 |
| image source: http://pastorkylehuber.com/?p=6479 |
article written by JoAnn Hamilton
Entire article posted at: Net Nanny
I heard depressing statistics regarding early exposure to inappropriate material that most of our children have experienced, many before the age of ten. I learned that when exposure occurs in those impressionable years, there is a higher likelihood for addiction later on. The easy availability of pornography on the Internet-both accidental and intentional-has obviously had a huge impact; but Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values, believes that the first exposure often comes in the checkout lanes of grocery stores.
Sellers of pornography, and many in the movie and magazine industries, [are] united in their efforts to get our children involved in pornography because they know that if they can hook a child early, they create a greater need for their product, and thus, of course, more money for themselves. And children are not the only targets. These porn distributors have also wisely targeted women. While you're in the grocery store, take a glance at the many women's magazines (even the well-established ones) that have gone from being either family- or beauty-oriented to becoming extremely sexually explicit, both on the covers as well as the contents. When the mothers buy the magazines, they take them into the home, easily within reach of their children.
What can we do?
The owner of [one of my local] grocery stores said to me: "If six to eight people make the same request in a two-week period of time, I make a change in my store."
That's the key. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors. Get them each to make just one call.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Start with stores that a locally owned. Use the words, "inappropriate for children." Never say the word "pornography" because there are massive debates about what is pornography. But everyone seems to know what is "inappropriate for children."
2. Approach the service desk with your request. It doesn't really matter if the store manager is there or not. Just simply say, "Would you please cover magazines that are inappropriate for children?" That's all you need to say.
3. If you find it hard to do this, write your request on the back of your sales slip: "Please cover magazines and images that are inappropriate for children," and hand it to someone at the service desk.
4. Get your friends and family to do the same. One time I made a request at the service desk. Then I went home and called. (That made me two people.) Then my daughter went in. This is NOT hard to do.
5. If there are already covers on inappropriate magazines, be sure to acknowledge the store's efforts by going to the service desk and saying thanks. It is inconvenient for stores to make these adjustments, but when customers notice, it gives the store managers more reason to keep the covers on.
You can be the ONE person who makes a difference.
