Let's campaign!

[helstone]

I think making a phone call, sending an email, or writing a letter to a store could help. But one isolated woman complaining might not make that much difference.

I think it is much more effective when a team works on these things together.

A few years ago I saw a bunch of women start complaining on a discussion forum for a popular woman's magazine. The complaints were about cigarette ads. I happened to have a copy of it, and found 17 ads for cigarettes in that issue, including the entire back page.

I figured those 30 women complaining on the message boards weren't going to make an impact.

Three months later, however, I noticed that NO tobacco related ads were in the mag. Not one!

I think the effect of what seems like dozens of people complaining is much, much more effective than just one.

I propose that we campaign - take up one store at a time, and call, email, write, whatever it takes, to make our voices heard.

ZT had an issue with Shell. I vote for all of us contacting them - first, see what might be in our local stores, and if nothing, still call and complain about the ones we know have a problem.

What do you say?

[ellen38]

i'm in.
i'm tired of feeling powerless.

[P]

I'm just tired

[lani]

Im in for it and or awareness to others
outside link attatched to an interview of a speaker at a recent seminar I attended:
Also, check out the 28 minute interview with (deleted)

The authors cited are credentialed academics who are associated with material that can be raw and graphic in their discussion, including the use of images from adult films. The links here appear to be safe. There is always the risk of unsuitable material (triggering) for recovering addicts and sensitive partners. Caution advised, especially with the blog link. This may be construed as being overly protective.

Added -DO NOT DOWN LOAD or request the slide show. It has been seen by a member who has registered a complaint. This slide show has been reviewed by no-porn.com staff and it contains unedited pornography, verbal and image screen captures from pornography websites. The shock value might work for non-addicts but we here have already been damaged and do not need or desire further exposure. I personally applaud and encourage the idea of campaigning and anti-pornography activism but this is inappropriate and unwarranted exposure and risk to all the members here.

I am deleting all references to the link and the authors listed in this post. Those who wish that info may request it from member lani.

tiger



lani

[zerotolerance]

I'm in. And on the flip side of this, we also need to recognize the stores that don't carry it too, the ones that CHOOSE to stay family friendly.

And a big part of this problem is that people are ignorant of the law too imo. For ex. I decided not to go to shell the other day, and instead went to the Grocery Store across the street. I usually just buy coke, gas, and ciggs at the Shell. And I go there mainly because most of these other stores don't carry my brand or they only get a couple of cartons a week, so they always run out, whereas the Shell stocks em because I'm not the only one who ask for them evidently. So anyway, I told the woman who was working the desk where you have to get the ciggs, if they carried them now, and the answer was not many. I told her I was battling the shell across the street over their p display. She proceeds to agree with me, but was telling me all about how much worse it was in some EU countries, and how we are heading in that direction etc... I told her I don't want other people think is okay, or tolerate, IT IS ALWAYS ILLEGAL in America to expose to children to exposed P and nudity. And that was what I was specifically complaining about. I didn't even realize a woman working a register behind us could hear us, and she chimed in supporting my efforts. They both thanked me, and I asked them both to also complain if they are ever over there. But it still floors me how many people are under the impression that this crap is legal esp the the way it's being displayed in family stores, with nudity and all, when it is not. Actually, my State code defines anything as obscence except for naked women, not engaged in a sex act. The second you add male genitilia, or a sex act, it's technically illegal. But legal or not, exposing children and minors of any age, is ALWAYS illegal and ALWAYS inappropriate, and our best angle (as far as effectiveness) to approach this from imo because our laws are more restrictive when it comes to minors.

It's also important to notice that not ALL stores behave this way. There's another Shell that sits on a corner of an intersection that has three churches on the other three corners. They don't carry p whatsoever. humm?? They also don't carry my smokes, but I believe the reason they don't carry p, is either the owner is more moral, or they do a lot of business from those churchs that they don't want to loose. A third shell nearby, carries p. And the shell near my brothers doesn't. They don't even carry R rated movies even though they have a big movie rack.

I haven't been back in the Shell since the day I talked to the cop. I was going in their the night I decided to go to the grocery store instead. I'm letting them intimidate me. I rode thru their and at first I though only my friend was working but when I saw the pheaded owner dude was there too, I went across the street. I'm hoping to catch my friend employee alone and asked him what the cop said. My said he's seen cops down there more lately. So he's wondering what's up with that. I hope that cop told his buddies to stop in there and look to help ensure it's covered. Either that or maybe he let em know where the best p supply in the neighborhood is, but I hope not.

I've been thinking about printing down a copy of the sexual predators list, with pictures, for my zip code, and taking it down there. I'd bet $50.00 that they are selling p to more than a few of the 100+ registered offenders in my zip code. I'm pretty sure I've seen one or two of these guys in that store before. But I doubt very seriously that the foriegners running the store have ever looked at that list or their pics. If nothing else they will know the faces of the men on the list.

Another thing I've noticed is that whenever I stand in front of the p rack in any of these stores, just looking, the male owners, or employees, get really uncomfortable. Sometimes I think they see a woman a the p rack and they head off into some p fantasy thinking I want them. lol!!! But other times I think they know it's illegal, and they get concerned when they see women paying attention. But just try it, just try looking at the p rack in a store and see ya'll get similar reactions or not. I've tried it in every store around here, and the employee come and stand right near me, unlike when I look at anything else in the store. In the one Shell they know why I'm looking, but in the other stores they don't. I'm sure they don't go stand up under every man that looks at it though. So what's that about???

[lani]

Where I work they are doing a seminar about stalking ...and stalking on the web. I would like to research how P ...effects women and families that are in domestic violent or abusive (physically or emotionally) situations. My guess is some women are totally unaware. ( I know I was.) I think it should be a subject in a support group for them.
I listened to Robert Jensen, and although it was refreshing to hear men speak about working against it. It is also depressing how it effects society. At the time I attended the seminar, I suspected a problem , but was still in denial, but pushed to the point of a secret way to monitor the computer without his knowledge.
www.pcpandora.com/
there is a trial version that works well for free.
lani

[lani]

What is Empowerment?
Empowerment is the process of enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes. Central to this process are actions which both build individual and collective assets, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the organizational and institutional context which govern the use of these assets.

Empowered people have freedom of choice and action. This in turn enables them to better influence the course of their lives and the decisions which affect them.

"Knowlede is Power"

Once you know the facts of the circumstances you are better able to make the choice YOU want to make for yourself.
I know sorting the emotions out is the hardest, but now you posess the knowledge of the facts of real life , and tho it may seem grim there are choices available for women today. If you want to watch a movie about strong women fighting for what they believe watch the movie "Iron Jawed Angels". and know you are a strong woman and can make a decision that best suits you and your future and CAN ACHIEVE it.
best wishes,
lani

[lani]

I also agree with zerotolerance, we need to be aware of what is out there and readily available to anyone. I watched a film about boys today and was shocked to hear them admit they had all viewed porn from early ages , as young as 8 years old.....and where does it come from???
lani

[justme123]

Dumpsters at the back of parking lots, ditches out in the country, older cousins, uncles, SLEEPOVERS

[completelydone]

I'm in too, Helstone! You all let me know, let's start a thread just for that, who and when and I'll contact them. In the day and age of e-mails, we don't have to be there in person. Obscenity laws will only be enforced when people collectively speak up.

You know, if all women alone, or even a relatively small percentage of them spoke out, this crap would be through in no time. The people tend to forget who really holds the power................. in case you forgot, we do. But we have to exert it.

I already contacted Shell the last time she mentioned it, but I'll gladly do it again.

Take care,
CD

[tootrue]

I'm in. But I'm not sure what we are going to collectively do? Maybe I missed it in this thread. Can you post a link of where to write, or are we going to post about it here?

[zerotolerance]

I don't think we have a specific cause yet. Who got pissed off, by what, pr whom, today? We should start there. With whatever bothers us. A mag in walmart triggered me yesterday. On the cover was a nude woman holding her boobs maxim style, but I can't remember which mag. I think it was Vibe maybe. I'm looking for the cover online now. If it was we could start by complaining about that one maybe. Walmart is usually pretty family friendly so I was shocked to see this at their register rack. I was pissed, but I didnt say anything, when I should have. Anyway I just tried to find out if it was vibe, and guess what the first pop up I got on the vibe site was for. A pop up for WALMART!!! HUMMM!!!!

[trigger]BINGO, I just found a pic of the cover that offended me. Here's a link to the page that shows it. Scroll down and look on the right site, and you'll see it, in a section called "in the magazine". It's Keshyia Cole, whoever that is, I guess she's a stripping hip hop singer. Anyway, it's the only potentially triggering image that I saw on the page. And like I said above, she's shown naked, from the waist up, but with her hands and arms covering most of her breasts. www.vibe.com/[/trigger]

What do ya'll think, should we complain about this one? It's pretty typical, of what we see, but that doesn't make it right. Esp not to display it this way, in front of CHILDREN in line at "family friendly" Walmart.

I think we should pick any, and all that bother, or trigger, any one of us maybe. And we could just use this thread to discuss em.

I'm gonna go pop one off to vibe and walmart, right now! We should complain to EVERY other store that carries VIBE too. I've been kicking myself for not causing a scene when I saw it. But hey, I can still let em know now without causing a scene, right? Anyway, they are the ones displaying a p "scene" not me. It's sexual harrassment, and so if they want to harass me, then they can just expect me to harrass them right back, from now own!

I'm tired of hearing it's none of my business, and if I don't like it don't buy it, or change the channel. If it's happening in MY community, then THEY are MAKING it MY business. If they are exposing MY kids, or anyone elses, THEY are making it EVERY MOTHERs business! Just because a person may have the man-made right to view, that doesn't give them the right to take away my choice NOT TO VIEW IT. They talk a good "to each his own" talk, and it's high time we show em what that really means. To each his own means I don't have to take this crap. It doesn't mean that I do. That's where we get taught it backwards.

[trigger]I'm tired of letting the inmates run the assylum. I don't care anymore if every grown man on earth wants to wank their brains out with p. This isn't something that is for the men on earth, (for a change). This is for the children, for ME, for YOU, for women, and for ALL humanity. Not for one mans selfish, p-nish desires to use ALL women, and not for one million mens selfish p-nish desires to use ALL women. This is for the people who are still people, and not yet just another p puppet imo. [/trigger]

[completelydone]

I e-mailed Wal-mart. You can find it here:

walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=221

P.S. Mention the Sports Illustrated half naked calendars I've seen in their stores lately too.

I e-mailed Vibe and here is the link to that:

www.vibe.com/about/contact/

[kianna]

I was amazed by the caption under the magazine, starting with: Miss Cole is a half a mile from heaven. Sheesh!

[completelydone]

Pathetic isn't it?