Note: This comes from the recent HD8 Campaign, when the DPLC Vice-Chair referred darkly to a "controversial" internet marketing web page of mine, which indicated that they might well be planning to further smear me -- as if the smear in the OUTSPOKEN 7 days before the Primary weren't enough! Oy vey. The presumption that just because one is a 'pornographer' one MUST be the scum of the Earth is not, as you shall see, anything other than mindless prejudice.... - HW 

• SEE the Hart For House District 8 Website for details. 

If you're here, it's probably because you were referred here by an ugly whispering campaign. You're here to get the "dirt."

And that's a sad part of political life -- just witness the recent ex-Governor Neil Goldschmidt fiasco*. Except, doesn't that scandal du jour PROVE that sexuality is one of the areas of human endeavor MOST in need of reform? 

[*NB: Most of our "journalists" here in Lane County are so inexperienced that they criticized the OREGONIAN's coverage of the story for its ... HEADLINE!. The writing of headlines is almost always the responsibility of one of the most junior members of the Editorial staff. Thus, the headline may or may not have ANYTHING to do with the actual story -- it is a quick summary by an unseasoned staffer. This didn't stop the WEAKLY (sic) from lambasting the OREGONIAN in the most caustic terms for their use of the term "affair" instead of their preferred term, whatever that ended up as. Lesson: Never judge a book by its cover, and never critique a news story for its headline.]

Of a different approach? Of the serious attention of society, and not just a bunch of pious platitudes and disgustingly titillating "insights" into the behavior that's being decried in high moral dudgeon while at the same time, the "moral" writer or narrator betrays an indecent fascination with the subject at hand. 

THAT is really just a form of moral rubbernecking.

The reason that you could find me here is that I've never been ashamed of what I did. Most writers, actors and players in the world of pornography hide behind a bewildering profusion of noms de porn.

I did not. 

I consciously chose to use my real name so that -- were I ever taken to task for my work in this field -- I could say, honestly, "I never did anything that I was ashamed of, and that I am not ashamed of my behavior while I was there."

Because any fool can act moral in Sunday School. It is a different thing entirely to behave in an ethical fashion when you are in a business that seems outside of the usual norms of "morality" and "propriety."

So, I have written and created a bewildering variety of "erotic" art. Porn to some, eros to others, but in all cases, that which I refused to create in an exploitative, crude, debased and debauched manner. I have always attempted to honor the fundamental human dignity of the men and women of porn, and I have worked hard here to be a reformer.

I stood up for the rights of single, working mothers who worked in the business to buy their children food. I stood up to the writers who used their pseudonyms as license to write the ugliest, most horrific offal imaginable. I used my pen and whatever power I was given to advance the cause of women's rights, of a decent valuation of human sexuality, and I have done my best to create art that is loving and respectful, as opposed to degrading, dehumanizing and misogynistic.

The film that I wrote, produced, directed, animated, edited and scored was done as an attempt at an ETHICAL revolution within the porn industry, not merely a technical revolution. Thus far, the high minded have refused to watch it, and the low minded have refused to watch as well, for the same "moral" reasons: that it isn't "dirty."

Ladies and gentleman, THAT is reform. 

So, there you have it. The "dirt." 

You can't do any real reforming from a church pew. You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and occasionally get your hands dirty. But that doesn't mean that YOU are dirty. Whether you are "clean" or "dirty" is a matter of attitude, commitment and temperament.

I  welcome an honest inquiry into mine.

And, I think it only fitting that we look into that of my silent slanderers, the secret whisperers, the titillated and timorous who pointed you in this direction.

Why not take a look at my bio, and judge for yourself?

http://www.hartwilliams.com/hd8/bio.htm

Bests,

Hart Williams

ADDENDUM:

From: http://www.lukeisback.com/

May 14, 2002

Hart Williams' Run For Office

I've known Hart Williams since 1997. He's always struck me as upright, honest, and decent. I believe the man has integrity. He has been a great help to me over the years on many different levels, but principally with advice about writing, journalism and ethics.

He operates the website www.hartwilliams.com.

I believe he's long been a booster of John Kerry for president. He's now running for the lower house of the Oregon legislature.

Hart writes: "I'm ONLY in this race because the Union Thug in this election is being pushed using 93% outside funding, and by looting union dues to steal my House District for the Unions (of which his union, the Carpenters' pulled OUT of the AFLCIO in a hissy-fit, but gave him over $26,000 for his run, etc. etc. etc.) It's dirty, and I'm running against that."

The election is Tuesday.

Checking GOOGLE, this listing from Lukeford.com: "Friday, July 27th, 2001 ... Hart Williams Update. Hart Williams worked for all of Los Angeles's porn oriented magazine from 1977-87 when he moved to Oregon..."

Has moved from page 38 to page 2 on GOOGLE. What does this mean? It might mean that Hart's opponent (whose campaign is run by a Michael Grossman of Seattle, reputedly one of the dirtiest campaigners on the West Coast) is planning a "hit" on Hart, perhaps as soon as today.