Pornography lowers our dignity, ruins our communities, and is the gateway to sexual crime
Yes, we have been active in holding Victoria's Secret accountable to decency levels that they have forgotten long ago. It's not about underwear. It's about soft porn and the degradation of women.
And we are protesting the new porn shop in Brighton. Intimate Ideas is a sexually oriented business that just moved into our community. Look what happens when porn brokers set up their sleezy operations:
Michigan: A Michigan State Police study revealed that pornography was viewed just before or during 41% of the 38,000 sexual crimes committed over 20 years.
Hawaii: According to the FBI, in 1974, the sale of pornography was restricted and rape figures fell for the next two years. The restrictions were then lifted and rape immediately increased.
Oklahoma: "Adult" stores were closed in Oklahoma City in 1985 and the city saw a decrease in rape of 25%. No decrease in the rape rate in the rest of the state where laws remained the same.
And look what the Real Estate industry has discovered when these illicit shops establish themselves among us:
87% of Realtors agreed that sexually oriented businesses (SOBs) would decrease market value of business property in that vicinity.
72% of Realtors agreed the concentration of SOBs would decrease the annual income of other businesses in that vicinity.
Over 90% of Realtors agreed that the concentration of SOBs would decrease the market value of private residences by as much as 20% within a 1000 ft. radius of these businesses.
The Press and Argus reported our first protest:
And careless editorialist, Buddy Moorehouse mocks the very element of Brighton's citizens responsible for the quality of life in this community:
As is often the case, it seems Buddy didn't do his homework. In his editorial, Mr. Moorehouse describes the front windows of Victoria's Secret as they appear now, after they were changed twice. The mall managers themselves asked the store to tone down their displays. Why? Because they were inappropriate as public visuals. We launched the letter campaign in response to their original display - six mannequins appearing to be in the middle of a sexually stimulating experience because of their garters, g strings, and seven inch spikes. Two more figures were just inside the front door fully visible from the parking lot who were lying on shelves in even more sexually suggestive positions. See, Buddy? Not exactly Fruit of the Loom and Hanes Her Way.
People (including journalists) who wish to "red herring" the issue claim that we are opposed to marketing underwear. How completely absurd. Victoria's Secret has a proven record of instigating controversy. They have been pushing the envelope by provoking the community with their displays across the country for years. They are actually trying to offend, feeling that is an effective way to do business.
Do they have the right to sell the merchandise? Sure. Do they have the right to cram their visuals in the face of my two young sons who are in the back seat of my car? No they don't, Buddy.
We're upset because one of the women depicted is attractive? You just don't get it do you Buddy? We'll set the record straight and reveal to you that we would be just as upset over a depiction of Roseanne Barr or Michael Moore dressed this way and boldly placed before the public.
So now people of Brighton know there is a porn shop in Brighton because of us. Good! They need to know it. If we tried to keep it concealed, you'd have belittled us for that too. If the business at the new porn shop thrives because we protest their destructive effect on our community, that simply is a testimony of the state of our community. Our efforts are geared to educating the citizens that pornography destroys people's lives. You are free to accept that fact. You are free to ignore it. You are free to find out more about pornography and crime. You are free to write editorials making fun of the protesting group.
Stop defending pornography, Buddy. It makes you look slimy.
Patrick Flynn
posted by Patrick Flynn at 9:10 PM
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