Episode Details

Pornography is often defended as private entertainment, but its effects reach far beyond the individual. In this episode, Joseph Backholm speaks with Caleb Pirc, general counsel and director of the Idaho Family Policy Center’s Legal Center, about how pornography damages families, discourages human flourishing, and erodes society. Caleb traces America’s obscenity laws from the founding era to the present and explains why existing laws are rarely enforced—even though many remain on the books. They also discuss legitimate First Amendment concerns, protecting children from obscene material, and the personal burden placed on those tasked with prosecuting these cases. Could enforcing the laws we already have help turn the tide?