Larry Flynt: California Hustle

August 7, 2003

Larry Flynt, publisher and soon to be candidate for governor of California wants everyone to know that he is a champion of free speech. He is also fond of slot machines and if elected to California’s highest office, he will solve the state’s budget woes by putting a slot machine on every corner. According to WorldNet Daily, “he hopes to expand gaming, private casinos and slot machines to raise enough revenue to wipe out the state's projected $38 billion deficit.”

He is also looking into the legalization of prostitution but it isn’t clear if that is to help the state of California or just some of Larry’s friends.

Larry believes that while he may be the American poster boy for sleaze; he openly portrays himself as a “smut peddler,” Californians will overlook his penchant for pornography. WorldNet Daily reports Larry as saying, ‘“California is the most progressive state in the union,’ Flynt told the Los Angeles Times. ‘I don't think anyone here will have a problem with a smut peddler as governor.’”

It appears that Larry wants Californians to believe that seeing a man who exploits and degrades women, while playing to the most prurient recesses of people’s psyche’s, as anything other than governor material is not “progressive.” In other words, Larry wants us all to believe it is politically correct to over look his shortcomings, if any.

Then Larry went a little further in his quest to reach the lowest nook in the sewer, he declared August 5, 2003, a “National Prayer Day,” for the death of FoxNews anchor Bill O’Reilly. That is correct. The publisher of Hustler Magazine, the champion of free speech and aspiring California Governor wants Bill O’Reilly dead and wants everyone to pray with him for that to happen.

While Larry also places a disclaimer on his prayer website saying it is just a parody; there is nothing funny about it. It is just plain sick, and if being “progressive” also entails a “wink” at such despicable behavior, the democrats are in even more trouble than just the obvious.

Advocating or even just tolerating that kind of conduct is wrong on so many levels it is difficult to find a starting point. Of course there is the obvious hypocrisy of Flynt claiming to champion free speech, and then his calling an event to pray for the death of someone to ensure that person can no longer say things Flynt finds disagreeable. But of course, Californians being such a “progressive” bunch will simply ignore a little thing like, lack of integrity, decency and honesty on the part of who they vote for to be governor of their state.

Then, there is the idea of detailing how Larry wants Bill O’Reilly to die. On his website Larry prays, “Dear (God/Allah/Buddha/other entity of your choice), we ask you to afflict Bill O'Reilly with a brain aneurysm that will lead to his slow and painful death. O’ Lord, may his blood vessels bulge out of his head and explode without mercy.” Larry goes on and on in graphic and quite heartless detail. Larry says that he planned the event long before he decided to run for governor and it is just a coincidence that his political career and his prayer for Bill O’Reilly’s death came out at about the same time. Well, Californians certainly can’t hold Larry accountable for the timing of the “events.” They were beyond his control. And besides, praying out loud for the death of someone because you don’t like their attitude or politics is the right of every American.

California is the home to a lot of interesting people. We have congresspersons who would no doubt feel more at home in the old Soviet Union and we have Hollywood celebrities who are ashamed of being American offstage while demanding Americans continue to bankroll the celebrities ability to badmouth America. Mostly though, Californians are a lot like everyone else in the country in spite of what the crazies in San Francisco and Malibu would like the rest of the country to think.

Unfortunately, people like Larry Flynt exist in a world that they create and are shielded from the reality of all that actually surrounds them. Californians just like the folks in Kansas or Montana will vote for someone they like and someone they trust. Generally speaking, we tend to like people we agree with and we tend to trust people unless we have a reason not to.

Larry doesn’t seem to understand that he loses on both counts. People in general are not about to like someone who has made a living doing what Larry does and/or who wishes and prays openly for the horrific detailed death of an otherwise innocent individual.

Larry also doesn’t seem to understand that if you portray yourself as a champion of free speech and call for the death of people who speak their mind in opposition to your views, you are someone who cannot be trusted.

Larry Flynt may be the darling of “progressive” Californians, but for the vast majority of Californians living in the here and now, Larry is persona non grata.

Paul Walfield