Porn and exploitation are different things. Some porn really is consensual, and, more important, some porn does not involve human participation at all. Any argument against porn that would also apply to deSade or animated porn is probably unconstitutional, not only in a technical sense but in the spirit of the First Amendment. Indeed, the more people complain about the message porn delivers, the more clearly protected it is by our commitment to the free exchange of messages. Rape is a crime and an abomination. Defense of rape is only the latter.

A case can be made, I think, against the production of porn using human beings. Selling sex is illegal in almost every state. Treating porn as prostitution shouldn’t be that difficult, and with a little effort, the problem of establishing where the sex was “sold” could doubtless be solved. If we believe that the porn industry exploits young women, then we should be able to close that industry down. Focus on the product is a rabbit hole not worth exploring.

(And if conservatism has gone limp, I could recommend some good books….)