Commonsense Tennessee Law Protecting Children is Upheld

Tennessee’s “Adult Entertainment Act” (SB3) has been upheld by a three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, a win for parents, children and anyone concerned about the corruption of young hearts and minds.

The federal appeals court ruling was issued this past Thursday.

The commonsense legislation, signed into law in March of 2023, prohibits minors from attending “adult cabaret entertainment,” which might include “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers,” or “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest.”

Translation: Drag shows.

Never mind there’s nothing “entertaining” about men dressing up as women and acting in a perverted way – but the bill was immediately met with accusations of censorship and unfounded claims that it violated free speech.

It did no such thing. To be clear, the bill didn’t ban the shows – but prohibited performances of that nature that “could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”

Violators of the law face up to six years behind bars.

A “LGBT” theater company in Georgia filed suit last year. This blocked the law and elicited last week’s ruling. In deciding in the Volunteer State’s favor, judges said the group lacked standing and failed to show why minors needed to see such perversion.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti praised the ruling:

“Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act has been consistently misrepresented since its adoption,” Skrmetti wrote. “As a state overflowing with world-class artists and musicians, Tennessee respects the right to free expression. But as the Court noted, Tennessee’s ‘harmful to minors’ standard is constitutionally sound and Tennessee can absolutely prohibit the exhibition of obscene material to children.”

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who co-sponsored the legislation with Rep. Chris Todd, also praised the decision and defended the “controversial” act.

“This bill gives confidence to parents that they can take their kids to a public or private show and will not be blindsided by a sexualized performance,” he stated. “I believe we have a duty to protect our kids. I’m proud to be a proven and committed defender of all children across Tennessee.”

Last week’s court decision exposed the true motivations of those who don’t like Tennessee’s new law.

Objections weren’t really about free speech – they were centered on the desire to normalize deviancy and perversion in the minds of young people. Why else is it so important to legalize drag and other sexually explicit shows before children?

Progressives who try and portray Jesus as an exclusively meek and mild character would be at a loss to explain His own words in Matthew’s Gospel. Calling a child into the middle of a group of His gathered disciples, Jesus stated:

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

The 6th Circuit decision is likely to be appealed again, but for now Tennessee’s commonsense law stands – a posture and position those who intend to harm children, per the Lord, will never enjoy.

 

Image from Getty.

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