Because few Alabamans are smart enough to lock the bedroom door. (Or at least it looks that way, if you take the legislature as a sample.)

speedwell: “By the side of the Interstate”? Hmm, when I lived in Atlanta, the adult toy store we went to was in Buckhead… um, I mean, of course the fine, upstanding people of Atlanta would never put up with such a shocking thing….

Hey, I remember that one. There was another at the top of my street in the Highlands.

ArthurKirkland: For a child in Alabama, the quality of available toys seems low on the list of obstacles to be overcome.

But as long as they cannot read…toys seem a reasonable concern. :-) (‘pologies, ‘Bamans)

What is the position of Alabama’s senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions?

Reverse missionary.

Touch of humor there (here).

You mean like how I have to put up with churches on our streets?

Besides, you need a place where all the fine upstanding citizens of Atlanta can go on the down low, so to speak.

wm13: It’s so typical of the staff of Reason that they get really upset about the “right” to use vibrators, while evincing no interest in grown up topics like taxes, regulation, etc.Is there a libertarian with a mental age over 15?Because I haven’t met him or her.

Ad hominem much? Nothing to see here folks, just the government trying to regulate masturbatory aids, you know those crazy Libertarians, always up in arms about their pot and porn. If you tab over to Reason right this moment, the top articles (in order) are: Second Amendment, Health Care, Due Process (terrorism suspects), National Economics and Afghanistan. This is a humorous monthly bit provided by Reason.tv, and yes, it is relevant and interesting, and the subject matter is titillating, so viola! perfect for a one-minute teaser. It’s funny because it is so infantile. What is worse? The fact that a somber, august body of southern governmental types took the time to worry about this, or that some Libertarians called them on it? Now I agree the legislature should be the real target, but the whole point of this is to reveal the sheer pettiness of government. They want to regulate EVERYTHING, from your snacks to your pets to your *ahem* personal massager. The point is that if the rest of the laws are followed, why isn’t an adult allowed to ask for what they really want, instead of playing some sort of advertising innuendo game?

Joe Kowalski: This is why in many mail catalogues, there are long, tube shaped “Neck Massagers” being advertised as such with an attractive woman pictured using the device on her neck. Now if the buyer uses it on other parts of his or her body, that’s the buyer’s problem.

Is there anything more blatantly obvious than the fingertip massager?

wm13: Is there a libertarian with a mental age over 15? Because I haven’t met him or her.

You meet us all the time, you just don’t recognize us when we’re agreeing with so-called conservatives or so-called liberals. Or maybe it’s because you only read the stuff about pr0n and the like.

“‘any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.’”

What if it’s secondarily useful for the stimulation of, etc.–like an electric toothbrush (don’t laugh, I read it on the internets)? Would that be something like a lesser included device?

Brian

Pyrrho: “‘any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.’”Hmm…”human genital organs”?So Alabama doesn’t have a problem with animal sex toys?

It would be pretty hilarious if the legislature omitted the word “human” and the result was that collecting horse semen for sale to breeders was prohibited.

Pyrrho: “‘any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.’”Hmm…”human genital organs”?So Alabama doesn’t have a problem with animal sex toys?

Crikey. So many jokes, so little time.

Hmm…”human genital organs”? So Alabama doesn’t have a problem with animal sex toys?

wm13: It’s so typical of the staff of Reason that they get really upset about the “right” to use vibrators, while evincing no interest in grown up topics like taxes, regulation, etc.Is there a libertarian with a mental age over 15?Because I haven’t met him or her.

We’re avoiding you.

It’s a silly law of course, but then the state didn’t get its nickname “Talabama” by accident.

ArthurKirkland: Anybody adult still residing in Alabama can blame only himself.For the children, there is pity and hope of eventual escape.

Sure, Arthur, but by the time they are no longer kids, they will be so far behind in toys.

I don’t think anyone can say for sure until the Vitter/Spitzer/Sanford/Pickering/Edwards/Ensign-style revelations occur.

For the children, there is pity and hope of eventual escape.

Daniel Chapman:

If malvolio is correct (and I think he is), this law seems perfectly reasonable. People can do what they like in their homes, but the people of Atlanta don’t have to put up with sex toy shops on the side of the interstate.

That may be the final outcome, but a, um, personal experience yesterday indicated that at least until the court rules, mail order/internet sex toy sellers aren’t selling to Alabamans. In general, businesses don’t want to put themselves out as test cases for a criminal law–with respect to any law, not just this one.

Malvolio: If Stanley v. Georgia still applies (I believe it does) and mail-order is protected under the Commerce Clause (which I am almost certain of), then no Georgian with a credit card and a mailbox need go with the devices he or she feels he needs.

The problem isn’t in Georgia, it’s in Alabama. And Mark B‘s “adjunctive” work-around solution is a great one!