Pornography Awareness Week – Friday

By: American Decency Staff

One of my great concerns is that fatigue has set in in the battle against pornography. A lethargic sense that we've been there – done that – in regard to standing against pornography.I was reading this morning in II Chronicles about King Manasseh and his wickedness throughout most of his 55 years reigning as King of Judah. Taken captive by the enemy, he repented and turned to God. After his death, however, his son Amon reigned for two years and did wickedness as his father Manasseh had done. Evil King Amon was followed by his son Josiah who reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. Eight years into his reign, Josiah began "to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images and the molded images." [2 Chronicles 34:3-7] Josiah's heart was a revived heart. He stood for His Lord for many years! Christ energizes us to live for Him and to stand! [Read that chapter for yourself.] Standing against lethargy, fatigue, scoffing like the scoffer below who emailed me this morning regarding my email of yesterday about Victoria's Secret's "bordello look". See: https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/November/11.01.07 "You have got to be kidding. Not showing whatever pictures you may have of VS because YOU think they'll stimulate lust in the viewer? Who are you to judge what MAY induce lust in a person? I see absolutely nothing erotic in the VS displays at all; it's just another advertising gimmick. I can handle looking at so-called erotic displays without becoming a serial rapist or sex junkie – can you? I don't think so. Am I ever glad I live in the real world and not in something that's long past as you seem to be. You've got to ease up and live life as it is or else you'll have a very sad, lonely life." J.S. As you recall, I had written a letter to Mr. John Bucksbaum, CEO of General Growth Properties regarding the pornographic Victoria's Secret displays he is allowing at their hundreds of malls throughout the country. I wrote: Dear Mr. Bucksbaum: I stopped in at your mall property in Grandville, Michigan recently to see that you continue to permit your renter, Victoria's Secret, to pollute the moral sensibilities of untold numbers of shoppers. Do you ever wonder how many shoppers have been chased away by the excesses of Victoria's Secret? Whenever I write about my concerns, I hear from people who tell me they don't do the mall anymore because of the displays of Victoria's Secret. Yesterday I was disappointed to witness the "bordello look" that you have yourself referenced before. I am forwarding you a couple of the pictures. I urge you to exercise your leadership Mr. Bucksbaum and tone down these disgraceful displays. Sincerely, Bill Johnson Contact: General Growth Properties Mr. John Bucksbaum, CEO 110 N. Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60606 Telephone: 312-960-5000 Email: John.Bucksbaum@generalgrowth.com http://www.ggp.com/Contactus.aspx Also: Email: Rivertown Crossings Mall (greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area) Mr. Randy Zimmerman Randy.Zimmerman@generalgrowth.com http://rivertowncrossings.com/html/contactus.asp ============ HERE IS WHAT PERSONS WROTE IN EARLIER YEARS. BUT WHAT ABOUT STANDING TODAY. Mr. Bucksbaum, I write to you again, urging your best efforts to stand up for decency. How? By using your considerable influence to bring your mall tenant, Victoria's Secret, up to appropriate standards regarding window displays. It goes without saying that shopping malls serve more purposes than just retail sales: if affordable, all kinds of businesses desire that space (restaurants, arcades, and movie theaters included). With hopes of attracting such a wide customer base, it is only reasonable that all the mall's tenants (in showing their wares) should desire to be family-friendly. If a segment of your customers want to shop at Victoria's Secret, that's fine. But the larger segment that does not wish to shop there should not be assaulted by the pornographic images displayed in full view in the store's windows. There is another consideration here as well: those who struggle with sexual addictions/predatory impulses are certainly not given any assistance in controlling that unwholesome desire when they come to the mall and can "get their fire started" by seeing these images. Hasn't our country had enough stories of child abduction/molestation in malls? Is it a wise move to declare "hands off" on this issue, knowing it's a proven fact that pornography leads to violence? Mr. Bucksbaum, I wrote you earlier to let you know how disappointed I was that you would allow such smutty window displays in you malls as the Victoria Secret displays are. I also let you know that I will not be shopping at your malls until this is changed. I thought I also needed to let you know that I have checked my local malls to learn which belong to General Growth Properties and which do not. I live in the Oklahoma City Metro area. The Quail Springs Mall is close and convenient to my location. However, it is a General Growth Property. I have contacted the general manager of that mall and also informed him that because of your choice to sarcastically minimize the problem I will not be shopping there. I will be shopping at the Penn Square Mall (your competition) until the policy changes, there is a new CEO, or both. I certainly hope that you take the moral concern of the parents of this great nation seriously, Mr. Bucksbaum. We are truly concerned for our children. We need leaders of companies that are also concerned for our children. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Karen in OK Dear Mr. Bucksbaum, I have just viewed the window display of Victoria's Secret, and believe me, it is no Secret anymore what is being sold! Please, sir, use your influence and responsibly hold Victoria's Secret to the contract they have as part of "The Limited" group and see that they tone down their displays so that decent folks won't be embarrassed to pass by their windows, particularly with children. I have been a frequent customer of Bath & Body Works, but will not continue to buy their products so long as their sister store uses this lewd display as its window dressing (or undressing!). When I hear that this has changed for the better, I will resume my purchases, but not until then. Trusting you to do the right thing (which is always better than the monetarily profitable thing), I am Sincerely yours, C.C. Dear Mr. Bucksbaum: I am extremely shocked that you do not find erotic displays of rear nudity and full cleavage images foisted in a public display inappropriate in the malls over which you have leadership. In your statement "…I don't find this storefront picture offensive in any manner…" This statement signals to me that the only remedy is for people like myself not to shop General Growth Property malls. And, sir, I won't be able to as long as such insensitivity towards decency is so apparent. Sincerely, B.H. Dear Mr. Bucksbaum, I am a mother of 3 sons that are becoming young men. I am embarrassed as we walk through the mall past a Victoria's Secret Store. We have taught them that scenes like those displayed at Victoria's Secret should be just that–SECRET. (Where's the mystery, the allure, when it's all "out there" for all to see?) We desire to see our sons be moral in an increasingly immoral society, and for young ladies to get the right message. Does Victoria's Secret respect them? Victoria's Secret attire has a place, can it not be sold without provocative mannequins displayed erotically for all to see? Will the product not sell itself, or does it have to be associated with "sleaze?" Who will hold the line? Can you not challenge stores to hold a higher standard? I would expect that men in management positions, of malls or stores, would desire to have the respect of families and individuals of every generation. As I see the mall displays change to be appropriate for anyone to see, I will respect and be grateful to the people responsible for "holding the line." Julie in PA See our November bulletin insert at: https://americandecency.org/resources/bulletin/2007/btnnovember07.pdf "*************************** American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph:231-924-4050 fax:231-924-1966

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