LOS ANGELES, Nov. 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 55 California newspapers have now come out against Proposition 60, the controversial adult film initiative on California’s November ballot, says the Free Speech Coalition. The initiative would give every California resident the power to sue adult performers, and collect a cash bounty, if they see an adult film without a condom.
Fifty-six papers have now formally opposed Prop 60, including the editorial boards of all of the state’s 10 largest papers. Proposition 60 has also been opposed by the state’s Democratic and Republican parties, hundreds of public health and civil rights advocates, and thousands of performers.
The Los Angeles Times says the “heavy-handed Proposition 60 would deputize every Californian as a condom cop … an extreme approach — and demonstrably counterproductive.”
The Orange County Register says Prop 60 “could be exploited by people trying to damage a controversial business or earn a cut of a resulting fine.”
The Sacramento Bee says Prop 60 could create “an all-out war, in the courts and by the state, ... which could just drive performers further underground and make them less safe.”
The San Francisco Chronicle says Prop 60’s condom requirement “doesn’t make sense” and “invites legal bounty hunting. Also performers, who often use screen names, could have their identities and addresses made public, a feature that invades privacy and could lead to harm from porn-addled stalkers.”
“We see broad opposition to this measure from editorial boards across the state, and across the political spectrum,” says Eric Paul Leue, campaign manager for No on Proposition 60 , Californians Against Worker Harassment. “Performers and public health experts have spoken out about how dangerous and misguided this measure is, and we call on voters to help us defeat it on November 8.”
A full list of the 56 editorial boards that have endorsed “No on 60” below:
Aptos Times Bay Area Reporter Capitola Soquel Times Culver City Observer Chico Enterprise-Record Chico News & Review The Daily Californian (Berkeley) The Daily Breeze (Torrance) The Daily Democrat (Woodland) Daily Press (Victorville) The Desert Sun (Palm Springs) East Bay Times (Oakland/Contra Costa County) East Bay Express Glendale News-Press Hanford Sentinel The Fresno Bee La Opinión (Los Angeles) Long Beach Press-Telegram Los Angeles Daily News Los Angeles Times Orange County Register Oroville Mercury-Record Palo Alto Weekly The Madera Tribune Marin Independent-Journal Marin Magazine Merced Sun-Star Mercury News The Modesto Bee Monterey County Herald Pasadena Weekly Redland Daily Facts The Record (Stockton) Riverside Press-Enterprise The Sacramento Bee Sacramento Observer Sacramento News & Review Santa Barbara News-Press San Diego City Beat San Diego Free-Press The San Diego Union-Tribune San Jose Metro San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Bay Guardian San Francisco Examiner San Gabriel Valley Tribune San Luis Obispo Tribune San Mateo County Times San Mateo Daily Journal Santa Clarita Valley Signal Santa Cruz Sentinel Santa Rosa Press-Democrat Scotts Valley Times The Argonaut (Los Angeles) Ventura County Star Whittier Daily News
Proposition 60 has also been opposed by the California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party, the California Libertarian Party, over fifty local and issue-based political clubs, over a hundred HIV/AIDS organizations, doctors and civil rights advocates, as well as the performers groups APAC and APAG. Nearly two thousand performers are actively campaigning against Proposition 60 by speaking out at campuses , farmers markets and on social media, as well as participating in political rallies and protests .
Current polls show the measure tied, with 40% in favor, 40% opposed, and 20% of voters undecided.
ABOUT FSC
The Free Speech Coalition is the national trade association for the adult entertainment and pleasure products industries. Its mission is to lead, protect and support the diverse adult entertainment community.
CONTACT: Mike Stabile Communications Director, No on Proposition 60 mike@freespeechcoalition.com 818.650.1973
