By Warner Todd Huston ——Bio and Archives--May 31, 2008
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The potential prosecution of one of our most respected artists . . . does untold damage to our culture reputation," the letter said. "We suggest that the. . . criminalisation of laying charges against Mr Henson, his gallery and the parents of the young people depicted in his work would be far more traumatic for the young people concerned than anything Mr Henson has done."I'd suggest that a society that exploits its children for sexual titillation deserves to have it's "culture" damaged. But the question of the ultimate meaning and purpose of the photographs remains; is it porn or is it art? I maintain that it is porn even if it is meant to be art because it is a sexualization of our children, especially our girls. Unfortunately, western society is devolving into anarchy where it concerns issues of morality. Our entertainment presents females sexualized at younger and younger ages all the time. Popular fashion has young girls dressing like hookers. Music shows them off like meat or treats them like second class citizens meant only for male satisfaction. Not only are younger and younger girls looked upon as sexual playthings, older women and motherhood is constantly devalued as uncool or something to be avoided. This gallery showing, even if it isn't meant to, exposes these young girls to leering eyes. The poses reveal these girls in alluring positions giving them a feeling of lost innocence, a feeling that something dark lurks beneath the plaintive gazes. It also adds to the great exploitation of girls across the spectrum in western society. We should be protecting our children, helping them grow and giving them the time to do so far from prying eyes and lecherous intent, not presenting them as objects of desire and titillation. This artist claims he is celebrating the beauty of youth. But, the one thing that makes youth traditionally beautiful is that freshness and innocence inherent with it. Photos that literally lay bare our young girls shatters that innocence and makes of them objects of lust. This sullies and blackens the very beauty that the artist claims to be celebrating, making of it a cheap thrill instead of something worth protecting. The Australian authorities were right to box this pornography. Let us hope that they are strong enough as a society to put those responsible for the creation of this so-called art up on charges of child pornography.
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Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as Breitbart.com, among many, many others. He has also written for several history magazines, has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows.
He is also the owner and operator of Publius’ Forum.