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How to Organize a CFD Group in Your Neighborhood What are Community Standards? Take Action!

Educate Your Community

If concerned citizens take a stand and oppose inappropriate businesses and media, the community standards will continue to remain high. Every individual has a responsibility to participate in this process.

What are Community Standards?

A Community Standard is the standard of media, business, advertising, entertainment, etc. that is accepted by the citizens of a community. Courts often use community standards to determine what type of businesses and/or media is allowed in the community. The community standards chosen by one community may vary greatly from those of another.

Why are Community Standards so important?

Community Standards set precedents. For example, if a video store sells or rents pornographic videos, then it could be argued that those types of videos are an accepted part of the community standard. This lowers the standards and sets in motion the chain reaction of more inappropriate businesses locating and operating in that community. If citizens are silent, inappropriate businesses may be allowed to do whatever they wish. However, if concerned citizens take a stand and oppose inappropriate businesses and media, the community standards will continue to remain high. Every individual has a responsibility to participate in this process.

Are we imposing values or religious beliefs on others by defining Community Standards?

No. When we make our Community Standards clear, we are exercising our First Amendment rights to speak out. Citizens all over the nation work together to create their community standards. National organizations that work effectively with community standards issues include:   National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families (www.nationalcoalition.org), American Family Association (www.afa.net), and Morality in Media (www.obscenitycrimes.org ).

How do we define or raise our Community Standards?

Gather a group of citizens to work on the items below.

• Educate citizens about what Community Standards means through group presentations, flyers, articles, etc. Informative Internet articles can be found at the following websites:
  • www.ccv.org/Attorney_General_Recommendations.htm
  • www.obscenitycrimes.org/cliches2.cfm
  • www.obscenitycrimes.org/obsclawprimer.cfm

• Teach your family to use good judgment in selecting entertainment and media. Monitor every form of media your child is involved with. Talk with them on a regular basis about what is and is not appropriate.

• Approach a member of your city council to ask him/her to sponsor a resolution that promotes a family appropriate standard in your city. Communities for Decency can provide an example resolution.

• Request that your city attorney review current city ordinances regarding sexually-oriented businesses (SOB). Many city councils believe their SOB ordinances are adequate, but in most cases, they are not.

• Encourage the city to hire a professional attorney to tighten the SOB ordinances. Ask your city to place a moratorium on new business licenses until they have reviewed and tightened current laws.

• Ask your city attorney to draft a letter to be sent to all businesses in your community reminding them of the city ordinances and explaining the community standards. Again, an example is available.

• Exercise your economic power by only renting/purchasing media that promotes high moral standards.

• Only patronize those businesses that demonstrate high community standards.

• Contact businesses and stores and make a request that they remove or cover inappropriate magazines, posters, ads, media, and other materials. Express appreciation through phone calls and letters to those businesses, local leaders, corporations, etc. who model high community standards.

• Work with organizations to encourage them to support victim assistance programs, and sponsor programs that educate people on the dangers of pornography.

• Work with your local library to see that filters are used on all computers to block pornography.

• Become involved in legislation that focuses on community standards issues by contacting your legislative representatives to lobby for strong antipornography and obscenity laws.

• Contact local and national television stations and advertisers to voice your opinion about inappropriate content in the media. Sources to help you do this are: www.moralityinmedia.org, www.cleantv.net and www.parentstv.org Citizens can also file complaints to the FCC regarding inappropriate media at www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html .