The Free Speech Coalition Why You Should NEVER send them money

[mikesouth]

from mikesouth.com

This is important read it!



I make no bones about being disgusted with the Free Speech Coalition. This is due to a number of reasons, including fiscal mismanagement and questionable use of membership money in the past which seems to be every bit as true today.



Did I nearly forget to mention that FSC takes credit for everything while doing nothing? Well let?s give them some credit here, shall we?



The FSC has had 3 Executive Directors in 3 years, and at the end of 2008 recently issued its 2007 Annual Report. The report was created by FSC International, an unfortunate choice in names but apparently an unaffiliated company out of San Gabriel. While the exact cost of the 4 page report (including cover) is unclear, industry professionals estimate it to be between $12,000 and $18,000 for a whole lot of nothing.



According to the report, the FSC took in nearly $1 million ($968,245) in revenues and paid out 85% of that to a bunch of vaguely named expenses which smack of slush funding for personal pampering.



Take for example the $300,000 paid for ?Lobbying and alliance.? Their Washington D.C. lobbying firm The Raben Group (which has yet to do one God Damned thing except for take Executive Director Diane Duke around to some offices to make introductions), was paid a whopping $100,000 just on retainer. The FSC?s California lobbying firm Capital Alliance was paid $40,000 for the same year and they actually killed several pieces of legislation which attacked the industry.



Keep in mind that California is the single largest location for the nation?s adult entertainment industry. At the same time, California lawmakers have been attacking the industry with attempts to tax them out of existence, censoring material, excluding adult films from state grant money, prohibiting anyone under the age of 21 from performing nude, and more. But when the most important anti-piracy legislation came up, which would have protected the industry, the FSC did nothing.



On the federal level nothing has happened since 2257, and rumor has it that while the FSC is paying D.C. triple for doing nothing, it has lost the contract for its California lobbying firm and the FSC is ineligible for reconsideration. I?m just guessing but that usually means something really bad had to go down between them.



What happened to the remaining $160,000 that didn?t go towards lobbying? That was paid to some ?alliance? efforts, such as pampering the jetsetting FSC crew and putting them up at luxury hotels every time they had to visit D.C., Sacramento, or San Francisco. Add to that the $114,180 spent on ?Management and general? (a.k.a. staff retreats and luncheons) and we have at least 30% of their entire budget spent on nothing but fluff.



Then there is the payout of $114,180 for fundraising that brought in just $41,300 from fundraising events. Anyone who is willing to pay $2.50 to get $1 in return is stupid.





Another $144,269 is totally unaccounted for in the report. One thing is for sure, it isn?t going towards defending any of the industry leaders who are giving up their life?s saving in court to fight on behalf of all adult entertainers. The total amount spent by the FSC on legal issues was just $74,904?or less than 8% of the overall budget.



What was the total amount the FSC spent on things which provided absolutely no benefit to any of its members? About $700,000, or 2/3 of its entire budget.



No wonder the FSC membership numbers are in the toilet as people peel off and jump ship, because it is being driven into the ground by incompetence. The FSC should be disbanded at once and its management forever banished.

[Machete_]

I have contacted them a few times to ask exactly what they did with the money people send them and what cases they were working on and what progress had been made. I have never seen a reply.

NEVER

Same goes for the email I have send asacp.org

Those organisations exists only for their own sake, for companies to put a banner on their site that reads "we supported XXXXX"

[mikesouth]

now you know what they do with it....

[brand0n]

todays been a pretty good day on gfy

[pocketkangaroo]

The only time I hear about them in the news is when they are losing some case.

[Machete_]

Originally Posted by mikesouth

now you know what they do with it....

If you pay me $50 I will give you a banner that say "Bro certified"

[Loki]

/step onto soapbox...
//Begin Rant....

I remember a few years back I stood on my lil soapbox and screamed at the top of my lungs that the FSC was nothing more then a fear mongering SCAM, you all laughed at me, and some called me a sheep lol, I was right then hands down, and now the veil is lifting more and more and everyone else will know what I did back then.

I mean come on.. how much of a dult do you need to be to actually buy into their original claim....

"Become a member and you will be "safe" from 2257 litigations due to our injunction.... but remember, your only covered IF your a member.....oh and don't worry about your personal information the injunction paperwork will be SEALED, none of your names or companies will be none by the feds"

Umm... Err.... If the list is sealed... I'm protected?... an injunction for the ENTIRE industry that is only "valid" for one group???

Yeah... gotta love our industry lol

/End rant
//steps off soapbox and gets back to rendering

-Loki-

[Machete_]

Originally Posted by vdc-Loki

/step onto soapbox...
//Begin Rant....

I remember a few years back I stood on my lil soapbox and screamed at the top of my lungs that the FSC was nothing more then a fear mongering SCAM, you all laughed at me, and some called me a sheep lol, I was right then hands down, and now the veil is lifting more and more and everyone else will know what I did back then.

I mean come on.. how much of a dult do you need to be to actually buy into their original claim....

"Become a member and you will be "safe" from 2257 litigations due to our injunction.... but remember, your only covered IF your a member.....oh and don't worry about your personal information the injunction paperwork will be SEALED, none of your names or companies will be none by the feds"

Umm... Err.... If the list is sealed... I'm protected?... an injunction for the ENTIRE industry that is only "valid" for one group???

Yeah... gotta love our industry lol

/End rant
//steps off soapbox and gets back to rendering

-Loki-

I remember agreeing with you

[mikesouth]

I never laugherd at you I have been on the FSC for years to clean up their act I have posted expose after expose on the mismanagement over there and it falls on deaf ears...EXCEPT for the web people...we have better sense generally speaking.

[Profits of Doom]

The FSC doesn't just fail as it pertains to adult online. I once ran a company that had 20 adult stores that were each individually FSC members, one store which I'm sure that you are familiar with Mike since I believe you frequently go to Dayton, Ohio (although the store is now owned by Deja Vu).

The woman that owned the company also made some huge donations to the FSC over the years. When we started getting harassed by local law enforcement at several of our stores, mainly the store in Dayton, Ohio, we spent hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting them in court. When the city tried to shut us down for public indecency violations as a public nuisance, a tactic that cities all over the US are using to try and close adult businesses, we contacted the FSC for help and were denied. Of course when it came time to renew our memberships we still got the postcards in the mail, but we were done with them at that point...

[KillerK]

The money the companies paid let them sleep better at night, it was worth it i'm sure.

[SteveHardeman]

Hey Mikey. Nice article. Where do you find the time?

Curious, do you have a solution?

[mikesouth]

I do know that dayton store...and to steve...I have people who help me ;)

"two things I will never give up....Rock and roll and a source

[TheAmericanCannibal]

I believe IPORN will save the FSC.
LOL

After they anounce they bought AVN in January.
Mike do u still not believe that is happening?

[mikesouth]

KB you crack me up dude

now if you =say they bought avn online I might buy it

if you say they bought avn magazine I dont buy it

If you say they bought the tradeshow and or the awards maybe on the tradeshow no on the awards
if you say they bought it all I dont buy it

[pornlaw]

Originally Posted by mikesouth

KB you crack me up dude

now if you =say they bought avn online I might buy it

if you say they bought avn magazine I dont buy it

If you say they bought the tradeshow and or the awards maybe on the tradeshow no on the awards
if you say they bought it all I dont buy it

Hey Mike you may want to stay by your computer Jan 8-11 for the announcement or perhaps get a better source at AVN. The staffers dont even know whats going on in their own company.

Listen to KB on this one....

[DWB]

Originally Posted by pornlaw

Hey Mike you may want to stay by your computer Jan 8-11 for the announcement or perhaps get a better source at AVN. The staffers dont even know whats going on in their own company.

Listen to KB on this one....

Interesting.

This thread is worthy of a bump.

[mikesouth]

Michael Your take on this interests me greatly

interesting indeed.

[pocketkangaroo]

I think if you are going to donate money to a legal fund, do it for the ACLU. They are the only group that has actively fought for the industry and won on a consistent basis. I'm actually surprised at how little recognition they get here.

[jmcb420]

Those are some pretty frightful numbers. I really am not surprised though. Any "organization" that sounds to good to be true........you know.

And I will echo ebus dk in saying that I to have written them and asked pretty much the same questions. I like to know what I'm paying for before I send you the check. All i've ever received in return was a shit load of unwanted "do you care about freedom, send us your cash" shit. So they at least send unwanted mail in return.

Thanks for the heads up. I had my own thoughts on fsc's business model and I wasn't to way off the mark. I figured it was gonna be around 20-30 percent to the legal shit. To bad even the people with our interests in mind are also out for their own. Fuckers.

I have supported NORML for years, thats a decent group. Use to support the American Cancer Society but they are shadey as all hell once you start asking real questions.
What a shitty day its been.

[Bill8]

Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo

I think if you are going to donate money to a legal fund, do it for the ACLU. They are the only group that has actively fought for the industry and won on a consistent basis.

I gave to both - but it does sound like the ACLU might be the better bet.

And definitely sounds like not giving any more to FSC might be the way to go.

[mikesouth]

Originally Posted by Bill8

I gave to both - but it does sound like the ACLU might be the better bet.

And definitely sounds like not giving any more to FSC might be the way to go.

aclu is a MUCH better choice


fsc has been nothing but a money hole since i can remember.

[mikesouth]

the sad thing is there are some good people associated with the fsc dave cummings, even mark kernes but I am afraid they have been led astray

The FSC has always had problems with financial accountability and top level management and they still do. It needs to be disbanded , the name is synonymous with ineptitude.

[uno]

Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo

I think if you are going to donate money to a legal fund, do it for the ACLU. They are the only group that has actively fought for the industry and won on a consistent basis. I'm actually surprised at how little recognition they get here.

It's cause people love to hate on the ACLU.

[slavdogg]

donate to EFF, much better than ACLU.
www.eff.org/

[slavdogg]

ACLU did SHIT when it came to new 2257 laws

EFF at the very least put their foot down and made their opinion known
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2005/06...t-porn-problem
http://ilt.eff.org/index.php/2257_Re...g_Requirements
http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/lg/faq-adult.php

[davecummings]

I've gone to Sacramento on just about all of their Lobbying Days (seems like for the last 8-9 years, at least). Although Wicked films and/or DejaVu and others have sponsored some of the attendee past breakfasts and cocktail events for Legislators and their staffers, we attendees appreciate FSC and pay our own "jetting"/air fares, Super Shuttles, hotel bill, dinner/lunch, airport parking fee, etc.

I wish Mike South would run for the Board of Directors, and see the real situation, and assist FSC rather than bad-mouthing them so much.

Other than this post, I will not be drawn into this thread any further; I support Diane Duke (last year's XBIZ "Woman of the Year") and FSC.

[Redrob]

I support the FSC and proud to do so.

I appreciate their efforts as the Board consists entirely of unpaid industry volunteers.

Their hearts are in the right place.

I'm proud to fly their sig, make donations and support their efforts.

Haters with no real alternatives do nobody any good.

EMA, EFF, ACLU and many other First Amendment groups and trade associations are fine organizations; but, their agendas are not always in sync with what is best for the Adult Entertainment Industry as they are focused on different interest groups.

Be smart with your time and funds and do what you think is best for you.

Just don't do nothing but whine..

The truth is some people beat up on the FSC because they are too cheap and lazy to donate time or money and want to justify their lack support.

Given the legal climate, 2257 Regs, FCC Regs, state laws, etc., in the USA, we will all either fly together or perish together......

Sad; but, true.

[After Shock Media]

[Socks]

Originally Posted by Redrob

I support the FSC and proud to do so.

I appreciate their efforts as the Board consists entirely of unpaid industry volunteers.

Their hearts are in the right place.

I'm proud to fly their sig, make donations and support their efforts.

Haters with no real alternatives do nobody any good.

EMA, EFF, ACLU and many other First Amendment groups and trade associations are fine organizations; but, their agendas are not always in sync with what is best for the Adult Entertainment Industry as they are focused on different interest groups.

Be smart with your time and funds and do what you think is best for you.

Just don't do nothing but whine..

The truth is some people beat up on the FSC because they are too cheap and lazy to donate time or money and want to justify their lack support.

Given the legal climate, 2257 Regs, FCC Regs, state laws, etc., in the USA, we will all either fly together or perish together......

Sad; but, true.

I guess you missed the post? You sound like a politician.. You probably are one.

You didn't even refute any of his points, or make an argument really.

Your sig says FSC in it.. Twice..

Gee, I can take your opinion straight to the bank huh?

[Profits of Doom]

Originally Posted by Redrob

I support the FSC and proud to do so.

I appreciate their efforts as the Board consists entirely of unpaid industry volunteers.

Their hearts are in the right place.

I'm proud to fly their sig, make donations and support their efforts.

Haters with no real alternatives do nobody any good.

EMA, EFF, ACLU and many other First Amendment groups and trade associations are fine organizations; but, their agendas are not always in sync with what is best for the Adult Entertainment Industry as they are focused on different interest groups.

Be smart with your time and funds and do what you think is best for you.

Just don't do nothing but whine..

The truth is some people beat up on the FSC because they are too cheap and lazy to donate time or money and want to justify their lack support.

Given the legal climate, 2257 Regs, FCC Regs, state laws, etc., in the USA, we will all either fly together or perish together......

Sad; but, true.

Right, I'm just a hater. Never mind the fact the our stores donated tens of thousands of dollars to the FSC, and the owner was not only nominated for several FSC awards over the years, she also served on the board. Of course when we needed them, they were nowhere to be found. But you're right, I'm just a hater that wants to justify my lack of support. Riiiggghhhttt...

[Redrob]

Your boss sounds like a wonderful person. I probably know her.

Unless an obscentiy/zoning case has national implications, the FSC does not have the funds to get involved with local cases beyond filing a possible amicus brief. There are just too many.

But, the questions remains.....What have YOU done?

[Profits of Doom]

Originally Posted by Redrob

Your boss sounds like a wonderful person. I probably know her.

Unless an obscentiy/zoning case has national implications, the FSC does not have the funds to get involved with local cases beyond filing a possible amicus brief. There are just too many.

But, the questions remains.....What have YOU done?

Public nuisance laws do have national implications, as that is the underhanded way most local communities are going after adult businesses. Shit, Louis Sirkin was our attorney when we were fighting the charges, and he personally lobbied the FSC to get involved, and we couldn't even get them to consider it.

As for what I did, I donated tons of money and time to the FSC. I have also personally sat in a jail cell on numerous occasions for the adult industry. Can you say the same?

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Redrob

Your boss sounds like a wonderful person. I probably know her.

Unless an obscentiy/zoning case has national implications, the FSC does not have the funds to get involved with local cases beyond filing a possible amicus brief. There are just too many.

But, the questions remains.....What have YOU done?

What are your thoughts on the mismanagement of funds? I believe that is the topic here. How little of the donations are going to actual cases. They spent only $74,000 of a million on legal fees. Seems a tad pointless if you ask me.

And the ACLU wins cases, something the FSC hasn't done in a long time. There have been a lot of high profile obscenity cases in recent years. How many more millions does the FSC need to take one on and actually win it for a change?

[Redrob]

Raised money for Chris Wilson, donated significant bucks for Extreme Associate's appeal to Supreme Court, put up at least $10K to kill toy laws in Texas, founding member of first amendment group in Texas that has raised over $2mil to fight censorship and so much more. Thirty five plus years in the adult business in Texas.

[andy83]

bump for intersting thread

[Redrob]

When considering the relative low amount spent on legal expenses this last year, the FSC gets a huge bang for its buck.

First, many attorneys donate their time or discount their cost of services to the FSC because they know the publicity they get from the cases will be significant.

Moreover, during the past year, the industry has been in a lull awaiting the new 2257 regs. Therefore, legal expenses have been lower than in past years when they were fighting the 2257s, XXX-tld, and the Utah/Michigan Canspam Acts.

When the new regs are published, I'm confident that the FSC will take appropriate action and we will again see an increase in legal expenses.

The goal has always been longterm: to win the war on censorship at the national level.

[Redrob]

The funds may not be spent as you would like them to be spent; but, that does not constitute mismanagement.

As I recall, the Board determines how the funds are to be spent and reviews the budget that is proposed by the ED and financials that are prepared by an independent outside accounting firm. The Board then makes any changes in its' priorities in the proposed budget it feels are appropriate.

If you want to change how the money is spent, I suggest that you run for the Board.

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by Redrob

When considering the relative low amount spent on legal expenses this last year, the FSC gets a huge bang for its buck.

First, many attorneys donate their time or discount their cost of services to the FSC because they know the publicity they get from the cases will be significant.

Moreover, during the past year, the industry has been in a lull awaiting the new 2257 regs. Therefore, legal expenses have been lower than in past years when they were fighting the 2257s, XXX-tld, and the Utah/Michigan Canspam Acts.

When the new regs are published, I'm confident that the FSC will take appropriate action and we will again see an increase in legal expenses.

The goal has always been longterm: to win the war on censorship at the national level.

What have they accomplished in the last couple years?

Why are they going after piracy?

I don't want to run for any board. I'll just send my money to groups that take on free speech cases and win them.

[V_RocKs]

Well...

$100,000 for lobbying is nothing really. Not for an industry that has a gross revenues in the billions... Most other industries with our revenues pay upwards of the 10's to 100's of millions to get their voices heard.

We are all too busy with hookers and coca.... I gotta go, my hooker just showed up with some blow.

bbl

[Redrob]

Why are they going after piracy?

Because piracy is a threat to content producers; and, without content, we are all out of business.

Where you send your money is your business.

I respect anybody that reflects on a situation, takes positive action and puts their time and money where they believe it will do the best for our industry.

After all, we are all entitled to our opinions as to what course of action is best.

[mikesouth]

Ok lets separate the wheat from the chaff here

they are going after piracy because it sounds good, but are they really going after piracy? The answer is no What have they done to stop Pirate Bay or any tube site or any other form of piracy? The answer is nothing.

They crow about 2257 but truth is it was Rondee Kamins who got 2257 overturned with her own money and the FSC didnt so much as file an amicus brief.

When you ask them where the money has gone you get one of two answers...the infamous we spend it protecting the industry or if you were a member we'd tell you. Both are lies. i was a member and they wouldn't tell me and I'm not the only one. And they can never come up with anything substantive that they have accomplished.

Me run for the board of directors? Fat chance because the first thing I would do is dissolve it. Its name is synonymous with waste and ineptitude and the damage has been done over so long a period of time that it could never be undone.

They say all the board members are volunteers but I know that to be bullshit, at least at the Executive Director level. I know the salaries of a few former members, I have also seen expense reports that included ten dollar a day room service tips in Sacramento.

The FSC has been little more than a hole for the industry to dump money into, where it goes is anyones guess, they love to tell you where it didn't go, or at least where they claim it didn't go. So I get this email that was from someone inside the FSC who would be in a position to know these things and yes I believe this person.

You should too.

Our industry needs a good organization and Dave Cummings and Mark kernes would both be valuable members but it has to be an organization with vision, leadership, objectives and dedication. the FSC is NOT that organization.

[Redrob]

Mike,

The Executive Director is not a member of the Board and doesn't vote on agenda items.

Over the past 6 years, I have known Bill Lyon, Kat Sunlove, Michelle Freridge and Diane Duke as EDs of the FSC. I can truthfully say that I feel there has been an improvement over time in the abilities of the ED to move the FSC forward.

Need copies from the business center, spill something on your pants and need them cleaned now, or need help hauling a load of documents to the car for a hundred congressmen. Depending on what you have room service doing for you, a ten dollar tip is chump change. There is no scandal here.

I should believe you because you received an email from some anonymous "insider" who was in the know......but, is yet to be revealled. (Deep Throat, maybe ).

You are entitled to your opinion. Have a pleasant morning.

[Fletch XXX]

wherver there is a carcass there will be buzzards

[pornlaw]

Why do people in this industry believe that if they donate to the FSC that their donations should be their own private "legal fund ?"

In any other industry, corporations financially support the trade industry group that represents their interests AND they hire their own lawyers to handle their own legal problems.

The FSC is not in existence to provide a defense to every adult company that gets into trouble nor should they. Each company has to take responsibility for themselves and actually provide for their own defense.

The FSC will step up and file amicus curiae briefs when necessary on behalf of the industry as a whole. Its myopic to think that "hey I gave $50,000 to the FSC this year, they will keep that money for me in case I need to get a lawyer."

Since Mike is so well versed on this.... please tell me what other industry's trade groups do for their members and how much they spend on various items ???

You cannot claim fiscal mismanagement without knowing what the budget is for an equally situated industry and their trade group. Please provide some facts in comparison before you make unsubstantiated claims. And please don't use a trade group like the NRA that is 10x the size of the FSC. Compare apples to apples.

[dev777]

Good post! Thanks. I almost sent them a shitload lol.

[digifan]

I cannot even trust charities nowadays...

[SmokeyTheBear]

Originally Posted by pornlaw

You cannot claim fiscal mismanagement without knowing what the budget is for an equally situated industry and their trade group.

so if they spent 20 million on heated mittens it isn't mismanagement unless an equally situated industry group spends more for their mitten warmers ?

[pornlaw]

Originally Posted by SmokeyTheBear

so if they spent 20 million on heated mittens it isn't mismanagement unless an equally situated industry group spends more for their mitten warmers ?

Good one.... but they didnt spend $20 million on heated mittens. Nice try though.

Perhaps we will try this one....

What did another trade association that represents a $10 billion a year industry spend on lobbying last year ?

[mikesouth]

Im not camparing the FSC to any other entity Im comparing the FSC to the FSC and its an epic FAIL.


Time and time again its asked where the money goes, they never answer, time and time again they are asked to list what they have accomplished, they never answer

The FSC didnt get this rep just because I said the are irresponsible, bloated and worthless, trust me I dont carry that much weight. They got this rep because they have EARNED it.

Have they done the right thing a few times, yes, at least they have been on the right side of things although in the case of .XXX it took a strong stance from Bill Lyon to keep them from selling out to ICMRegistry.

The FSC has earned this reputation over the years so this year as a PR move they have this fluffed up accounting done which say nothing except that they spend 2.50 in fundraising for every dollar they raise. Ya you heard that right the spend 2.50 to get 1.00 YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG! IDIOTS!