Don’t forget the FSC fear tactics
you don’t pay = you’re not protected
sounds like business models of:
insurance business
antivirus programs
local bookie
etc.
Lets Talk About The Free Speech Coalition:
Michelle Freeridge, the Executive Director, is stepping down and the FSC is looking for someone to fill her shoes. Noe I don’t know Michelle and I can’t testify as to anything she may have or have not done during her time there.
In all of the stories about her departure it’s always mentioned how little money the FSC gets and how little support from the industry and you know what? We don’t support the FSC very well but then one must also ask the question why?
I think the reason is that by and large the Free Speech Coalition doesn’t support us very well.
I have been around pretty much since the inception of the Free Speech Coalition and I can’t name much that they have accomplished other than getting two record keeping cases set aside for secondary producers. That isn’t anything that will win accolades from most porners, who happen to be primary producers.
The largest support bases are virtually ignored, performers and adult webmasters see little use for the FSC…Why? Because there is no value, no return on investment. Most webmasters agree that the current challenge to 2257 on behalf of secondary producers is more motivated by the fact that AVN is a secondary producer than it is anything to protect the adult web, and just what do performers get out of a membership? Nothing, that’s what.
But is it the FSC’s fault? You must first look at who the FSC is, ie a board of directors and many of the highest ranking people, as well as the largest monetary supporters are big porn companies, companies who have a vested interest in keeping pressure on the smaller companies and particularly on the adult web, so any progressive move to help in those areas is likely to get bogged down.
The Free Speech Coalition has become synonymous with inaction and ineptitude, I said a long time ago that if it really wants to be successful it must first rename and reinvent itself.
What I would like to see come out of the organization are some clearly defined goals here are some ideas for you guys:
Instead of trying to hire your own lobbyists, you should make it a priority to align yourself with better funded and more serious organizations like the ACLU, not to be a leech, but to give yourselves some clout.
Video as we know it is near extinction, the internet is the future of porn, if not the present. You best wake up to that fact and start making visible efforts to show adult webmasters that membership has it’s benefits. Simply saying “we are your organization because we say we are now give us money” doesn’t cut it. If you want money and support you must earn it. For example I would have no problem paying the FSC a thousand dollars a year if I knew that so long as I stayed within certain guidelines the FSC would be four square in my corner should I be prosecuted, that simply isn’t the case, as of right now that money gets me nothing but an attaboy.
The FSC needs to hire Adella or someone like her to do it’s PR. Outside the adult industry who has heard of 2257? Mainstream media pays it no attention because it just affects porners…or so they think. Explain to them how it allows the FBI to enter your home with no warrant, no probable cause and no due process so that they can hold you at gunpoint until you can prove you didn’t commit a crime that never happened. If it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone.
You have to get performers involved and just like with everyone else that means you have to return something of value for the money, maybe its a group health plan, maybe its legal assistance or ongoing education or paralegal services or maybe you get together with AIM and offer discounted testing to FSC members. Whatever it is you have to do it, you won’t survive without the performers.
Ok so there’s a few ideas off the top of my head, I would hope that you can come up with some of your own. Chances are that whoever replaces Michelle will have read this, you have your work cut out for you, personaly I hope you succeed but I bet you won’t. I bet the good old FSC runs business as usual, no plans, no goals just the give me money mentality that one finds in lazy strippers who feel they shouldn’t have to earn it, it should simply be bestowed upon them.
OK FSC, PROVE ME WRONG….
And No Im not running for Executive Director, I am way too far away from Los Angeles even though I could do a better job than has been done in the past via telecommuting, don’t believe me? Name 3 things the FSC has done that is worth 25.00 to you in all the last ten years combined. Go ahead…give it a shot.
