A Porn-Tastic Christmas

CMR ^ | matthew archbold

[NYer]

So I took the kids out to the mall to shop for Mom two days before Christmas. I want them to know that Christmas is not just about receiving but giving as well.

Now let me ask a weird hypothetical. If I showed up at the Mall wearing only briefs and say my wife showed up in a minuscule bra and panties we'd likely be dragged from the premises and arrested. And rightly so, especially if you've seen me in briefs. But no matter what, it's bad, right? So why is it OK for some of these stores to have huge window displays of essentially naked people. I mean, are these store owners out of their minds. Walking by Abercrombie or Victoria's Secret is essentially a walking tour of porn for children. Hey kids step on up and peer inside the sick twisted mind of adulthood where we view others as vessels of flesh waiting to be boarded and devoured.

It's lunacy.

So as we're passing a bunch of sex-soaked stories, I do my best to distract the kids from the window display. I start singing a loud Christmas carol and they all become embarrassed by me and try to stop me from singing anymore. So for anybody who saw the fat bearded dad singing in front of a ten foot porn window display with children laughing and climbing all over him, it was me.

But here's the thing. I know my kids saw it. They didn't mention it. But I know they see it. They see it. They internalize it. They think that window display represents the realm of adulthood. They intuit that adults desire 8-pack abs and 38 D breasts. And kids want to be adults.

Here's the truth. If a man was caught showing pictures of topless women in pink underwear holding their breasts or men in wet briefs, they'd be arrested. But when a store does it, it's capitalism.

So a few hours later I'm making the call I never thought I'd make in my life. I call the mall two days before Christmas to complain about the lewd window displays. The funny thing is that while I'm on hold I'm feeling like I'm the crazy one. I'm feeling like "I can't believe I've become the guy who complains about lewd window displays." I didn't think I'd ever use the word 'lewd' never mind call to complain about aforementioned lewdness. I'm feeling like I have to convince this guy on the phone that I'm not one of these crazy religious Jerry Falwell types. But then it hits me. I'm the sane one. Those displays are crazy to have in front of children. So instead of getting into a morality type conversation with the guy I just decide to speak his language. "I'm just calling to let you know that my family which comes to the mall often will not come back unless you guys stop allowing pornographic window displays."

So I make the call and I'm feeling proud of myself. And I walk back into the room where the children are watching The Polar Express on ABC Family. And then comes a commercial about some show about a fifteen year old girl who is pregnant. "Fifteen!?" says my nine year old.

"How can you have a baby if you're not married," asks my six year old.

They all look at me. "Hey guys Polar Express is back on!" And thanks to my amazing powers of distraction I muddled through yet another awkward moment. But I know my kids. Nothing escapes them. Questions build. They never fade away.

And we wonder why are children are ending up sexualized. It's simple. Somewhere between the Merry-go-Round and the pretzels they're seeing and interpreting the adult world. They're unprotected out there. The adults want too much to be like children and the children want to be adults. It's time for adults to start acting like adults.

[Star Traveler]

Those particular individuals may not be the ones to worry about — like I said, the saying is that the only good moderate Muslim is a dead one... (according to those *dedicated* to Islam and “faithful and true” in its beliefs).

They will be the dead ones in the coming Caliphate with the imposition of Sharia law over the entire region...

[count-your-change]

I think you’re quite right.
I found that being a good parent required first of all being a good person and that was the toughest part.

Good to have your thoughts!

[Citizen Blade]

Actually Philo is correct. The Soviet Revolution started out with a free sex/get rid of all bourgeouis morality platform and taught kids that anything goes, that traditional family life was crippling.

But, very quickly, the "ideals" of communism (such as they were) were tossed aside in favor of laws meant to control every aspect of private life.

We're kind of getting sidetracked here, but I can't really see a reasonable argument that communist systems encouraged sexual liberation.

[Citizen Blade]

The Communists made divorce, abortion and homosexuality legal.

At least when it comes to homosexuality, they promptly re-banned it in 1934. As in Cuba today, homosexuality could get you sent to the gulag.

[Citizen Blade]

It’s a guy with jeans resting on his pubic hair.

Assuming he has any. Which, given the propensities of many male models, he may well not. But, you can't see anything in this picture, other than his chest. Those are low-cut jeans, which is very common in fashion these days.

You can hardly see the clothes!

They're trying to combine this model's impressive torso with just enough of a picture of these clothes to make people want to buy this outfit in the (probably false) hope that they could look as good as this guy.

[Citizen Blade]

I was born in Europe, but have lived all but 2 years of my life on this continent. Dual Canadian/US citizen.

[Philo-Junius]

That’s because “sexual liberation” is a myth propagated to gain social control; once that is secure sex becomes, for the subject class, a tightly controlled commodity, while for the Inner Party, it is doled out quietly as one of the perks of the nomenklatura.

While the Civil War was uncertain, the Bolsheviks were indeed the party of “sexual liberation.” Once Stalin had eliminated all opposition, the inevitable reaction ensued, with the remnants of the Russian family scattered across a smouldering, shellhole-pocked moral landscape.

[Gerish]

Good post, but I would like to add that who is behind this agenda? Well, I'll say it....Satan. With the aid of the unscrupulous, he presents immodesty and impurity as the accepted norm, the essence of popularity, the height of a so-called good time. The world cooperates with him through advertisements, books, fashions and entertainment designed to entice the senses and destroy any sense of morality. This highly advocated new morality - no matter how it may be expounded, is actually no morality.

Modesty is a virtue and one that is not impossible to attain, especially since Our Lord Himself promised:

"Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." (Mt. 5:8).

[Philo-Junius]

You might give 1984 another read, focusing on Orwell’s analysis of the classic double-think of totalitarian regimes about sex.

[little jeremiah]

The idea of a competitor to God (meaning a big one who has any power) is not part of my understanding; but I don’t have any problems if people believe that. God gives everyone a modicum of free will - but we have to accept the consequences of our acts and choices, for good or ill, willy nilly. In essence, everyone who lives in rebellion to God is a little satan. Until such time as one wakes up to the truth and takes the path towards Him instead of away from Him.

[little jeremiah]

You mentioned to me on one thread that you had triple citizenship with three passports?

[Citizen Blade]

Yes- I do. I was born in a European country and maintain citizenship there, as well as keeping a passport.

[mkjessup]

I’ve never seen a church or cathedral in a shopping mall. Have you?

Actually I have seen a church in a mall, back in the '80s.

[KevinDavis]

Are you related to the Church Lady on Saturday Night Live???

[mkjessup]

Yours is a typical cop out response by one who wants his 24/7 access to prurience, no matter how it is unraveling values and the backbone of our society.

You don't know a damn thing about me, so don't make assumptions. It is not a 'cop out' to take one's children on an alternate route for the purpose of limiting their exposure to that prurience you're referring to. Give your head a shake and rethink what you just said.

The sleazy stuff is ubiquitous and unavoidable now. Last time I looked, malls were supposed to be family-friendly, not packaged for the seedier appetites.

What malls are you talking about? As for the sleaze, it is NOT unavoidable if one makes the effort to avoid or at least limit exposure to that sleaze, IF they're not too damn lazy to do so. In some cases I'm sure it's easier and the path of least resistance to just take the direct route, let the kids see whatever is out there, and then write or blog about how terrible it is.

Do you suggest kids get corralled Taliban-style— to tight little enclaves of existence ( only walk by churches Cathedrals..etc) so the underbelly among us have their sleaze fix close at hand, anywhere, anytime?

No, if I were advocating a 'Taliban-style' society, I would advocate rounding up the sleazemeisters, both producers and consumers, for some good ol' fashioned eyeball burning with hot irons. What I am advocating is that if parents want to limit the exposure of their children to inappropriate materials, images, visuals, etc., that they're going to have to work harder and apply their own creativity a bit more than in the past. We live in a totally sexualized society. If adults want to indulge themselves in whatever fetish or kink they desire, that's their business. But it is the business of parents to do their level best to limit their kids from being exposed to that stuff any sooner than it is (regretfully) going to happen.

If that means walking a few extra steps, or even a few city blocks to avoid the sleaze that I think you are condemning, then so be it. If one is too lazy to make that effort, that is what is truly a "cop out".

[swarthyguy]

>>Do you suggest kids get corralled Taliban-style— to tight little enclaves of existence

Actually, considering how we worship the horrible little ones, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Kids only zones. Leaves the rest of the world to adults.

I’m in, anyone else?

[netmilsmom]

>>But, you can’t see anything in this picture, other than his chest. Those are low-cut jeans, which is very common in fashion these days.<<

In my college years I took classes in advertising. Along with my background in Psych I can tell you that they are not selling the clothes in these ads. They are selling the bodies. Not to make one think that this is how YOU will look, but rather to stimulate the hormones in a human, which in turn gives a pleasurable feeling about the store. Research sexual advertising. That is what it is about.

So, advertising this way to preteens is NOT okay. And A&F has stated that thongs in their stores are being marketed to preteens.

Thinking that a catalog titled “XXX Wet, Hot Summer Fun” is appropriate at all is silly. So goes A&F in 2008.

[netmilsmom]

>>Yes- I do. I was born in a European country and maintain citizenship there, as well as keeping a passport.<<

I can see why you have the ideas you do.

[Citizen Blade]

Kids only zones. Leaves the rest of the world to adults.

Hannah Arendt said that every year civilization is invaded by millions of tiny barbarians--they're called children. Kind of on the nose, I think.

[Citizen Blade]

I can see why you have the ideas you do.

Blame the US and Canada for my views- I've spent almost my entire life living in these two countries. Up until I left for private school in high school, we used to start every day with the Lord's Prayer in Canadian public school.