Posted on 12/29/2008 8:05:34 AM PST by 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.
Porn shops are called “Adult” XXX Stores. You want the whole world “Adult XXX” with a few places that are safe for childrens’ eyes?
What a twisted world view, I must say.
>>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.<<
Ooooooo, you have made it plainly clear that you are European. Not a big fan of kids, huh? Got that one trophy kid in the typical European style, maybe?
Keep the Eurotrash ideas. Mom, Apple Pie and treasuring the gift of children Our Lord has blessed us with, are the American way.
Children will stay barbarians in the world that is being pushed on them - XXX, anything goes. You want grownup barbarians ruling the world? Carry on.
The Taliban and Sharia law are merely the photo negative of the X rated anything goes worldview. Merely heads and tails of the same coin. In Sanskrit it’s called bhoga-tyaga - unrestricted gratification alternating with false and ultra stringent abnegation. Neither is sane or sustainable.
Euro-envy.
>>You want the whole world “Adult XXX” with a few places that are safe for childrens’ eyes?
What mainstream malls have porn stores?
You see ‘em in strip malls and standalones, but I’ve yet to see an Xrated Vid store in a mall.
Heck, kids walk by all kinds of stuff in mainstream malls and dept stores, check out some of the displays in either trendy stores or even Macy’s or something similar.
Call it twisted if you want, I prefer swirly.
I’m referring to the increasing sexualization of culture in general. F’rinstance, here in my very small, rural and conservative town a porn store opened on the main street (all of 3 or 4 blocks long). Right by where grade school and high school kids walk every day. There was a petition with hundreds of signatures, and more letters to the editor of our weekly paper than I’ve ever seen, protesting it.
But OR law recently ordained that porn shops and live sex shows (not on main street, yet...) are a-okay and the local populace have no say in the matter.
Sexually suggestive ads that would have been considered unacceptable a few years ago are now considered fine, but the end is not in sight. How much more degraded does the culture have to get before some people who currently think it’s fine see the light?
It’s called “dumbing deviancy down”. And the pushers are still digging.
From your rant, my assumption is apparently dead on target.
You are clearly beyond the ability to grasp the larger point, so wrapped up in your anybody/anytime/anywhere access to base material that has been proven detrimental for mind, body and soul.
You must not have a very pragmatic view of reality if you think parents can filter the smut that is in the oxygen we breathe nowadays. “LAZY” you say. You’ve got some ungodly nerve.
It is unavoidable.
Ask yourself how all this pornographic taint has helped society? Who has it benefitted except horney, weak types who want their ‘drug’ and trade away anything of substance, respect and wisdom to get it?
Porn addicts, the most revolting of the species, reverse their ability to develop meaningful human relationships. It’s their shallow, crack cocaine.
It’s broken up relationships, ruined kids, increased teen misery....early sex/stds, pregnancy, abortion, suicide—it’s increased sex crimes ( remember how even Ted Bundy —as a parting comment said “you really ought to do something about the pornography, it’s dangerous” ) and it has generally merchandised humans as disposable ‘outlet’ units.
Maybe you can get a clue dude.
Thanks!
How so? Little kids are self-centred barbarians. It takes years of education to make them ready for life in society.
Not a big fan of kids, huh?
I don't have anything against kids, per se, but I don't find other peoples' children particularly interesting. Why would I? It seems like there is way too much emphasis on kids in our societies, which leads to the self-centred little brats that seem to be taking over this country.
Got that one trophy kid in the typical European style, maybe?
Just one so far, but we plan to have a couple more. Thanks for asking.
I like to compare the situation to living in a garbage dump. If neighbors turn your neighborhood into a dump with trash, refuse, dead animals and filth everywhere, even if you keep your yard and house spotlessly clean, you can’t go outside, and the rats and flies will be everywhere.
Well said, lj.
The problem is not numbers of children, but how they are raised. And trying to raise them to become civilized human beings is harder and harder, in a miasma of not only overly sexualized stuff that kids can’t help but be influenced by, but the instant gratification/me me me If It Feels Good Do it culture, of which the sexualization of society is a major, but not the only, part.
You’ve got one of the best taglines on FR. Have there been any of those “best tagline” threads lately? There used to be a couple of years ago.
Do NOT have the author of this article fly into the Munich airport.
Had just landed, was walking to the restroom while the wife and kids were getting a bite to eat, when I walked past a display of, hmmm, how shall I say?, products designed for the female of the species for those times when desire is stronger than the fact that they are alone.
Was that subtle enough? Way more than the display on the main concourse of the airport.
When do you think somebody will post The Most Important Issue Of All?
-PJ
I don't know if there's been one lately.
The discussion involves morality, which comes from God.
That explains a lot.
I don’t think the left really wants a society of “beasts” as you write. They think they are creating a better world by getting rid of all these ridiculous morals that limit human freedom. But the truth is we need a moral code, and the line must be drawn somewhere.
This isn’t a simple black/white situation that people on both sides of the issue seem to be writing. It doesn’t have to be a choice between going “Taliban” or being completely libertine.
I’m a Christian. It’s certainly wrong to be sexually immoral, but the immorality comes from within oneself. One could easily lust after someone who is fully clothed or look innocently at someone who is naked. It’s not what man sees that makes him immoral, it’s the thoughts that come out of his mind.
Personally, I wonder why it’s so difficult to accept a middle ground here. People should behave differently in public than they do at home. Common sense tells me one should lean toward the more conservative approach in public. Although that may upset or offend people who want to do their own thing, whatever that may be, the more libertine members should conform to protect the innocent.
For example: there’s no harm in covering explicit materials, like pornographic magazines. Those who want that material can still obtain it. On the other hand, potential harm can be done to children who are not yet ready to view such things.
Again, I don’t understand why this is such a difficult issue.
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