There is no doubt that almost nobody in Indonesia openly agrees with pornography. However, it is doubtful that the current antipornography drive, starting with busts of roadside magazine vendors and their seductive tabloids, will eliminate what the police define as pornography.

Pornography-related issues have hit the headlines along with reports on the planned publication of a local version of world-renowned men's magazine Playboy.

The House of Representatives has been deliberating a new law on pornography, despite the fact that existing articles on pornography in the Criminal Code have yet to be properly enforced or implemented.

Pros and cons have colored the recent discourse on the issue, with the debate at times descending to the level of absurdity. A tug-of-war is taking place in the House over the new law on pornography. Some agree, some oppose and some are skeptical.

Experts, artists and many others have been summoned by the House to provide their insights on what constitutes pornography. the result, however, has been more absurdity. The "king" of dangdut, Rhoma Irama, used his 15 minutes on the House floor to criticize fellow dangdut singer Inul Daratista, for what he described as here overly erotic dance moves.

While our national lawmakers have not yet reached a consensus on a locally accepted definition of pornography, the police have listed at least 15 tabloids, newspapers and magazines as "racy publications", which they claim could erode the morality of the nation. Thus eliminating "pornography", according to the chairman of the House special committee drafting the pornography bill, is an exercise in character-building.

But all the newspaper sellers are concerned with is how to make ends meet. So why have they become the first targets of the police raids? Law enforcement institutions may say the magazine sellers are on the front line in the battle against porn.

There are newspapers that often run photos of female models in erotic, seductive poses in their Sunday editions. Some TV stations also have special adult programming with much sexual innuendo. But they remain untouched because, frankly, arresting magazine sellers is much simpler and less problematic than arresting the editors, publishers and producers behind the TV programs and publications.

There have been several cases of local films being heavily censored after being deemed obscene by the Film Censorship Institute, only to have the uncut films circulate widely on the Internet.

According to the draft bill on pornography, anyone broadcasting or printing footage, songs, poems, recordings or written materials that exploit sexual-related activities is subject a two-year jail term.

Whatever the reasons behind the recent pornography eradication efforts, many people enjoy reading racy publications. For married couples, adult tabloids or magazines may be necessary tools for maintaining their sexual life.

While people may feel obliged to pay lip service to the merits of the antipornography drive, there are no doubt some who are asking which is more dangerous to the morality of the nation: pornography or gratuitous violence.

Acts of violence take place almost daily across the archipelago. People can snap in an instant over trivial matters, becoming angry enough to kill or burn down a building. Violence often is the first choice for settling problems instead of dialog.

So, before things go further, more study is needed so we can move forward in a more realistic, practical and appropriate manner. In this way we can avoid becoming impractical idealists like Don Quixote.