You Can Fight Pornography

To recap my last article on pornography: 1) It’s as addictive as cocaine. 2) It is destructive to human relationships. 3) We need to protect our families and influence public policy to protect our society.

Protect your family:

• First, don’t assume that you or your family members are immune.
  Use Internet filters and V-chips.


• Technology is insufficient to protect your home, so establish firm rules. Make sure everyone knows the rules. Make sure everyone follows the rules, even you. Some rules might include:


• No computers or TVs behind closed doors. We moved our family computer into the living room. It was inconvenient at first, but it has paid off.


• Review all movies and other media before partaking. Screen-It is a fantastic resource. Don’t go to movies or participate in other entertainment that violates you family values.


• Any time a family member accidentally is assaulted by porn (or invitations to porn) first turn it off and then tell a responsible adult. This goes for adult members of the family as well.


• No one clears Internet history. (Some firewall programs keep track in a password accessed log even if the browser history is cleared out.) Review history frequently.
• Nothing will protect better than a strong relationship with family members. Rules might protect your home to a certain degree, but none of us spend 24x7 at home. Children spend time at the homes of others whose values may differ from yours even if you share the same faith. They need to be strong enough to uphold values even when you’re not around. Strong relationships start by spending face time together as a whole family and in smaller groups. Also, spend time with your children while they access the Internet and while they watch TV.


• If the places you shop have not yet covered over risqué magazine covers, write letters to ask them to do so. If they don’t comply, use your shopping dollars elsewhere. Businesses understand that language.

Influence public policy:

• Local laws regulating pornography come down to “community standards,” which is an ethereal term. It takes people standing up in favor of policies and making noise when entities violate standards to firmly establish community standards that will stand up in court.


• Speak out against judges that rule in favor of pornographers. This requires being informed and using avenues available to voice concern. Newspaper opinion letters are useful avenues as are your representatives and senators.


• Support a political process that will appoint judges that support moral values. This means supporting politicians that can make a positive difference in this process and standing against politicians that stand in the way. Some regular people like you found that standing up for good judges allowed the defeat of Senator Tom Daschle (formerly D-SD) whose obstructionist politics prevented many worthy people from becoming judges.

Pornography is a problem that isn’t going away. Of course drug abuse is also a problem that isn’t going away. We don’t improve the situation by dabbling with it, allowing its legalization, or being apathetic. Take steps to protect your family and community from pornography just as you would take steps to protect them from illegal drug abuse. It’s that serious.