In early October, the Houston City Council amended the city’s sexually oriented business (SOB) ordinance. The updated ordinance prohibits businesses from allowing customers to rent and try out sex dolls at the business’s store. This move was in response to the construction of a KinkySdollS store in the Galleria area.
Councilman Greg Travis said that most people are “appalled and insulted” by the business. He went on to say,
We’re not legislating morality here. That’s not what we’re doing. We don’t care what people do in their bedrooms. If somebody wants to order these dolls and have them in their homes, it’s weird, that’s fine, they can do that.
In typical doublespeak fashion, Travis tells us that KinkySdollsS is appalling and insulting, wants to legally prohibit the company from operating as it deems best, and then wants us to believe that he isn’t legislating morality. Outlawing that which one finds appalling and insulting is precisely what legislating morality means.
Even if an overwhelming number of Houstonians find the business appalling and insulting, there is no moral justification for placing restrictions on the business. Lest we forget, it wasn’t that long ago that an overwhelming number of Texans found homosexuality appalling and insulting. And it was only fifteen years ago that the state’s anti-sodomy laws were struck down (Lawrence v. Texas).
To argue that a majority of citizens find a particular activity appalling and insulting is justification for prohibiting that activity is nothing more than mob rule. It means that the majority may impose its values on everyone. And those who defy the edicts of the majority become criminals.
Each individual has a moral right to live his life as he chooses, so long as he respects the rights of others to do the same. The proper purpose of government is to protect this freedom from the whims of the mob. And this is particularly important to those who not embrace the values and views of the majority.
Those who side with the majority are “safe.” They are not forced to act contrary to their judgment and values. But the minority–whether it is gays or the owners of sex shops–become victims of the majority.
The proper solution to activities that we find appalling and insulting is not a movement to outlaw those activities. The proper solution is live and let live. If we want the freedom to live our lives as we choose, we must defend the freedom of others to do the same, even when we find their actions disgusting.