It’s About Making Babies!

PEGGY NOONAN writes an opinion-editorial column, ‘Declarations’, for the Wall Street Journal at WSJ.com. Her piece “The View from Gate 14” sums up Sen’s Obama, Clinton, McCain, and President Bush from the view of people enduring airport security and trying to get through their day.

Nothing dramatic, but Ms. Noonan exposes Obama’s serious obstacles – His patriotism isn’t in question, but what is he patriotic to? Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain get short mentions, with nothing really to recommend them except Sen. McCain’s presumptive patriotism to America.

Then there is the President, who has lost support of small town Texas. People in the Republican party (the republic?) that believe conservatively, as conservatives did in Reagan’s era, have dropped President Bush from their regard. And one of the problems is the growth of government, and intrusion into the lives of people trying to go about their day.

Through Pres. Bush’s airport security, to gate 14.

Thanks, Ms. Noonan.

The Associated Press picked up a story, “Miley Cyrus says Vanity Fair photo spread embarrasses her,” about 15 year old Miley Cyrus, daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus – and, oh yeah, The Disney Channel carries her TV show, “Hannah Montana”.

It seems veteran portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz was the photographer for a photo shoot with Ms. Cyrus. According to the Wikipedia entry for Ms. Leibovitz, “Her work often has strong sexual overtones.” One photo in particular is raising eyebrows, that Vanity Fair is planning to publish in the next issue. Taken from behind, most of the back is bare, what appears to be a satin sheet is draped about Ms. Cyrus, and Miley is looking back over her shoulder.

Seductive, implying unclothed, intended to be provocative. No big deal for die-hard model shoots, photographers, and fashion magazines. They watch the ladies strip down and change between photos, they watch nekkid people, casually, on a regular basis, they are just careful about what they capture on film or digitally.

Except, we have a 15 year old girl that claims the picture is embarrassing. Her dad claims the picture isn’t ‘in good taste’, whether for business reasons (the Hannah Montana role Miley Cyrus plays is kept squeaky ‘clean’ – free of sexual innuendo) or as a father seeing his 15 year old daughter being laid out for guys of all ages to drool and fantasize about.

Why is there a question? Why is Vanity Fair allowed to print provocative, sexily posed young girls, when guys are in prison for wanting to see that kind of picture?

The Associated Press picked up the story that does not mention a concern about Vanity Fair publishing kiddie porn. Internet Service Provider Earthlink.net picked up and published the story of apparently ‘appropriate’ kiddie porn.

You are either taking sexually titillating pictures of underage girls or you aren’t. Seems simple to me. So, where is the Department of Justice and their glory hounds and career builders, um, I mean, “pornography task force?”

Come on, Vanity Fair – play fair and drop that photo.