Republicans consider adding "porn is a public health crisis" to 2016 party platform

Considering? They should do it as soon as possible they already destroyed 3 generations. Porn is the real terrorist

 

I don't like either candidate this year. If I could I'd vote 3rd party. This sounds crazy but if Trump were to talk about porn addiction, that would be awesome.

 

Honestly, I am torn about this. I just saw the press release that was posted in my notifications, and my first reaction is to agree with any policy that addresses what I think is a real and growing issue in America. Nevertheless, I worry however that having this platform picked up by the RNC risks politicizing it in a way that could undermine the cause. Cards on the table, I consider myself a centrist (fiscally conservative but socially liberal), leaning democrat for this election cycle (but I have supported republican candidates in the past). My concerns are:

1.) In many ways, the RNC's interest automatically relegates this issue to a problem on the right, lumping it together with many of the conservative policies already supported by many republican candidates. I am concerned that pornography abuse might be lumped with some of the republican party's more backwards-looking goals, which for a vocal portion of republican politicians includes the opposition of LGBQT rights, gay marriage, and women's reproductive health. In my limited experience with Nofap, I have come to find the community here remarkably open-minded, eager to help and respect all populations. When this issue does enter into the national conversation, I hope that the openness that we have cultivated here continues, but I worry that this would be challenging from within the RNC ranks.

2.) Moreover, having it be part of a political platform like this makes it a political rather than a public-health issue. Many of us here recognize that pornography habits know no political affiliation, and like any physician-recognized addiction, they should be treated with care and compassion. Of course, I recognize, that the press release makes clear that, "Recent articles report that Republican delegates unanimously voted to propose an amendment declaring pornography “a public health crisis” in the 2016 party platform." Nevertheless, the write-up clearly states that the issue is not being addressed now (like a "true" public health crisis should be), but rather is being folded into the election platform of a party getting ready for an election season. It becomes distilled into a pithy soundbite rather than an actionable issue.

3.) Finally, having pornography addiction as a public health crisis enter into the political sphere in this form (as part of the Republican 2016 platform), it will inevitably position this issue diametrically against the democratic party platform. Given the fractured politics between republican and democratic lawmakers today, I am concerned that the RNC's support of anti-porn legislation will ultimately lead to the DNC denigration of it. Thus, the cause that we want to support is tied to the success of failure of a single political entity (which, of course, is how the RNC wants it, but goes directly against our own goals).

Like I said, this issue is so complicated, and I don't want to dismiss the headway that porn addiction is making in the public imagination (the RNC's press release makes this clear), but I urge caution. In our eagerness to have these issues addressed in the national conversation, I am concerned that they will be caught up in a political system that is unable to meaningfully enact the changes that we yearn for. I want to encourage a national conversation about this, but it needs to be in a venue where actionable progress can be made.

I would love to talk more about this, and to hear what others have to say.

 

Don't mean to turn this into politics but you were saying you were fiscally conservative but socially liberal? Thats what Gary Johnson, the libertarian nominee is. If you don't like these other two you should look into him. But everything has an agenda nowadays. They want to turn people's addiction into votes. And sure, I believe that the addiction needs to be adressed but I kind of like this smaller more involved community. Times are changing

 

Republicans have a platform?

 

A step certainly in the right direction so far. Porn is an addiction that is negatively impacting millions. So it's good that it is slowly getting recognized more and more. But at the same time we have to move forward with caution. I don't want this escalate to a point where porn is being banned and made illegal. And definitely not condemned and shamed, like we do with drug addicts. They are sick, addicted people. But instead of treating them with compassion we shame them for being junkies and treat them like lower life forms. Instead of helping them recover we are throwing them in jail out of our eyes. Well, I guess I will just keep my fingers crossed and hope that politicians will have enough common sense. And that this won't turn into same which hunt as anti-LGBT movements.

 

Alot of people don't ever realize they have a porn addiction. They have ED (Which is really PIED) at age 18 and wonder why. I think porn addiction is responsible for a lot of peoples unhappiness and they don't even know it.

This is a good thing to do and another reason why I support Republicans. Democrats are liberal as hell and probably encourage their 10 year old to jack off to porn saying it's "natural". Then they get depressed a few years later because of PIED, Brain Fog, and social anxiety and become emo, can't get a job, then become a bum in their parents basement shooting up cocaine just to get a rush from anything.

Porn needs to have a surgeons general warning like cigarettes.

PORN
WARNING: Can cause Porn-Induced-Erectile-Disfunction and the inability to concentrate with excessive use.

 

I am worried about this being politicized as well. This shouldn't be about politics or religion, but about overall sexual health and well being. If this issue is indeed lumped with homophobic and other right wing agendas then it can possibly lose credibility because it became politicized. However it is important to get awareness anyway we can, but it needs to be away from religious and political agendas.

 

porn really is a bad thing, corrupting people and causing very bad side effects to it's users. Just as harmful as illegal drugs, I have a cousin who is 12 and i hope with everything i have that he doesn't get into watching porn like i did when i was his age.

 

It's not a political problem, it's not a religious problem, it's just a problem!

 

I'm a hobbyist button-pusher and pot-stirrer and that is your disclaimer for my remarks.

I think porn stars and strippers should be convicted and performing sex acts should be a felony.

"You don't respect yourself to that extent? How can you be trusted to vote?"

 

I dont think it should go that far. Just that porn addiction needs to be accepted as a medical condition and a real addiction like other addictions.

 

How will the human race survive?

 

This!

If you condemn porn and label porn user as wrong. We'll have as many porn user as we use to have, only now it will be harder to help them and harder for them to seek for help.
If you go to an extreme and make porn illegal, we'll get the same result we got pretty much any time we tried to prohibit a substance, we'll have a much bigger problem. History proved that countless time.

Right now with drugs (if I may take that as an example) the trend is clear: Countries that decriminalize them see the % of addicts and drug related problems go down drastically. Countries that condemn them and call their users junkies and treat them like lower life forms see their drug problem remain.

On the other hand, to educate about porn and to make it a topic we aren't shy to talk about, now that will do wonders. Kids will still want to see what it is and that's quite normal. Who wouldn't? Only now they will know the risk they are taking. If I had knew from the start my ED was actually PIED I would have been rid of that problem years ago.

Bottom line, if you don't like porn and the problems it comes with, keep it right there in the day light and teach people about it.

 

I agree and my understanding it has now just been recognised in the pyschiatry handbook last year as a condition that exists and has credibility to be treated as a medical condition after discussing with my psych.
This is excellent for the future of support groups like this and to understand it is an illness that can be fixed by rebooting and getting medical support.

 

I agree definitely have concerns with this being tied into religion and politics. I'm weary of the general rebublicans approach to many social issues which skirt around an educated discussion of the topics. Regarding sexual health, my friends who went to catholic school where absitenence was the only way 3/3 ended up pregnant in high school. PMO and PIED can't be taboo topics.

 

I think it's great personally because it spreads awareness BUT so many cannot open their minds to even read the facts and research the topic because they start yelling about religion and how the Republicans are crazy bible thumpers.
That said if we keep politics and religion out of it, WE must spread awareness.
That's right... We do. Scary huh?
Alexander needed couples for possibly going on a TV show and last time I looked nobody was jumping at the chance.
I mentioned the post to my boyfriend and he looked at me like I was crazy. He's too embarrassed about it and how badly it's effects were.
So... We need a movement.

 

Interesting, but I think the matter should be handled by an apolitical organization. Politics muck everything up.

 

I agree I didn't mean in my post to isolate it as a republican issue as the democrates have mucked up some of the other health crisis like obesity and tobacco...I would like to keep this to move direction towards being less of a taboo topic to discus rather than the direction Utah has taken it making porn illegal and more of a taboo topic.

I think a TV show that addresses ot would be awesome and commend the brave folks who are open to being a part of it. I think a lot of us would be open to be a part of it anonymously as it is, at this point a very embaressing/taboo topic.