How Can I Help in the Fight Against Pornography? (1988)

ow Can I Help in the Fight Against Pornography?

• A v o i d personal a n d f a m i l y exposure to pornography.

• K n o w its effects a n d dangers.

• T a k e effective personal a n d c o m m u n i t y action.

• S u p p o r t enft)rcement of c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n t i p o r n o g r a p h y laws.

AVOID

PERSONAL

A N D FAMILY EXPOSURE T O PORNOGRAPHY: • Set personal a n d f a m i l y standards that focus o n h u m a n dignity and wholesome l i v i n g .

• H a v e open f a m i l y discussions w i t h c h i l d r e n of suitable age about pornography a n d its dangers.

• Emphasize the sacred nature of the h u m a n body and the joy of proper sexual relationships.

• A v o i d places w h e r e pornography is believed to exist.

• C o n t r o l and monitor television viewing.

• S e l e c t movies a n d other e n t e r t a i n m e n t based o n reliable r e v i e w s .

• R e a d good books, . . . a n d read t h e m to your children.

• Be aware of unsuitable music and lyrics.

Discuss their impact o n young people a n d others.

TAKE

EFFECTIVE

PERSONAL A N D C O M M U N I T Y A C T I O N Y o u r most effective personal tools are your v o i c e , your pen, your patronage, a n d your participation.

Pornography is a $9 b i l l i o n per year industry i n the U n i t e d States. It w i l l fail w h e n it is unprofitable.

• I f a local store sells or rents offensive materials, tell the manager ( k i n d l y but f i r m l y ) that you w a n t to patronize that busine.ss but c a n n o t if it u n d e r m i n e s yt)ur family's values. A personal visit is most effective. I n d i v i d u a l i z e d letters also h e l p .

M e r c h a n t s interpret each customer expression as representing 100 others w h o feel the same way but w h o r e m a i n silent.

• J o i n w i t h others i n urging m e r c h a n t s to discontinue m a r k e t i n g offensive materials and i n encouraging enforcement of c o n s t i t u t i o n a l laws relating to pornography.

S m a l l local groups ( P T A s , service clubs, neighborhood organizations) are often more successful t h a n larger organizations.

• W r i t e or visit radio a n d t e l e v i s i o n station managers, new.spaper editors, a n d others to express concerns or c o m m e n d a t i o n s .

• W r i t e to companies sponsoring a d v e r t i s i n g i n offensive publications or .shown w i t h offensive t e l e v i s i o n programs.

R e m e m b e r , obscene materials are illegal. T h e y are not c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y protected. I n d e c e n t materials may be regulated by law. A n d you are free to let your patronage reflect your values as to w h a t you personally f i n d offensive.

SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI-PORNOGRAPHY

LAWS

• U n d e r s t a n d that obscenity is illegal. M a t e r i a l is " o b s c e n e , " as defined by law, i f — 1 . T h e average person, applying local community standards, w o u l d f i n d that the material appeals to the prurient ( l u s t f u l ) interest.

AND 2. It depicts or describes, i n a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by state law.

AND 3. T a k e n as a w h o l e , it lacks .serious literary, artistic, p o l i t i c a l , or scientific v a l u e .

A l l states h a v e laws m a k i n g ob.scenity illegal.

M a t e r i a l that is not " t i K s c e n e " but is " i n d e c e n t " c a n be legally l i m i t e d as to t i m e , place, a n d m a n n e r of presentation.

• L e t law enforcement personnel k n o w that you a n d your neighbors w a n t antipornography laws enforced. E n f o r c e m e n t requires proof that the materials offend local c o m m u n i t y standards. Speak out so those standards w i l l be k n o w n .

• A l e r t tifficials to the sources of obscene materials c o m i n g to your a t t e n t i o n . I f unsolicited materials are m a i l e d to y o u , forward t h e m to your postmaster w i t h your complaint.

• Encourage legislators to enact a d d i t i o n a l laws w h e r e needed i n such areas as telephone a n d computer pornography, cable t e l e v i s i o n , a n d so f o r t h .

K N O W T H E EFFECTS A N D DANGERS OF PORNOGRAPHY T h o s e w h o treat pornography v i c t i m s report that m a n y w h o are exposed to pornography progress through four stages: 1 . A d d i c t i o n . T h i s a d d i c t i o n of the m i n d c a n he as powerful as any drug, a l c o h o l , or cigarette a d d i c t i o n of the body.

2. Escalation. Progressively coarser m a t e r i a l may be sought to satisfy the a d d i c t i o n .

3 . Desensitization. W i t h c o n t i n u e d exposure, w h a t at first offends becomes acceptable and then craved.

4. A c t i n g O u t . T h e thought is father to the deed. T h e r e is a great tendency to translate thttughts into actions.

M a n y reliable studies a n d wide experience i n law enforcement and personal c o u n s e l i n g show that pornography is a significant c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r — o f t e n the triggering c a u s e — o f c h i l d abuse, v i o l e n t crimes against w o m e n , teenage pregnancy a n d suicide, drug abuse, broken marriages, a n d broken lives.

C o p y r i g h t © 1988 by C o r p o r a t i t t n o f the President o f T h e C h u r c h of Jesus C h r i s t of Latter-day S a i n t s . A l l rights reserved. P r i n t e d in the U n i t e d States o f A m e r i c a .

""CfiURCHoi lESUS CHRIST " I LATTER-DAY SAINTS PXPC3751 3/88