Cleveland (CNN)The
Republican Party will declare internet pornography a "public health
crisis" under an amendment added to the draft party platform Monday at
preliminary meetings in Cleveland.
North
Carolina delegate Mary Frances Forrester successfully proposed the
amendment in a subcommittee of the platform committee Monday morning.
"The
internet must not become a safe haven for predators," the provision
states. "Pornography, with its harmful effects, especially on children,
has become a public health crisis that is destroying the life of
millions. We encourage states to continue to fight this public menace
and pledge our commitment to children's safety and well-being. We
applaud the social networking sites that bar sex offenders from
participation. We urge energetic prosecution of child pornography which
closely linked to human trafficking."
The amendment passed with little debate.
The
debates over the platform on Monday touched on a variety of topics,
from endangered species to medical marijuana to abortion and
international trade.
The
full committee continues its deliberations on the platform into Tuesday
and will send a full draft to the floor of the convention next week.
