Communities for Decency works very hard on a state level to address decency issues related to our communities. However, there are many issues that we encounter that are more easily and effectively addressed on a national level. CFD recommends joining national organizations which promote decency. We commend One Million Moms, American Family Association, and Parents Television Council. These organizations provide information and effective ways to make a difference in our national community. We hope you visit their web sites which are listed below to join in their efforts.
Are You A Silent Shopper?
You purchase groceries and notice some indecent magazines as you check out... you are silent.
You rent a movie at the video store and see a rack of sexually explicit videos... you are silent.
You check out a book at your local library and notice a man accessing pictures of naked women at his computer terminal... you are silent.
You drive past a billboard with an inappropriate image and tag line on your way to work. you are silent.
Indecency has become the norm. We have become desensitized. Much of what used to upset us no longer affects us. Yet, we have the legal right and the moral obligation to decide the types of advertising, products, businesses, and entertainment, allowed in our community. The following are quotes from The Attorney General's Commission on Pornography.
"At the outset, it should be clear that citizens have every right to condemn a wide variety of material that is protected, and properly so, by the First Amendment. That governmental action against a certain variety of communication is unwise and unconstitutional does not mean that the communication is valuable, and does not mean that society is better off for having it.
"That the Communist Party is a lawful organization does not prevent most Americans from finding its tenets abhorrent, and the same holds true for a variety of sexually oriented material. Most of that material is, as we have explained, protected by the First Amendment, but it does not follow that the material is harmless, or that its proliferation is good for society."
"The act of condemnation, of course, is itself central to what the First Amendment is all about. Just as speaking out against government has long been part of what citizens are both entitled and indeed encouraged to do, so too is speaking out on matters of concern not directly related to the functioning of government. Expressing a point of view about sexually explicit materials in general, or about particular sexually explicit materials, is plainly the very kind of activity that First Amendment properly protects . To the extent that citizens have concerns about the kinds of sexually explicit material that are available in contemporary America, they should not only recognize that the First Amendment protects and encourages their right to express these concerns loudly and often, but should as well appreciate the fact that in many aspects of our lives, to keep quiet is to approve.
"A citizen's right to free speech is guaranteed under the First Amendments to the United Sates Constitution. . citizens are encouraged to be vigorous, well-informed, but responsible advocates ."
We have all been guilty of "being silent." Our silence has created a chain reaction across our nation, a reaction that is causing more harm than we will ever know. Your words, or lack of them, make a difference. Think about it. We challenge you to no longer be a "silent shopper."
Get to Know Your Elected Officials
It is easy, simple, and important to know those who are representing you and your voting power. Find your city, state, and congressional officials and learn about the issues that effect you and your family.
