is commonly known: that combining alcohol and sexual content is an 'explosive combination,' that can lead to sexual aggression and sexual violence, increased drinking, and reported and unreported crime.
The Statute's purpose and effect are to reduce these adverse secondary effects that result from combining alcohol and sexually explicit images.
The state argues that Brewvies' First Amendment free expression rights are only slightly inconvenienced by the law saying:
Plaintiff is free to show whatever sexually explicit R-rated films it chooses, so long as it does not serve alcohol at the same time, and individuals can see the same movies at other theaters. Plaintiff does not have a constitutional right to serve beer while showing movies.
The state of Utah has enacted a censorial local law banning cinemas that sell alcohol from screening R rated movies. And indeed state officials tried to ban such a cinema from showing Deadpool.
This resulted in a challenge to the Utah ordinance on the grounds that censorship is unconstitutional. Utah officials are now trying to get that legal challenge quashed. They are asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed over liquor and Deadpool , claiming it is somehow not suppressing First Amendment-protected ideas or expression.
The Utah Attorney General's Office argues the law should remain in place because it reduces adverse secondary effects. It claims that:
Judicial opinions and alcohol experts confirm what is commonly known: that combining alcohol and sexual content is an 'explosive combination,' that can lead to sexual aggression and sexual violence, increased drinking, and reported and unreported crime.
The Statute's purpose and effect are to reduce these adverse secondary effects that result from combining alcohol and sexually explicit images.
The state argues that Brewvies' First Amendment free expression rights are only slightly inconvenienced by the law saying:
Plaintiff is free to show whatever sexually explicit R-rated films it chooses, so long as it does not serve alcohol at the same time, and individuals can see the same movies at other theaters. Plaintiff does not have a constitutional right to serve beer while showing movies.
