Standing for Something

Last night our family had dinner with some friends. The purpose of the dinner was to introduce us to a resolution they are trying to get passed in their community and to solicite our help. I was thrilled with the opportunity and want to pass along some of the things we talked about.

Legally, it is very difficult to get rid of pornography because of 1st ammendment rights and the vague definition "obscenity." However, most people have similar views on what is appropriate for children and wish to protect children from exposure from inappropriate influences. While most states will not legislate on these issues it is possible for communities to define the standards they wish to maintain and to establish specific criteria they wish to enforce. For example, most grocery stores display magazines at their check-out stands. Many of these magazines picture scantily clad women and sexually explicit headlines. Communities can establish standards that prohibit businesses from displaying these magazines in the view of children. One successful application of this has been done by Publix. They have created shields on their racks that hide the magazine cover while still displaying its name. Once the community standards are established, all stores that comply to the guidelines would be given a sign to place in their front window advertising them as a "Family Friendly Store."

I believe that if good people stand together we can push back the tide of evil that seems to be flowing around us. We do not have to accept the moral decline of our society. We can act to ensure that our children are protected and that our voices are heard. If we sit by and say nothing in the face of evil we might as well be voicing our consent.