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Opening Arguments

Off the bus

Well, this is interesting. "Shortbus" is an unrated film with sexually explicit scenes. It's the kind of movie some would call obscene and some would not. In 1973, the Supreme Court more or less gave up on obscenity and decided it should be based on what an "average person" would consider "community standards."

The movie came up in Fort Wayne two years ago when a man complained about the Allen County Public Library having a copy. The library decided to keep the copy and defended its decision. Now a patron of the Bloomington library has complained about the movie, and the result was different:

Bloomington Public Library patrons looking to rent the movie "Shortbus" on DVD won't find it on the shelves.

A customer complained the movie was pornographic and a library committee decided to remove it.

I wouldn't have guessed that the "City of Churches" would have the more tolerant standard. And I doubt if the Supreme Court realized it could be library directors rather than county preosecutors determining what communities' standards are.

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