# What am I not allowed to read in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409 "2010-06-08T11:24:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/21 "2010-06-08T16:23:08Z")
With the exception of child pornography (and some classified documents) I can think of no book or article that would be illegal to have. That’s one of the great freedoms we have in the U.S. And there are some volumes out there, let me tell you. Books like [Successful Armed Robbery](http://www.loompanics.com/CrimeScience/crime_book21.htm), how to [kill someone](http://mirror.die.net/hitman/cover.gif), how to rip off a drug dealer, etc., etc., etc… Here in Wisconsin we have a [guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Fester_%28author%29) who rights books on poisons and instructions on how to make illegal drugs in your kitchen. Mere possession of any of these books is absolutely protected by our Bill of Rights. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/22 "2010-06-08T16:34:34Z")
**What am I not allowed to read in the US?** Anything folded over the steering wheel while you’re driving. ---
**Author:** ![Qwakkeddup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/23 "2010-06-08T16:53:00Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > **What am I not allowed to read in the US?** > > Anything folded over the steering wheel while you’re driving. Or on the cell phone in some jurisdictions! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/24 "2010-06-08T17:29:56Z")
**Do not read this post, under penalty of law.** ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/25 "2010-06-08T17:36:57Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > I know CGI and cartoon kiddy porn is treated the same as actually kiddy porn In the US, that was true with the [Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Pornography_Prevention_Act_of_1996), but it was overturned several years later. So for now, cartoon/computer-generated stuff of that nature is still legal for the average US citizen. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/26 "2010-06-08T19:33:16Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Not true. You can still have Cuban cigars as long as they were bought before the embargo. Actually you can still bring up to 2 boxes into the country on any trip overseas – whether or not Cuba was on the itinerary. The duty-free shops in Mexico do big business on Cuban cigars coming into the US with tourists. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/27 "2010-06-08T19:36:14Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Child porn stories can be found all over the net. There have been many print book with children as sexual partners. They are entirely legal. The child pornography laws prohibit the depiction of real children in sexualized situations. “Depiction,” “real,” and “sexualized” sometimes get misused by prosecutors wanting publicity, but I don’t remember any cases that have help up purely for the writing, purchase, or possession of print child pornography. The closest two cases I can think of are both for writing/online distribution of written stories–the Red Rose case ended with a plea bargain instead of going to trial, last I heard the Frank McCoy case was still ongoing. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/28 "2010-06-08T19:39:26Z")
> [@mrklutz](#): > > Actually you can still bring up to 2 boxes into the country on any trip overseas – whether or not Cuba was on the itinerary. The duty-free shops in Mexico do big business on Cuban cigars coming into the US with tourists. I don’t buy this. Provide a cite, please. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/29 "2010-06-08T19:39:58Z")
> [@mrklutz](#): > > Actually you can still bring up to 2 boxes into the country on any trip overseas – whether or not Cuba was on the itinerary. The duty-free shops in Mexico do big business on Cuban cigars coming into the US with tourists. [This](http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/cuban-cigar-lawyers.html) suggests otherwise. Where is your information from, because if you are right, I will pick some up next time I go through Heathrow. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/30 "2010-06-08T19:46:19Z")
> [@villa](#): > > [This](http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/cuban-cigar-lawyers.html) suggests otherwise. [U.S. Customs & Border Protection](http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml) suggest otherwise as well. (Emphasis mine.) > [@](#): > > Generally, **you may not bring in any merchandise from Cuba** , Iran, Burma (Myanmar) or most of Sudan. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of Treasury enforces economic sanctions against these countries. **To bring in merchandise from these countries, you will first need a specific license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Such licenses are rarely granted.** Technically it is illegal for a U.S. citizen to smoke a Cuban cigar in a country where they are not prohibited. (Which is basically everywhere _except_ ‘The Land of the Free’. 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/31 "2010-06-08T19:51:06Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Here in Wisconsin we have a [guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Fester_%28author%29) who **rights** books on poisons and instructions on how to make illegal drugs in your kitchen. So, you’re saying nobody can wrong his rights? Also, bad comedy is perfectly legal to possess and manufacture. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/32 "2010-06-08T19:58:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [U.S. Customs & Border Protection](http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml) suggest otherwise as well. (Emphasis mine.) > Technically it is illegal for a U.S. citizen to smoke a Cuban cigar in a country where they are not prohibited. (Which is basically everywhere _except_ ‘The Land of the Free’. 😛 ) Ok, that’s odd. When I came back from Cancun two winters ago, I brought in a box of Cubans and declared it in customs. I had no issues, and was told in the duty-free shop I could have brought a second box with me. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/33 "2010-06-08T20:02:14Z")
My guess is you were perfectly able to bring them back in, because while they were advertized as Cuban they were Dominican or Honduran, as I hear a staggering percentage of the cigars sold as Cuban in border places are. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/34 "2010-06-08T20:03:41Z")
Maybe they weren’t really Cuban? Many Cuban cigar makers fled the country kept the name. For example, Cohibas are made in Cuba by the state-owned company. They are also made by what I assume to be the original company, only in the Dominican Republic. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/35 "2010-06-08T20:20:09Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Technically it is illegal for a U.S. citizen to smoke a Cuban cigar in a country where they are not prohibited. (Which is basically everywhere _except_ ‘The Land of the Free’. 😛 ) Has anyopne ever been prosecuted for this? > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Maybe they weren’t really Cuban? Many Cuban cigar makers fled the country kept the name. For example, Cohibas are made in Cuba by the state-owned company. They are also made by what I assume to be the original company, only in the Dominican Republic. “Cuban-style” cigars? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/36 "2010-06-08T20:35:44Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > That would be _Hogg_. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. He’s gone, and unless **AClockworkMelon** is a sock for **Argent Towers** , a further discussion is unlikely to ensue. (The dates would work, by the way) ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/37 "2010-06-08T20:56:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > **Do not read this post, under penalty of law.** Doh! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/38 "2010-06-08T20:57:42Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Has anyopne ever been prosecuted for this? Not that I’m aware of. That’s why I said ‘technically’. > [@Sunspace](#): > > “Cuban-style” cigars? Interesting question. If the actual company that made the cigars fled the country with a supply of seeds and employees who knew how to grow tobacco, are those the ‘real Havanas’ even though the tobacco is grown in Honduras or The Dominican Replublic? Or are the ones that only have the ‘name’ but are actually made in Havana the ‘real Havanas’? ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/39 "2010-06-08T21:05:40Z")
> [@villa](#): > > My guess is you were perfectly able to bring them back in, because while they were advertized as Cuban they were Dominican or Honduran, as I hear a staggering percentage of the cigars sold as Cuban in border places are. I suppose that’s possible. I did tell the guy at the customs desk they were Cuban – maybe he knew they only sold “Cuban” and not Cuban cigars. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409/40 "2010-06-08T21:13:15Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > The closest two cases I can think of are both for writing/online distribution of written stories–the Red Rose case ended with a plea bargain instead of going to trial, last I heard the Frank McCoy case was still ongoing. I can’t find any recent news articles on the disposition of the Frank McCoy case either. “Red Rose” was Karen Fletcher and she is the best example of someone convicted for purely written child pornography. From what I’ve read, it was absolutely a case of a zealous prosecutor. I can’t find anything that makes the verdict understandable except for sheer repugnance on everybody’s part. She was an agoraphobe and sentenced to house arrest. I would bet that if she had been sent to jail that the ACLU or someone would have jumped in. [Here’s](http://sandefur.typepad.com/freespace/2008/08/written-depicti.html) a legal blog page that talks about child pornography cases. And this: > [@](#): > > Now, in United States v. Williams, 128 S.Ct. 1830 (2008), a few months ago, the Court upheld the constitutionality of a law that banned solicitation (that is, offers to provide, or requests for) child porn. The law also makes it illegal to offer virtual child porn as depicting actual children. Id. at 1839. But here, too, the Court emphasized that it was not expanding the category of unprotected speech: “an offer to provide or request to receive virtual child pornography is not prohibited by the statute. A crime is committed only when the speaker believes or intends the listener to believe that the subject of the proposed transaction depicts real children. It is simply not true that this means ‘a protected category of expression [will] inevitably be suppressed.’ Simulated child pornography will be as available as ever, so long as it is offered and sought as such, and not as real child pornography.” Id. at 1844. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-allowed-to-read-in-the-us/542409.md?page=3)