On September 30, 2022 a couple were arrested at Cedar Point for charges of "public indecency" for engaging in a sexual act in public as they were waiting to enter a haunted house, the Fairground Freakshow. A 17-year girl waiting in line capture the incident on video.
Do such sexual acts cause harm to anyone? If not, should such actions be illegal?
On March 2, 2023 Bill Lee, Governor of Tennessee, signed a bill banning drag shows in public spaces, a law that more than likely will force drag shows to go underground in the state. Other states are also considering similar measures. In arguing for the justification for this law, State Rep. Jack Johnson, a Republican and co-sponsor of the bill claimed: "We're protecting kids and families and parents who want to be able to take their kids to public places. We're not attacking anyone or targeting anyone."
Is this law justified according to Mill's views -- or any other view we have examined? Examine at least one justification for legal coercion and argue whether this law is justified under that principle.
During a typical major sporting events on television, spectators are bombarded with ads from everything from trucks to bogus treatments for balding. Perhaps two of the most common advertisements are for alcohol, especially but not limited to beer, and sports gambling. Even if we assume that such activities, while potentially harmful to the participants, should remain legal, the question of the legality of advertizing these activities remains.
Is is morally permissible to profit from and indeed to entice habits and desires that can cause harm to those who participate in them? What would Mill say (at least what is at least one possible argument)? Does the fact that tobacco advertising is currently banned effect your moral judgment?
Three years ago (2022) Gov. DeWine signed Senate Bill 215 into law. The law permits anyone 21 years or older in Ohio to legally possess a handgun to be carried and concealed without a license or firearms training. The bill would also reduce penalties if a gun owner does not properly notify law enforcement that they have a firearm in their possession.
