You might’ve already read this, but for the sake of those who didn’t, I shall post it here. This one was posted by lambchopsil, one of KH’s pillars, our very own admin and proofreader, and who also happens to be an admin at Baka-Updates Manga.
20 Years in Prison for Buying Manga
(copy and pasted from here)Yes, you read that right. Here’s the deal. Christopher Handley of Iowa, USA was arrested about half a year ago for buying manga. One day, he receives 7 volumes of manga from the post office because he ordered them from Japan. The authorities follow him home because they already investigated the volumes and deemed them “obscene” and “objectionable.” He is arrested, and they confiscate his whole collection: DVDs, manga volumes, VHS tapes, computers, etc. And now he faces a trial and up to 20 years in prison. All for ordering manga.
Now, it’s true that sources say that some of the manga in question are yaoi. Sure, he may have had some hentai in his vast collection. But that’s not the point. He was just going to read them in private in his own home. He didn’t commit some heinous crime and rape someone. The issue here is about freedom. Your personal freedom.
The point is this. You decide what you want to read. Some of you (including me) will never read yaoi. Or yuri, or hentai, or gory/bloody stuff like Elfen Lied. That’s our choice to make.
But what about this scenario? Your favorite series doesn’t have any of that stuff usually. But just one place, in say volume 7, contains a single scene of rape to get the plot going in an interesting direction (mind you, it wasn’t that graphic either). Now imagine the authorities busting into your house and arresting you because you own a manga series with that some obscene content here and there.So how does this apply to you? Naruto has had some pretty graphic deaths before. Same goes for Bleach. You a shoujo fan? Ever read Peach Girl? Now read this news article. You can name many examples taken from your favorite series. I for one can think of scenes from Mahou Sensei Negima!, something I have personally helped scanlate for the last 2-3 years. Or even Gantz, which I know tons of you read. So who draws the line for what you read? You or them?
Now, I know what you’re thinking. All your manga is downloaded, so there’s no physical evidence of what you’re reading. But investigators can check your hard drive or the trail you leave on the internet for what sites you visit. This may just be the beginning to something broader that could affect you in the future. Future technology could make it much harder for you to get your entertainment. Who can say? (Or the unspoken question: When/Will the companies finally crack down on fansubbing and scanlating?)
Or you’re saying that you don’t read any of that “hardcore” stuff? For sure you’re safe… for now… With the current laws, you won’t get prosecuted for reading Gantz (at least I hope so). But things can change, possibly for the worst.
So what can you do? I realize that a lot of you aren’t even in the United States. But at least some scanlators are. And there are many manga fans here in the US too. I also realize that a lot of us don’t have much money. (Or else why would we download illegally for free?) If you feel willing to help monetarily for this court case and future similar cases, you can do so by donating. If not, you can still spread the news to all the manga fans you know. At least I got you thinking. We fans could use better unity.
Or you can totally ignore this and feel it doesn’t apply. Your choice.
For more information:
Donation Link
http://www.cbldf.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=2Background Information
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-10/iowa-collector-charged-for-allegedly-obscene-manga
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-24/lawyer-indicates-manga-in-iowa-obscenity-case-are-yaoiOther Editorials
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2008-12-11/christopher-handley/jason-thompson
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2008-12-11/christopher-handley/carl-hornThis news post does not necessarily reflect the official view of MangaUpdates. This was written by I, lambchopsil, admin of MU. This is meant to get dead fans thinking outside of their own little worlds. There actually IS a global fan base for anime and manga.
Although, most of us who are anime and manga fans think that this case is ridiculous, there IS such a case and it’s still on going. According to sources, this case has been pushed back until next year (2009).
Yeah, I feel this could be the beginning of a bad ending for all manga and anime. What? What anime got to do with this? Well simple. If Manga seems be officially illegalised in the courts of the US, then it could be turn to a persuasive precedent in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, England, Europe and so forth. This also can go against anime and hentai in a wide prospect and create a lot of bad news for all of us. Which can lead into a large scale invasion of privicy and destruction to all out favorite anime and mangas we are so into or looking forward too. This will and can kill anime and manga industries effectively outside of Japan. I don’t believe that Japan follows a traditional court setting like the US or Australia or English have it. But you never know.
Although I wish I could help but I don’t have a reasonable amount to donate 25 USD let alone a lot from that point on. I hope a lot of people contribute to this cause and help raise awareness in relation to invasion to privacy and so forth.
Which reminds me, how many people can get access to the Main Home Page of this site? Just wondering.
< (>O< )>
*hides her collections of yaoi mangas in some tomb of the forgotten*
That’s the worst case senario. But seriously, I don’t think anyone have any right to prevent other people from owning hentai, yaoi, yuri, etc. stuffs. It’s just plain respect for preference. It’s like they’re saying that actual porn will also be banned. XDXD
Well… I agree with you, euri.. That’s pretty much stupid on preventing people to own them, not like everyone who owns hentai stuffs will turn out to be a rapist…
I got a library of h-games and some others but i don’t really see myself being a criminal of that sort…
We are getting used to this type of happenings, both USA and Australia seem to be in the line of stupidity. Not sure which country but about a year ago a fansubber was arrested whilst working on Sky girls….. Whilst i am not a fan of said series if he was arrested working on a series of underage which is supposedly be illegal then if he was subbing something with rape then the same could of happened.
In Australia about 3 months ago a man was charged with possession after he was found to have images of Bart and lisa having sex on his computer.
there is more i can talk about, but just remember to at all times watch your back!
*wonders if she should delete yaoi folders on her laptop*
I just found out about this today…unbelievable. And…what happened now? o.o;;
HeartyX,
I’m not sure. But the guys who arrested him are at fault here because they invaded his privacy. What difference does it make if he has a collection of yaoi manga with him? It’s the same as having an entire collection of porn magazines. Why don’t other people get arrested for having porn mags at home, where people there are REAL people and this guy gets arrested for having a collection of yaoi books where the characters are just fictional. XD
Euri
February 13, 2009 at 9:59 am
HeartyX,
I’m not sure. But the guys who arrested him are at fault here because they invaded his privacy. What difference does it make if he has a collection of yaoi manga with him? It’s the same as having an entire collection of porn magazines. Why don’t other people get arrested for having porn mags at home, where people there are REAL people and this guy gets arrested for having a collection of yaoi books where the characters are just fictional. XD
I completely agree with you. It’s a story, they’re just pictures. the more I think about this, the more I think how it’s totally ridiculous he’s going to prison. (I hope not!)
this is the first time i read this article…
and YES, i do agree that IF this kind of scenario happens More Often, then Also to Other Countries outside Japan (I PRAY it WOULD NOT!!). it would make the anime and manga industry FALL for REAL in the near future…
and YES, what happened in this article INDICATES “invasion of one’s PRIVACY!!” i personally think, that the man involved who haven’t committed any crimes STILL have the BIG FAVOR in his case…because what he possessed are reading materials for his age, doesn’t have REAL NUDE or/and “ACTIVE (having sex of)” HUMANS’ images, and more importantly he’s not influenced nor influencing other people to buy such kind of mangas
the scenario and the people who arrested him simply portrays ABUSIVE power in ARRESTING such individual….if what those AUTHORITIES have done is portraying what is REAL JUSTICE…then they should have ARRESTED all people who have such materials more importantly people from “above (higher position)” and more importantly materials with REAL HUMANs ACTING such OBSCENE and OBJECTIONABLE contents.