Steve writes on Adult Stars News: “New York City is trying to get its way again. Al Goldstein the boisterous Publisher of Screw Magazine and one of the great defenders of the first amendment was recently put on probation by the New York courts. The biggest problem is that his driver’s license and residence are in Pompano Beach, Florida. New York wants Goldstein confined to the five boroughs so they can control his every move and eventually leave him to die. Dennis Hof, owner of the Bunny Ranch along with some of the top First Amendment and criminal lawyers are teaming up to prevent this travesty of justice.

Mr. Goldstein was just released from a mental hospital in New York because the doctor’s thought he was crazy. In reality he was suffering from a diabetic attack. Dennis is calling all the members of the adult community to join in this fight. You don’t have to contribute money! Dennis has plenty of that! We are looking for anyone with some political clout in New York City or in Broward County, Florida to lend a hand and bring Al home. This is a cause that the adult industry can get involved in; all it takes is a phone call!
BRING AL HOME! BRING AL HOME!”

Jimmyd sez: Well, Steve, let me first say that I hate seeing someone getting fucked around by the system as much as the next guy does--maybe even more. I’m not sure Al’s case qualifies as a full-blown “travesty of justice” (that comment is a bit sensationalistic), but from what little I’ve read about it Goldstein may not be getting a completely fair shake at the hands of NYC’s law & order folks. But then, I don't know all the facts. I cannot say, however, that I subscribe to your theory that there’s some kind of active conspiracy on the part of the City of New York to “control his (Al’s) every move and eventually leave him to die.” I think actions of that or a similar nature are usually applied (if ever) to people who are true threats to the community, e.g. terrorists, organized crime leaders, drug kingpins, etc.

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Steve, when you refer to Screw Magazine’s publisher as “boisterous.” In fact, I can think of a few more descriptors to add: How about rude, crude, and obnoxious? But those aren’t felony offenses, they’re just offensive offenses. I could probably come up with a pretty lengthy list to describe Al’s public behavior, but why would I want to do that? Because he made a little off-color Jew/Nazi joke at the AVN Awards a few years back? C’mon, everyone has a little slip of the tongue once in a while. Besides, Al's a Jew, so I guess it's alright for Jews to tell jokes that make light of Nazi atrocities, just like it's okay to use the "N" word as long as you happen to be black. So we all should forgive Al for this and any other occasional, public, foot-in-his-mouth, verbal indiscretions he might be guilty of committing.

As you’ve pointed out, Al Goldstein is “one of the great defenders of the First Amendment.” And we need as many “great defenders” as we can get, right? Especially altruistic defenders like Al Goldstein. After all, Al never defended the First Amendment for any reason other than Al is simply a good American, a Constitutionalist, and a purist when it comes to the ideals of freedom and democracy. Al has never stooped to defend the First Amendment because it was in his personal interest (as a publisher and pornographer) to do so. Nope, Al has simply defended the sanctity of the First Amendment because he is, and has always been, a man of moral, social, and Constitutional integrity. He’s done so because it’s fair and just and because it’s always been the right thing to do. And since Al is one of the very few men in this business who has defended the First Amendment for all the right reasons—never putting his own interests or his business interests first—all should heed your call when you ask us to “lend a hand and bring Al home.”

After all, when we allow the dark forces of Facism to fuck with the life of one simple man—make that any man--we invite those forces to fuck with any and all of us--is that the point you were trying to make, Steve?

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