WARNING
I may say ''poop''

I think we were a healthier society when there were curbs on what could be splashed before the public's eyes.  But, it's important to remember that most censorship was imposed for business reasons, i.e., the public demanded it.  The film industry's ''Production Code '' (aka Hays Code) protected moviegoers from nipples, and explicit sexual situations on the silver screen.  In addition, the Catholic Church's Legion of Decency monitored objectionable material, and parish priests would name names on Sunday.  Being banned by the Catholic Church meant box office death. Then.  Television networks had their own very strict censors. Yeah, yeah, fear of government action did motivate some of this self regulation. The FCC would get involved  when anything deemed obscene hit the airwaves.  Here's a joke from the 50's that demonstrates  what was expected, and tolerated by the public in the wayback.  A radio personality is doing a man-on -the-street interview, when a passerby says, ''Hey, I heard a funny joke.'' What is it, asks the reporter? Knock-knock Who's there? Argo Argo who? Argofuckyourself The radio personality is sent to prison for 5 years for that on-air obscenity.  Upon release, he finds employment with another station, and once again is doing man-on-the-street interviews when the same guy approaches him.  ''Hey, I have a funny joke for you.'' Now, the reporter knows full well what can happen , but he also realizes his  listeners will expect to hear the joke.  Cautiously he asks, what is it? Knock-knock Who's there? Paul Radio guy quickly reviews every conceivable trap ''Paul'' might hold, and decides it's safe. Paul who? Argofuckyourself The premise that a man could be jailed for public vulgarity was not only accepted, it was expected.  Today the penalty is a fine - if you're Howard Stern that will make you a multi-millionaire.  Four-letter sexually connotative words would get your book banned.   By 1967 pretty much all the codes, barriers, and censorship were gone, or on the way out.  The Supremes pretty much passed the buck by settling on a ''community standard'' answer. Like abortion, before these laws can be changed, a broad majority must show support.  If public attitudes took us back to  1840 standards, it would be okay by me, but attitudes are not legislated, they are mostly learned at home, and in school . What Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is up to  - with his gummint controlled "marks and notices" initiative - bothers me on several levels, none of which include my ability to see naked women.  It won't work.  Is Gonzalez going to take a page from the commie Chinese handbook, and stop web access to foreign websites, whence much hard porn emanates?  To the extent that the public wants internet protection, they'll get it from competing browser programs that use porn trap software as a selling point. I distrust ANY legislation pushed as being  ''for the Children''  as a matter of principle (Thank you Democrats). During his speech, Gonzales also warned that Internet service providers must begin to retain records of their customers' activities to aid in future criminal prosecutions- That's  a triple car garage door opened to gummint abuse. Fuck you Poncho.