Gravy biscuits, good ice and the things we’re most thankful for
From The Sacramento Bee
ith the blessing of major internet firms, congressional legislation aimed at curbing online pimping and human trafficking, particularly of children, could be headed for a vote soon in the U.S. Senate. Or not, unfortunately.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is blocking a vote on the bill, contending it could harm tech startups, and the influential Electronic Frontier Foundation condemned the measure as limiting the right to free speech, particularly of smaller companies.
But when online sites traffic in prostitution, including with minors, that is not protected by the First Amendment. If the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, S. 1693, must be fixed, senators should do so. But they should act. The problem isn’t going away.
In May, Stockton, Calif., police arrested more than 20 people in a human trafficking scheme that involved eight girls between the ages of 14 and 17, apparently involving Backpage.com. Earlier, a Chicago man was arrested after using Backpage to shop a 16-year-old girl who was murdered. Deputy California Attorney General Maggie Krell has said most trafficking cases now involve websites. As the law now stands, federal prosecutors could bring charges against online companies that profit from sexual exploitation, but rarely do. The proposal would make clear that state and local prosecutors could bring criminal charges, so long as they can prove online sites intentionally profit from illicit activities. We see no reason why feds should have exclusive jurisdiction.
The issue stems in no small part from a criminal case brought by Sen. Kamala Harris when she was attorney general. It was pursued by her successor, Xavier Becerra, against Backpage. com’s owners in Sacramento Superior Court.
The state accused Backpage’s owners of money laundering and, initially, of conspiracy to commit pimping. Victims included minors. Backpage’s attorneys contend they are immune from prosecution under the Communications Decency Act, a statute signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996. That was two years before Google’s creation; Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was 12. The 1996 act was intended to shield children from internet porn, though the U.S. Supreme Court struck down parts of it on First Amendment grounds. In the decades since, when state and local prosecutors have pursued online publications that carry ads for prostitutes, courts have intervened.
So it happened in August, when Superior Court Judge Lawrence Brown, presiding over the Backpage case, dismissed pimping charges. Immunity bestowed by Congress on internet platforms extended even to human trafficking, he concluded. Brown did allow prosecutors to pursue money laundering charges. The case is pending. As the online publication Axios noted, major internet companies had fought the Senate bill, arguing they were mere platforms and could not be responsible for the materials posted on their sites. Then last week, the Internet Association, which represents Silicon Valley giants Google, Facebook and Twitter, agreed to a compromise to what already looks to be narrow legislation.
The announcement came after members of the House and Senate, including California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Harris, pilloried the companies for selling ads to Russians during the 2016 presidential election. By supporting anti-sextrafficking legislation, the social media behemoths could show themselves to be socially responsible.
“This is not a Republican or Democratic issue,” Becerra told the U.S. Senate in September. “This is an issue of justice, and ensuring that our nation’s top cops — my fellow attorneys general across the country — are able to enforce the law.”
We understand the importance of the First Amendment. We also know the First Amendment should not be used as a shield to prevent honest prosecutions of people who profit from the exploitation of kids.
Thanksgiving is a couple days away and as my family prepares for another year of gathering around the table to share what will undoubtedly be an eventful meal, I reflect on some of the things I have to be thankful for.
And also some of the things we in Rome and Floyd County can be thankful for.
As far as the family festivities go, Neeve “won” hosting privileges for Thanksgiving this year. Normally she and her sister Kook fight over who gets to have everyone over. When someone on Facebook asked “little sister” (Neeve) had “won” this year, her response was thus:
“Only because the big sister will be in the middle of decorating for Christmas. She basically threw me a bone.”
I suspect that Kook letting Neeve have Thanksgiving is a roundabout way of setting Neeve up for failure. Hear me out. Thanksgiving is more about the food and the coming together than anything else. So, by letting Neeve have the more subdued holiday, Kook gives herself more time to get her house beautifully decorated for Christmas so that when she hosts Christmas (she will, since Neeve “won” Thanksgiving) then everyone will be awed by all Kook’s stunning Christmas decor. They’ll be amazed at her hosting skills, all the great food AND the overall excitement of the holiday. Then everyone will agree (behind Neeve’s back) that Kook is the better host.
I’ll hand it to Kook. She knows how to play the game. She’s graciously allowing Neeve to host Thanksgiving knowing full well that Christmas is the more glamorous holiday and will be her time to outshine her younger sister. How devious.
For their constant love and support to the whole family and for always opening their wonderful, warm homes to everyone, I am thankful for Neeve and Kook.
Anyhow, being the meticulous planner she is, Neeve sent out food assignments early — via text message — to the entire family. Cousin Pam won’t be able to make it this year but was sure to say that she’ll be sending a big cooler of the “good ice” I enjoy so much. So that’s one thing I’ll be very thankful for.
Cousin Traci responded with: “I will bring Mac and Cheese, deviled eggs and a desert if needed.”
Since the sweet treat after a meal is spelled DESSERT, I quickly responded with “A desert? Like the Sahara? Sounds like a lot of trouble.”
Freda, Traci’s sister, said she’d bring the turkey and gravy.
Now Freda makes the most perfectly moist and delectable turkey while Traci makes a strawberry DESSERT that would bring a grown man to his knees, it’s so good. So, for these two ladies I am very, very thankful.
Terra is making her delectable smashed sweet potatoes with apples on top and Kook said she’d bring slaw and “something else.”
The family’s matriarchs, sisters Zoodie and Billie Sue (and her husband Frank), will be there and we’re always thankful for them.
Julie will hopefully make her Million Dollar Pie and her husband Barton will try his best to be social for exactly 7 minutes before he withdraws from all human interaction for the rest of the day. I am thankful for all these people. Lindsey (Kook’s daughter) and I are responsible for supplying a big ol’ ham. She’s a nurse and will be working on Thanksgiving so I’m picking up the ham from Honeybaked Ham here in Rome and taking it to Neeve’s in Rockmart.
Did you know you can just go online and reserve a ham from Honeybaked Ham and pick it up the day before Thanksgiving? You just get on there and choose the type you want (bone in or bone out), the size you want and the day you wanna pick it up. No waiting in a long line or fighting over the perfect ham with another customer. Yet another thing to be thankful for.
And when we do gather together at Neeve’s house, we will be especially mindful that we should give thanks for each other. Despite illness and distance and all the other things that can keep us apart, we will be together.
And may I say that there are many Rome residents who will say a special “Thank You” this year since we recently learned that The Gravy Boat will be reopening. The owners took to social media recently to announce that they’ll be opening mid-December at their Dean Street location. My heart and belly are thankful for their warm and delicious gravy biscuit. SEVERO AVILA Jim Powell of Young Harris