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Journal bethanie's Journal: More News from the Porn Front 21

Journal by bethanie
So here in this little Connecticut town (NYT free reg: use ID: bethaniejournal, Password: slashdot), they're fighting a brightly lit, "fun" new sex shop. One of the local churches has made it its mission to force out another porn business in town.

Don't these people have anything better to do with their time and money?

Then again, if this new store is so brightly lit and popular, they might be recognized when they stop in for their regular dose of porn, and we couldn't have any of that, now, could we?
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More News from the Porn Front More

More News from the Porn Front

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  • This behaviour, on the part of the Church, is no different than that of plenty of other organizations: Greenpeace, Earth First, PETA, etc.

    The only difference is the topic and it ticks me off when the speech of fanatics becomes public policy. That is extending speech wayyyy too far for my taste.
    • That is extending speech wayyyy too far for my taste.

      If it was possible to rewrite the First Ammendment, I would classify protected speech more narrowly.

      Political Speech should be completely protected, since it is needed to run a democracy.

      Religious Speech should be completely protected, since to do otherwise would risk the religion neutral ideal of the republic.

      Factual news reporting should be completely protected, again since it is vital to maintain an informed electorate.

      We shouldn't need to b

  • Then again, if this new store is so brightly lit and popular, they might be recognized when they stop in for their regular dose of porn, and we couldn't have any of that, now, could we?

    Of course, the standard response to anyone who fights adult book stores. It is amazing how much traction this kind of quote gets, because I have yet to see a specific example of this ever being true.

    Not that I necessarily agree with the politics of these people, but I get sick of this charge being tossed about all th

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • OK, I know it's a cheap shot. I knew it was a cheap shot when I wrote it.

      You're absolutely right that the religious zealots aren't visiting these porn shops, and the only reason why they're against them gaining [further] popularity is that they're afraid of getting caught. They don't need to visit those shops because they discovered the magic of the internet and plain brown paper wrappers LONG ago.

      ....Bethanie....
  • While I understand and respect their right to voice their opinion about the businesses in their community even to the point of taking action to get the unwanted store(s) removed, I do not agree with their economic strategery [sic]. I say let the market dictate whether the porn establishments stay or go. If people don't want them in the area then they'll go out of business, right?
  • There was a story a couple weeks ago about a church that didn't like a porn store in town, so they raised a few hundred thousand dollars, and bought the entire store. There was a plan to destory it, and another one to turn it into a christian bookstore, but I dunno what happened in the aftermath.

    But I like the idea. Use capitalism to get whatcha want.
    • I heard they got confused and reopened it as a XXX christian bookstore. The Horny Nuns series are very popular.
    • I just wonder if there isn't something better that churches can be doing with their money. Something more constructive rather than destructive. I guess they think they're fighting for the moral good of the community, but they're also putting people out of business, and probably leaving a vacant property in their wake, not to mention eroding the local tax base.

      ....Bethanie....
    • Same town. They're positively puritanical.

      It was the Kingdom Life Christian Church and they spent $245,000 to do so.
    • IIRC, the $250,000 or so it cost to buy out the porn shop far exceeded the value of the place... so they can buy a larger, nicer location now.

      I have half a mind to start a business of establishing porn stores in puritannical towns just to have them buy me out at a profit... :-p
    • I heard a story like that very recently, where some church folks bought a building hoping to squeeze the porn biz out. Only one problem. The folks running the biz had a lease which the church folks couldn't legally break. And the lease had a written-in option to renew after a time at the tenant's discretion. Which meant that the church folks were stuck with the fate of being landlords to a porn biz....

      Just one of those 'slap-yourself-on-the-forehead' ironies. :)
  • most communities have zoning legislation that prohibits "adult" businesses and liquor establishments from operating within a certain distance from a church or a daycare. i don't know weather this would have applied in this case, but the courts have upheald these restrictions as long as the businesses are not entirely prohibited from operating.
    • Some may be able to get around this. There is a video store near my house that is around the block from a church/parochial school and has a HUGE pron section in the basement. It's the only thing that would keep the place afloat.

      No one ever complains since they have a large general interest selection upstairs and doors & security cameras monitoring the adult section.
      • It depends on what the local laws call "porn". As far as I know simply selling adult videos, books/magazines, or sex toys isn't subject to zoning in this state any different than "normal" book, video, or clothing stores. Typically the only restriction you see is prohibiting people under 18 from entering the adult section.

        On the other hand with strip clubs, peep shows, and the few remaining adult theaters around here most tend to be on the edge of town except for some that are grandfathered.

        Wisconsin was s
  • Some place nearby with a "thriving" porn industry needs to work to kick the church out of town.

    In all honesty I think per capita religion has ruined more lives than porn. Porn makes people feel better. Yes, sometimes minors are misused, and sometimes people turn to drugs, and yes there are tons of other things that porn has "done" to the players involved in it, but the church has driven people to wars and death and it has opressed people. Porn welcomes all people, it welcomes them of all sizes, colors,
    • In Milford, the Kingdom Life Christian Church, an interfaith, nondenominational church, spent $245,000 to buy the building housing Video Pleasures with plans to force the store out. "On the first Sunday when we made the announcement that we were going to try and buy the building to get the store out, people jumped to their feet, yelling and screaming and clapping," said James F. Hashem, the chief of staff for the church. He said he realized that the local government was limited in what it could do, so he
  • My road trip out of Connecticut and back to Seattle tomorrow is going to take me very close to Milford. I might just have to make a stop. Sounds like a fun place!

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