October 1, 2007

Raising a moral but not a legal issue, the American Humanist Association denounced the state of Alabama today. This was in the wake of the Supreme Court's afternoon decision to let stand a lower court ruling upholding Alabama's ban on the sale of sex toys.

"You can sell guns in Alabama, which enable buyers to potentially cause pain or death, but now you can't sell sex toys there, devices which enable buyers to cause pleasure," declared Mel Lipman, president of the American Humanist Association. "That shows just how warped religiously-motivated 'family values' can become."

Fred Edwords, director of communications for the American Humanist Association added, "To the humanist, pleasure isn't only enjoyable, it's moral. Giving and receiving pleasure enhances life and contributes to health. Not only is there nothing wrong with it, it is a positive and beneficial part of life."

The American Humanist Association has long supported sexual freedom and advocated a philosophy that supports a wide range of responsible pleasures: intellectual, aesthetic, and physical.

"Pleasure is often derided because reckless engagement in it can cause harm," Edwords pointed out. "But the harm is caused by the recklessness, not the pleasure. Ice cream is good, too, but that doesn't mean you should eat so much of it you get sick."

"Nor should you ban the sale of ice cream just because people enjoy it," Lipman added. "Banning the sale of sex toys is in the same category. It is immoral to prohibit the sale of harmless devices merely because they produce sexual enjoyment. Therefore, we conclude that the state of Alabama stands morality on its head by seeking to punish the sale of pleasure devices."

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) is the oldest and largest Humanist organization in the nation. The AHA is dedicated to ensuring a voice for those with a positive outlook, based on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity.