Advice please.
I'm an older man who walks daughters past a lingerie model in the local shopping centre (photo, larger than life size). After school drop-off I went in to complain, saying that in my view the photo was not suitable for public display, and I didn't want said daughters walking past it.
Response from manager was: She was within her legal rights to display, and if the complaint was to be taken further, go to centre management.
She would be ready with her arguments which, in summary, were:
As a Christian, she didn't think the display was
a. provocative
b. immoral
c. illegal.
Different people would offer different opinions on a, and b, but she is correct on c.
What's best next?
6 comments:
Very tough one. I admire your readiness to act to protect your daughters. You indicated that the manager is a Christian; would it be worth appealing to her using the "weaker brother" argument -- that even if she is convinced that she has the freedom to display the photograph, the fact that it is a stumbling block for you, in moving you to anger and distress, is grounds for her to decide not to use her freedom in this matter? A potential danger here would be that she would misinterpret, and make a huge fuss, claiming that you were personally moved to lust by the photograph.
You could also maybe try to encourage her to see herself as having the potential to help young girls facing the current barrage of brainwashing about body image and sexuality?
Thanks anonymous.
I am not sure she is a Christian, but when someone says they are, it is hard to suggest they may not be.
Also, in the big scheme of things, I have to work out how much of my time this is worth. It may be worth a lot of time, it may not, but whatever I do next will certainly take time!
It's always worth writing a letter to head office. You can never tell when you will be heard. I recommned following Melinda Tankard Reist on facebook. She often gets things done. Also Collective Shout and FamilySmart. These are all good sites for asking this sort of question and where to go with answers. Well done for speaking up.
you could acknowledge that we live in a pluralistic society in which one's personal pecadilloes, taste or moral code may not easily be enforced on others; you could talk to your daughters about the beauty of the human body and the joy of its perfection, without being overly concerned about 'sexualisation' (although humans are sexual beings)
Well, Gordon, I know your concern well. When my kids, now adults, were young I faced the same things here in the States. The reason that children are now exposed to such things is that there are few who will speak up...much savorless salt and little light in our culture.
One of the first of my 'episodes' was walking into a gas station rest room with young boys and there was a condom machine with lewd ads on it. After refusing to pay my credit card bill and letters to the oil company, the next time we journeyed that way it was gone.
Another was a life-size bikini girl cardboard cut-out next to beer section in the grocery store. I told the manager he was lucky that my mother had not seen it. It was gone.
There is a chapter, Sin and Silence, in my book that applies. I'd be glad to send you the pdf.
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Prayer-Forgiveness-Michael-Snow/dp/159467664X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_3
Another big area of concern [do kids still watch TV?]:
http://sdcougar.startlogic.com/blog/?p=44
Look at where society is now (11 years later) on this topic!
Thank you, Gordon Cheng and Michael Snow for speaking up.
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