typical berkeley. they disagree with us so let's drive them out of town. god forbid we should be exposed to more information and make our own decisions about life.

also, i could be way wrong, but isn't berkeley relatively lax when it comes to regulating "pornographic stores" compared to the rest of the country?
 

Well, in 1978 Berkeley passed an ordinance prohibiting 'adult oriented' businesses from locating within a certain distance from a church or residence. It effectively banned adult bookshops from Berkeley. Don't know if you'd consider that 'lax'.

About that time-or a bit after-groups of anti-pornography women would go on 'walking tours' of local stores that sold skin mags. I always assumed the true purpose was to shame/intimidate patrons and scare off business.

Funny story from back then...a woman named Zona Sage was some sort of big mucky-muck on the Berkeley rent board. One night she and a female companion visited Michael's Liquors on Solano in Albany (it's no longer there). The two of them informed the cashier that they were 'offended' by the prominent display of Playboys and Penthouses in the store. The cashier-being the eloquent sort who would usually work in a liquor store-replied by saying something like 'you would be, you stupid c--t.' Later that night Zona and the friend returned, and were caught spray-painting misspelled graffitti on the side of the store (Smash pornophy!) When ordered to surrender by police, Ms. Sage tried to flee. (An old high school buddy of mine was the arresting officer.) She appeared on the front page of the Berkeley Gazette wearing her best 'who, little 'ol me?' expression. What a hoot.
(Ms. Sage moved to Oakland, last I heard.)