Monday, December 27, 2004

Disspelling the Myths

Citizens for Community Values Advocates Dispelling the Myths About Pornography

By Carol Wiley
Director of Victim Assistance

On December 31, 2000, Marc Perrusqula of The Commercial Appeal wrote an article exposing the activities that go on in the topless clubs in Memphis, suggesting that stronger law enforcement is a must if we are to deal with the problems that exist. He reported that representatives from The Commercial Appeal had personally witnessed scores of apparent violations of city ordinances forbidding full nudity and physical contact between dancers and customer at Platinum Plus and three other local topless clubs. His research had uncovered some 100 police response service calls to Platinum Plus and some of the fines that had been levied against this establishment by The Memphis Alcohol Commission.

Councilman Brent Taylor stated that he is attempting to demonstrate that Platinum Plus is a public nuisance and does not need to be permitted to expand. He also expressed feeling strongly that authorities need to take strong action to counter activities at this club.

One reason there is not more public outcry for action is that the porn industry is a twelve billion dollar a year business that uses a series of myths to desensitize the public into accepting the immoral and the bizarre as the norm. Let’s look at eight common myths used to defend pornography and truth that dispels them.

  1. Pornography is a Broad Term Which Cannot be Defined.” The legal definition of pornography includes four clear categories: (1) Adult obscenity (“hard-core” pornography) (2) Child pornography (3) material harmful to minors (4) Indecency. Each of these categories has a specific legal definition established by the U. S. Supreme Court and each can be prosecuted.
  2. Obscenity is a Matter of Opinion—It Cannot Be Defined” The U. S. Supreme Court ruling states that Obscenity is 1) Graphic material that is obsessed with sex and/or sexual violence; 2) Material that is obviously offensive; and 3) Material that is lacking in serious value. The vast majority of obscenity cases brought to court result in a guilty plea and verdict.
  3. Obscenity and Pornography are protected by The First Amendment” In 1957, the U. S. Supreme Court decided that obscenity was “outside the protection intended for speech and press at the time during with the First Amendment was written.” The First Amendment does not protect slander, false advertising, perjury, obscenity, or child pornography.
  4. Pornography Doesn’t Hurt Anyone” Research shows that use of pornography is anything but harmless. Law enforcers estimate that the typical child molester will abuse more than 360 victims over the course of his lifetime. He is able to abuse 30-60 before he is even caught for the first time. (Dr. Gene Abel, Emory University). In his studies of convicted child molesters, Dr. William Marshall discovered that 77% of those who molested boys and 87% of those who molested girls said they were regular users of hardcore pornography. He also reports that 86% of adult sex offenders and convicted rapists said they were regular users of pornography, with 57% admitting direct imitation of pornographic scenes they enjoyed in the commission of their rapes.
  5. Pornography Is A Harmless Outlet for Dangerous Impulses” In his extensive studies of pornography users, Dr. Victor Cline, a Clinical Psychologist has observed the following pattern in the development of pornography users. A pornography user (1) becomes addicted, (2) uses more and more, (3) becomes indifferent to other people, and (4) finally acts out what he has seen, leading to rape and other violent crimes.
  6. Pornography is Exciting Because It’s Illegal. If It Is Legalized People Will Become Bored With It.” Almost forty years of experience in cities, ours included, with de facto legalization—not enforcing the laws and look at the results. The expose in The Commercial Appeal gave us a first hand look at the results of this type thinking.
  7. You Can’t Legislate Morality” Every piece of legislation passed is based on some moral conviction. Our country was founded on moral principles. Citizens for Community Values isn’t trying to dictate the morality of the people who make and sell pornography, but we are concerned with the impact of pornography on users and the violence committed against families and children by the people who consume it.
  8. Pornography is a Choice: If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Buy It” This sounds good, but when addiction takes hold the addict feels they have no choice and live life controlled by the addiction.

    These myths are encouraged by pornographers to rock citizens to sleep to the extensive personal and cultural damage that exists because of their greed. Ironically it is politically correct to fight to protect the environment but, politically incorrect to fight for decency in our culture. Citizens need to become “Cultural Environmentalists”, who are concerned with setting a standard of decency that provokes people in our culture to meditate on whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy, and of good report (Philippians 4:8), not be drawn into the base addictions offered by the pornographers.

    If you feel God pulling at your heartstrings challenging you to join CCV in the battle for decency in our culture or to help those who are victims of pornography and sex-oriented businesses, please call me, Carol Wiley at 685-1493 or email me at carol@ccvmemphis.org.

No comments:

Post a Comment