Cartoon characters are imaginary, even in porn. Really, they are.

Every year, there's a new case of someone being arrested in America for having images of cartoon characters having sex. Here's the latest.

Beyond a trademark violation, I still don't see how this can actually be illegal.

Former teacher pleads guilty to downloading 'Simpsons' porn
By KBOI Web Staff
Oct 13, 2010

BOISE, Idaho - A former middle school teacher in Meridian has pleaded guilty to
possession of visual representations of child sex abuse.

The U.S. Attorney's office said [he] had downloaded more than 70 animated cartoon pornographic images on his computer. Many of them depicted child characters from The Simpsons.

These are imaginary characters. They're not real. They're never going to be real or be hurt or ever feel anything.

How can this be a crime, with in this case, "a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000"? And the federal government is spending tax dollars prosecuting this? There's no other crime in Idaho to worry more about?

For the record, this type of comic art doesn't interest me at all. I also don't care about furries (but if you do, more power to you). I do care about free speech and justice though, and this is wrong.

I'm a member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and I urge all my readers to join as well.