Taking the Pulse of America: A Vanguard Baby Boomer Examines the American Scene

By Martin Street

For many Americans, hearing the words, United States of America brings stirring emotions. It is the concept of e pluribus unumout of many, onethat summarizes the sense of national unity that Americans feel, and one that author Martin Street seeks to convey in Taking the Pulse of America.

This compendium of 110 essays offers a snapshot of American life today. Street offers opinions and suggestions for many of the most contentious issues of our time. From hot button issues like abortion, illegal immigration, and waterboarding to the justice system, education reform, and government affairs, Street doesnt mince words.

Often, Streets commentary is just as contentious as his subjects. Even so, he provides an honest, authentic voice to these conversations that have become part of our national lexicon. Whether he discusses unions, our throwaway society, or professional athletes, Street gives his straightforward, often politically incorrect opinions.

A call to action for Americans to restore the United States of America to her former glory, Taking the Pulse of America is essential reading for every citizen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469737058

Martin Street

Martin Street is a former safety manager and a lieutenant commander in the Coast Guard Reserve. He and his wife reside in northern Colorado, where he is a medical van driver at an assisted living center.

Book preview

Contents

Introducing Martin Street

America the Great

I

Abortion

Press Political Bias

Fragile Families in America Today

Pornography and Prostitution

in America

Affirmative Action

Diversity

Race Relations Today

Homosexuality

Waterboarding and Interrogation

Street Gangs

Bullying

Priest-Child Molestations

Extra-Marital Affairs

Wrap Rage

Flag Burning

Illegal Immigrants

II

Teaching

American Education in the Twenty-First Century

High School Dropout Rates

No Child Left Behind and

Race to the Top

College Trends

III

United States Justice System

Jury Selection

Lawyers

Prisons

Prisoner Tax Returns—It’s a Crime

IV

Controlling Our Health Care

Cost Explosion

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Doctors and Medical Practitioners

American Nurses

Medical Bills

Modern Medicine

Overweight and Obese in America

Nursing Homes

End of Life Issues

V

Computers and High Tech Systems

Electronic Communications Overload

Computer Hackers and Viruses

Kid’s Electronic Toys

Video Games

VI

U.S. Congress—Performance and Public Opinion

Our National Debt Crisis

Political Campaigns

Can We Americans Pass Our Own Citizenship Test?

Foreign Aid

NASA

VII

American Customer Service in the Twenty-First Century

Quality

Salaries in the United States

What Americans Buy And Why

Made in America

Unions

Guarantees—Warranties

Home Party Sales

The Junk Mail Monster

How to Complain Effectively

Auto Purchases

National Do Not Call List

Employment Ads

Bosses

Firing in the Business World

VIII

Neighbors

Americans’ Pet Peeves and Gripes

American Conversation

The Decline of the

American Downtown

Television

Commercials

Prices and Saving Money

Courtesy

Hungry in America

Friendships

Hotels

The Entitlement to Privacy

Honesty

Courage

Trust

Home Security

At-Risk Behavior

Alcohol

Smoking

Gambling

The Police

Homeless in America

Driving

Tipping

Awards

Music

Home

Our Throwaway Society and the Decline of the Repairman

Scavenging

American Natural Disaster Relief

Buffets

Hunting

Auto Service

Holidays

Men in the Kitchen and

a Real Man’s Diet

Road Construction

Animal Shelters

Exercise Equipment

Churches

IX

Living the American Dream

Land Costs Throughout the U.S.

Federal Taxes

X

Military Costs and

Deployment Decisions

Military Review

The Viet Nam War

Military Procurement Requests

XI

Professional Athletes

Boxing

XII

In Conclusion

Introducing Martin Street

Since you probably have never heard of me, it seems only fair that I tell you a little bit about myself before you read my book.

Because I was born very early in the year 1946, I am one of the oldest Baby Boomers in existence. This, however, doesn’t seem to matter very much since very few of my fellow baby boomers match the stereotypes the press tends to assign to us.

I grew up in a small town in Western New York in the late 1940s and 1950s when small towns were generally prosperous, vibrant, and self-sufficient (no Walmarts on the outskirts of town). Most businesses were Mom and Pop operations and prospered by relying on fair dealings and good customer service. I earned spending money by delivering morning and sometimes evening newspapers. I also was an avid newspaper reader and loved current events.

Academically I was an average to somewhat above average student. My best sport in high school was tennis, where I won the county championship all four years. I also played trombone in our high school band and in a nearby fire department band.

I attended college at Alfred University where I majored in ceramic engineering, but I never worked a day in this field. The draft beckoned shortly after graduation, so I elected to go to Coast Guard Officer’s Candidate School (OCS) at Yorktown, Virginia in lieu of waiting to be drafted by the Army and probably being sent to Viet Nam. After OCS, I spent about two-and-a-half years at Coast Guard Group Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, where I specialized in search and rescue and port security.

Upon honorable discharge in June 1970 I accepted a position with Factory Insurance Association, completed their six month training program, and became a fire protection engineer in Bay City, Michigan and Buffalo, New York.

I returned to federal service in September 1975 and spent twenty-eight years working for the Atlantic Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, first as a fire protection engineer and later as their safety manager. I wrote two books while working for the Navy. The first was an extensive Fire Protection Program Handbook for Navy fire departments, and the second was a Safety Program Handbook for Navy and Marine Corps safety offices.

In the later stages of my federal career, I wrote two safety quick reference guides, both copyrighted. The first was the Outdoor Hazard Quick Reference Guide, and the second was the Pet Care Quick Reference Guide. Both were laminated and could be folded to pocket size. My wife and I marketed these guides for several years after I retired.

When it comes to politics, I am a Republican-leaning Independent, but I do not hesitate to vote for Democrats when it makes sense to do so. I also admit to being traditional—even old fashioned at times. My love for our country does not blind me to its faults, and I fear for the future of our children and grandchildren if some current trends continue.

The most famous person that I have met is Nelson Rockefeller.

I strongly value my Christian faith, pray daily, and attend a Presbyterian church nearly every Sunday. I also value good health, do not smoke or drink, and have a regular exercise program.

My views tend to be quite conservative and often non-politically correct. I view life as an opportunity to learn, grow, and serve others.

In summary, I try to conform to the concept of a reasonable man—a typical American with a man-in-the-street perspective. This book is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition and represents a total of 65 years of observations of the American scene.

I care about every individual who takes the time to read Taking the Pulse of America and sincerely hope that you feel your time is well spent.

America the Great

Our country is the leader of the free world—a shining beacon on a hill and benefactor to many of the world’s poorest countries. America is a pioneer in innovation, and the label Made in the USA is a symbol of quality and a source of pride for all of us. Our democratic form of government and personal freedom is a role model for other countries to follow, and our citizens probably enjoy a higher standard of living than most other countries. We are the fortunate few who can call ourselves Americans, and our country is truly the greatest in the world!

What would the world be like without America? We have done more to advance the cause of freedom and have rendered more assistance to more foreign countries and individuals than any other country in history. We are the country that more people desire to immigrate to, and throughout our history we have welcomed new residents with open arms. Our educational system and centers of higher learning attract thousands of foreign students each year. Our medical schools produce some of the finest doctors and nurses available anywhere, and our medical expertise is second to none.

Perhaps one of the best examples of our contributions overseas is our expenditure of blood and treasure to help other countries remain free of tyranny and oppression. Our troops have fought in two World Wars, Korea, Viet Nam, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and our military advisers are stationed throughout the globe, providing advice and assistance. Throughout our history, our military assistance overseas has been altruistic. And Americans are some of the first on the scene in the event of floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, with generous contributions of money, food, water, shelter, clothing, and medicine.

The great leaders America has produced throughout our brief history have inspired both us and the world around us. Not only are we home to the United Nations, but we are its biggest financial contributor. Our agricultural experts travel around the globe, helping developing countries, and we sponsor an extensive HIV/AIDS program in places throughout Africa. There are very few places in the world that have not been assisted by U.S. generosity at one time or another. Our Peace Corps volunteers travel to distant lands, and we produce some of the finest athletes in the world.

Americans are, and always have been, a generous and giving people. We have many reasons to be proud of America the Great. May God continue to richly bless us.

If there is one common theme throughout this book, it is that we are America. We the people are the spirit of our great nation and will determine the extent of our future success. It is in all of our interests to not stand on our past accomplishments, but to pursue continuous improvement in all aspects of American life.

Let’s take a look at the major topic subdivisions of Taking the Pulse with a quick summary of some of the reasons these topics were included.

The U.S. Hot Button Issues are presented to discuss controversial topics that have been in the news recently or that could appear at any time. Both you and I could be expected to be drawn into conversations where these topics come up, so it is important that we give these matters some thought. We also recognize that emotional issues such as abortion, affirmative action, and flag burning may produce very strong opinions on one side or the other—it is very important to know where we stand. After reading these sections, you also may wish to contact your elected representatives or others if you feel convinced that changes are needed.

The Education Issues subdivision is provided for several reasons, not the least of which is to show that our current expensive educational system is becoming less and less competitive with other advanced nations. However, it is more important than ever that our schools produce graduates who are able to excel in their chosen fields and become the leaders of tomorrow. Sadly, we know from experience and standardized test results that this is not happening very often. The U.S. education system has slipped into mediocrity while students in other countries—such as Canada, Finland, and Korea—work harder, learn more, and can compete on the world market for better jobs and compensation.

Many Americans today distrust our Justice System, feeling that it favors the rich over us commoners who cannot afford the best legal representation when we need it. Our penal system, while getting convicted criminals off the street, often does either a poor or nonexistent job of rehabilitation, and inmates often are discharged without much hope of getting any kind of employment. The root causes of their trouble often remain.

The Health Issues subdivision provides an overview of several contentious issues, focusing on today’s exorbitant health care costs—which could be a major factor in bankrupting our country! Also, the current lifestyles of millions of us are not likely to result in either good health or increased life expectancy and can cause enormous medical bills, especially near the end of our lives. Someone, usually the general public, must pay for this. And health care in the United States today is so expensive that some of us simply cannot afford to pay the medical bills following a serious injury or illness.

The Computers subdivision is Martin Street’s cry in the wilderness attempt to restore us to technological sanity by not revolving our lives around high-tech gadgets (just because everyone else has them). We must maintain a realistic, sound balance between the use of technology and everything else life has to offer.

Government Affairs emphasizes the fact that an ever-decreasing minority of Americans are satisfied with the performance of our elected representatives. For many of us, a throw the bums out mentality has developed over the years. We feel that politicians, in general, are putting their interests before ours.

Commerce/Business Matters deals with common interactions we citizens have with American business and some ideas for improvement. Some of these sections might help you save money while helping to put fellow Americans back to work.

The Everyday Life subdivision is a potpourri of topics intended to capture the essence of American life in the early twenty-first century. A common theme is that our lives today bear little resemblance to those of our parents and grandparents, and that not all developments have been positive. I invite you to agree with (or at least consider) my comments and observations. Some topics also offer ideas for saving you money.

The short Financial Affairs subdivision reflects on our chances of living the American dream. It also shares ideas on land prices in the United States.

I base the Military Affairs section on my extensive experience with military organizations, and then include a short Athletics section to discuss some pet peeves that you may share.

So, in some ways, Taking The Pulse is an invitation to you, the reader, to examine American life in the early twenty-first century, to take our pulse and to decide for yourself whether we are on the right track. You may agree with me that we have opportunities for improvement in many areas and that we are probably in urgent need of improvement in others.

Therefore, this book is also a call to action for all of us to help make our nation the best, the most caring, the healthiest, and the most prosperous nation it can be—with every citizen treated fairly and provided with equal justice under the law. We should be a nation of which our founding fathers would be proud.

Since changes are needed in many areas for these goals to be achieved, I offer many ideas and suggestions for improvement. Your consideration of these is invited, but I encourage you to be and stay involved with the current issues of America, working with our elected representatives and each other to address the wrongs that need to be confronted and made right. We the people cannot afford to be taken for granted. For this is our generation, our time, and our country.

I

U.S. Hot Button Issues

Abortion

There is precious little middle ground on the abortion issue. You may find yourself taking sides on this topic. You might also find some ideas here that you have not considered.

The abortion issue seems to be settled law, since the landmark Roe v. Wade case of January 22, 1973, though you wouldn’t know it to watch the campaign commercials. Any candidate opposing or seeking to limit legal abortion is pilloried by his opponents and sometimes by others, as if the successful candidate could or would single handedly overturn Roe v. Wade.

This section on abortion is not intended to offend the millions of Americans who have searched their consciences and come out strongly in favor for or against legal abortions.

Although I would classify myself as pro-choice, I feel that the main choice should be whether to have unprotected sex in the the first place.

The Presbyterian Church, of which I am a member, has stated that abortion sometimes is the best choice of difficult options. I tend to agree.

The current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, feels that abortions should be safe, legal, and rare. I share her opinion on this issue. However, after reading some statistics from Planned Parenthood and the National Center for Health Statistics, I do not believe that an abortion is a rare occurrence in America today. Several million American women will have an abortion sometime in their lifetimes. Roughly 1.6 million abortions are performed in the United States each year, and 93 percent of them occur because the child is unwanted or inconvenient. About 1 percent occur due to rape or incest and 6 percent due to health problems with the mother or child.

About six million women in the United States become pregnant every year, and I read that about half of these pregnancies are unintended. My parents told me that I was conceived by accident—as was our youngest son. He and I were the third born children to families planning only two children. However, I believe that each child born is a blessing in some way.

One of the reasons people disagree about the abortion issue is that no one seems to agree about when life begins in the womb. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling allows virtually unlimited abortions during the first three months of pregnancy, which gives one an idea of how the justice system feels about this issue.

There is much information available on pregnancy rates for teenagers and women in their early twenties, and a lot of statistics about abortion rates among various income groups, in which trimester abortions were performed. I consider these statistics to be only of passing interest. Each abortion involves a very personal decision on the part of the parties involved—a decision that can affect them for the rest of their lives. And the psychological effect that an abortion has on the woman having one cannot be overstated. It seems to me that raising a child is a lifelong commitment and is certainly not for everybody. Raising an unwanted child is that much more difficult, as is the decision to put a child up for adoption. These are painful, gut-wrenching decisions not to be taken lightly by anyone.

I think the abortion issue is settled law and extremely unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. With this in mind, perhaps the politicians can stay out of the matter and let us decide for ourselves what is best.

Reference:

Fast Facts: U.S. Abortion Statistics, June 17, 2003, http://www.foxnews.com/.

Press Political Bias

Do you think that the American press is truly neutral in its reporting? I don’t, and here is why:

One thing we tend to forget in America is just how much power the media has. If this were not so, advertisers would not spend millions of dollars each year to get their messages on TV, radio, and in print.

In theory, news media are supposed to report the news without bias and let the public draw their own conclusions. In practice, however, reporters have a great deal to say about what news is covered. And just watch the media interview a public figure. Watch a former news celebrity like Katie Couric, for example, interview Barack Obama and then Sarah Palin, and listen for the tone of the questions: Are they formulated to make the interviewee look good or bad? Are they tough or easy? What is the frequency and timing of the interruptions? Is the person interviewed given ample opportunity to elaborate on his/her answers and fully explain his/her positions? Is the person treated respectfully? Are there gotcha questions which make the person commit to a position he/she may be forced to defend later?

Then compare typically friendly media interviews of Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, or Nancy Pelosi with the interviews you could expect the media to conduct with Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, or Rush Limbaugh. Could these last three expect fair, neutral questions asked in a friendly, professional manner? Or would the press be looking for a hatchet-job interview similar to the one some feel that Katie Couric did on Sarah Palin?

The latest study by the Pew Research Center found the national media to be 34 percent liberal and 7 percent conservative.

Do the liberal views of journalists affect coverage? Is there really liberal bias? The answers are, of course, yes to both questions. If you doubt this, read the editorial section of the Investor’s Business Daily and then the coverage of the same issues in Newsweek magazine. They will probably be as different as night and day.

Surveys of journalists’ self-reported voting habits show them backing the Democratic candidate in every presidential election over the last forty-six years.

Gallup polls have consistently found that three times as many of the American public see the media as too liberal as see a media that is too conservative. And an American Journalism Review survey found that nearly two-thirds of the public disagreed with the statement The news media try to report the news without bias. And 42 percent of adults disagreed strongly.

The most centrist outlets proved to the the PBS Evening News Hour with Jim Lehrer, CNN’s News Night with Aaron Brown and ABC’s Good Morning America. ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC’s Nightly News were found to be left of center.

With the evidence of liberal dominance so overwhelming, a leading press critic is now calling for more ideological diversity in the media. Tom Rosenstiel, who helped design the Pew Poll and who runs the Project for Excellence in Journalism, says it’s necessary not to think just of diversity that makes newsrooms look like America, but also to create a press corps that thinks like America.

Experts believe that our press is not only left leaning now, but is likely to either remain so or to become even more liberal in the coming years. Part of the reason for this is the continuing media effort to hire more minorities and young single women. Many of these folks are segments of the population with the most liberal views.

American adults who want balanced reporting should get their news from a variety of sources rather than just one. We should be skeptical of media figures injecting many of their own opinions rather than just providing balanced, factual reports. We all should have a sense of our own truths rather than letting others form our opinions for us.

References:

Fred Barnes, Liberal Media Evidence, The Weekly Standard, May 28, 2004.

Meg Sullivan, Media Bias is Real Finds UCLA Political Scientist, UCLA Newsroom Report, December 14, 2005, http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/Media-Bias-Is-Real-Finds-UCLA-6664.aspx.

Media Bias Basics, http://www.mrc.org.

Fragile Families in America Today

The family is the backbone of American Society, yet both the traditional family and marriage are less common today. Let’s see why.

One only has to go back a couple of generations to see basic differences in past family structure and ours today. Although the life expectancies of our grandparents and great-grandparents were considerably lower, their marriages seem to have been much more stable—divorces were rare indeed. So were babies born out of wedlock—this situation was viewed by most as scandalous and shameful. Some of this attitude was due to the teachings of the church. And church attendance one hundred years ago was the norm—the church played a significant role in most people’s lives.

How things have changed over the years! The National Center for Health Statistics reports the following percentage of births to unmarried women in America:

1960–5.3%

1970–10.7%

1980–18.4%

1990–28.0%

2000–33.2%

2009–41.0%

An obvious consequence of births to unmarried women is single-parent families. One out of every two children today in the United States will live in a single-parent family at some time before they reach age eighteen. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2002 about twenty million children lived in a household with only one parent.

Single-parent families face special challenges, with income limitations one of the most serious. In 2002, twice as many single-parent families earned less than thirty thousand dollars per year than two-parent families. Health insurance coverage may also be lacking. Also, children in single-parent households are at risk for the following:

black.jpg Lower levels of educational achievement

black.jpg Twice as likely to drop out of school

black.jpg More likely to become teen parents

black.jpg More conflict with their parents

black.jpg Less adult supervision

black.jpg More likely to become truants

black.jpg More drug and alcohol abuse

black.jpg More high-risk sexual behavior

black.jpg More likely to join a gang

black.jpg Twice as likely to go to jail

black.jpg Four times more likely to need counseling for emotional and behavioral problems

black.jpg More likely to participate in violent crime

black.jpg More likely to commit suicide

black.jpg Twice as likely to get divorced in adulthood

It is widely recognized, both in the United States and elsewhere, that it is in the child’s best interest that both parents be involved. And the argument is sometimes made that the child’s biological father is often free to play a role in the child’s life, even if he and the child’s mother were unmarried at the time the child was born. But studies show that by the time the child is five, most of the fathers are gone. In one study, over 60 percent of the fathers either did not visit their children at all, no matter what the children’s ages, or had no contact with them for over a year.

Interestingly, in South Korea where social disapproval of unmarried mothers is strong, only 1.6 percent of births in 2007 were to unmarried women.

Single-parent families in the United States are not a new phenomenon. In 1965, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then a Labor Department official and later a prominent senator, sounded the alarm when unmarried births in the black community were nearing 24 percent. (The rate among white mothers was about 3 percent then.) But his report on the subject ignited a furor among liberals and civil rights leaders who charged him with racism—among other things. There is nothing like a charge of racism to stop a reasonable discussion in its tracks. And this problem nearly a half century later still does not get the attention that it deserves.

I would submit that strong family units are one of the foundations upon which our country is built. And it is apparent that single-parent families are inherently much weaker than the traditional family with mother and father together in the home. It also is apparent that males who father children, and then leave the mother to care for them, are setting a precedent of irresponsibility that may continue throughout their lives. These same men may father other children as well—leaving other mothers in the same predicament—creating broken families, financial problems, and kids who are forced to grow up without a male role model in the home. Women who engage in unprotected sex outside of marriage are obviously also part of this problem.

Who suffers for these violations of moral law and of the institution and laws of marriage? We all do. American society as a whole is weakened as our families are weakened. Our tradition of two-parent families which made our country strong is being cast aside as immorality runs rampant and unwed births soar. And this immorality seems to be tolerated, and sometimes even subtly encouraged by the American media. Since the church continues to condemn sex outside of marriage, the choice of many young people is simple—we’ll just ignore church teachings and not attend. And their children may do the same, perpetuating the problem.

Folks, this situation is not okay and the rising tide of unwed mothers should be condemned—not condoned. Please revisit the statistics presented above regarding children in single-parent families. Many of them point to troubled kids who get into trouble, presenting problems for themselves, their families, their communities, and society at large.

Nearly half of American fathers younger than forty-five say they have at least one child who was born out of wedlock. And the share of fathers not living with their children has doubled in recent years.

Parents’ roles are changing as traditional family households fall to historic lows.

Even some animal species mate for lives, so the adult male and female are present to rear their offspring. Why should the human race be any different? Why are so many Americans so self-centered and immoral? Why this pervasive disrespect of marriage as the basis for starting a family? In 2009, for the first time, the proportion of never-married Americans from ages twenty-five through thirty-four exceeded those who had been married.

There are no easy answers to reverse these trends. A good start, however, is to take steps to identify the father in all births and force him to take financial responsibility for his baby. No couple should be having children that they are financially unable to care for. And it is in all of our interests—including our leaders, teachers, the media, and others—to support the institution of marriage as previous generations of Americans have done.

References:

Editorial, Unwed Births Keep Climbing And the Kids Are Not All Right, USA Today, January 25, 2011.

Single Parent Families, http://Answers.com.

Surge in Dads With Kids Out of Wedlock, USA Today, June 16, 2011.

Pornography and Prostitution

in America

This is a report on one of the dark sides of American life—a look at the scope and consequences of pornography and prostitution in our country.

The USA in the twenty-first century has a largely unreported and seldom discussed problem—that of porn and prostitution—that seems to be more tolerated than ever, often with tragic results. As smut leaves the back alleys and slums and is transmitted into our hotel rooms and living rooms, mainstream America becomes part of this large and growing problem.

A CBS News 60 Minutes report of September 5, 2004 included a visit to the annual convention of adult entertainment companies that takes place in Las Vegas each year. This convention attracts more than two hundred companies. Fans come from all over the country, stand in line for hours, and pay forty dollars to get into what is essentially an X-rated trade show. The CBS investigation and interviews drew many disturbing conclusions.

Business in the pornographic industry totals about ten billion dollars each year and has never been better. The past twenty-five years have seen widespread acceptance of sexually explicit material. Americans now spend as much on adult entertainment as they spend attending professional sporting events, buying music, or going out to the movies. Mainstream American companies like General Motors, Marriott, and Time Warner now make millions of dollars selling erotica to America.

In 2004 there were about eight hundred million rentals of adult videotapes and DVDs in video stores across the country. The three leading adult entertainment companies in 2004 were VCA, Vivid Video, and Wicked Pictures.

The pornography industry employs over twelve thousand people in California alone. It has considerable economic clout and has a trade publication, marketing and legal seminars, and even its own lobbyist. Reputable companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange are involved, often indirectly, in the adult entertainment business.

In 2002, Comcast Cable Company pulled in fifty million dollars from adult programming. All the top cable operators—including Echo Star, Direct TV, Time Warner, and Cablevision—distribute sexually explicit material to their subscribers. The big hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn offer adult films on in-room pay-per-view television systems—and they are purchased by a whopping 50 percent of their guests. And because there is a social stigma attached to adult entertainment, a premium can be charged for it.

The epicenter of America’s porn industry is Chatsworth, California, a suburb north of Los Angeles. Tucked among the defense contractors and aerospace companies, there are dozens and dozens of adult film companies that make adult films and distribute them on video and DVD, selling them to hotels, cable companies, and internet customers.

As part of the 60-Minutes segment, their reporters attempted to talk to representatives of big mainstream corporations about their involvement in adult entertainment. As might be expected, no representatives were willing to talk to CBS. Apparently the large corporations