I just found this Washington Post article about The FBI finally joining the Bush administration’s War on Porn.

As Barton Gellman reported yesterday on page A21 of the paper,

“… the bureau’s Washington Field Office began recruiting for a new anti-obscenity squad. … The new squad will divert eight agents, a supervisor and assorted support staff to gather evidence against “manufacturers and purveyors” of pornography — not the kind exploiting children, but the kind that depicts, and is marketed to, consenting adults.”

It’s got a lot to do with attorney general Alberto Gonzales ambitions and his acceptability to Christian Conservatives and thus isn’t really interesting – the US has a history of obscenity vs. free speech conflicts, just ask Larry Flynt. But politically motivated initiatives like this seemed to have been out of fashion since the Reagan presidency. Clearly, the new top-priority unit consisting of 8+1 porn-fighters will keep America’s thriving porn industry from further subverting “family values”… although, the recruitment may turn out to be harder than expected, as an agent told the reporter – on condition of anonymity-

“Honestly, most of the guys would have to recuse themselves.’ …

I guess this means we’ve won the war on terror,’said one exasperated FBI agent, speaking on the condition of anonymity because poking fun at headquarters is not regarded as career-enhancing. ‘We must not need any more resources for espionage.’

Among friends and trusted colleagues, an experienced national security analyst said, ‘it’s a running joke for us.’

A few of the printable samples:

“Things I Don’t Want On My Resume, Volume Four.”

“I already gave at home.”

I suppose one of the perks coming with this job would be government sponsored tickets to the annual San Francisco Masturbate-a-thon.