Porn-starved trigger jockeys?

[Fritz]

Catchy thread title - huh?


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A war of words over sending pornography to troops
Terry Mattingly, Scripps Howard News Service

Published March 31, 2003 PORVAR

Attention, all families and friends preparing to send "care packages" to U.S. soldiers: Not all gifts are created equal on the Arabian Peninsula.

Powered-drink mixes, beef jerky, pretzels and chewing gum are fine, say the veterans at http://www.West-Point.org.Chocolate will melt. Flyswatters, footballs, lip balm, sunblock lotion, foot powder and other logical items will be appreciated.

Do not send pork or tobacco. Do not send religious materials. And do not send pornography. In other words, send nothing that will bring grief -- or danger -- to soldiers in the lands surrounding Mecca.

Thus, scores of religious leaders got upset when they heard about a DirectLink Media Group offer to send pornographic videotapes and DVDs to U.S. soldiers and veterans anywhere, with the soldiers paying shipping and handling charges.

The pornographer's news release was blunt. The company merely wants to help defend democracy, free speech and the American way.

Cultural conservatives were outraged. A Focus on the Family report, for example, noted that a wave of free pornography would be especially demeaning to women who serve alongside men in today's armed services.

"This is an abominable marketing trick by pornographers who care nothing about our troops," added Jan LaRue of Concerned Women of America. Plus, these "Muslim countries generally don't allow anything like this."

On one level, this is merely another firefight in the culture wars that have followed the sexual revolution.

It's a familiar story. Someone on the cultural left does something outrageous. The usual suspects on the cultural right respond with sermons.

A late-night comic or two turns this into punch lines. Journalists yawn.

But this time, at least one pastor did something unusual. The Rev. Martin Drummond of Miami Shores (Fla.) Christian Church took the time to write the pornographer a sincere, low-key appeal to stop his marketing blitz. There was more to this issue than another moralistic minister pitching a fit, he said.

After all, Osama bin Laden and his disciples have issued stacks of fatwas blaming the United States for spreading filth and immorality worldwide.

This could be a matter of life and death for troops near the Persian Gulf.

"Do you realize," wrote Drummond, "that one of the reasons the radical Islamic movement so dislikes America is because of its tolerance of pornography? What kind of support will our troops find in Middle Eastern countries if the soldiers are seen as porn-starved trigger jockeys? Your effort will give new life to the allegation that we are not a nation of character, but instead of carnal compromise."

Aaron Gordon has not responded to interview requests about his campaign. But he did reply to Drummond's e-mail.

"With all due respect," he said, "if I were to change anything I did because the 'radical Islamic movement' does not approve of it, then I would have to forgo most of my beliefs in a free society, my way of life in a free society, and together, we would be forgoing the freedom of people who live in this society."

This argument does carry some weight with Drummond, who is both a pastor and a working journalist with two decades of experience reporting for secular newspapers. Anyone who has taken a class in media law and ethics knows that -- here in the safety of America -- Gordon has a right to outrage the faithful to his heart's content.

"But this has to be a classic case of someone crying 'Fire!' in a crowded theater," said Drummond. "Sometimes, enough is enough. This kind of stunt is not going to help our troops. This is just going to pour gasoline on the flames of hatred that they already face over there. . . . Sure, we have freedom of speech. But sometimes we have to restrain ourselves, if, by exercising our freedoms, we can get other people hurt."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/3788815.html

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

wow!

[sachmo71]

Hey, if I were in a foxhole, and my wife were back in the world, I wouldn't mind some free porn. At least I wouldn't die with a full spread of torpedoes still in the tubes, ya know?

[Fritz]

Right now I am in the process of hiding dirty cards in a rice krispy treat foil wrapper.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Fritz
Right now I am in the process of hiding dirty cards in a rice krispy treat foil wrapper.

You're a true patriot, Fritz.

[mckerney]

They're over there killing people, and the religous leaders have a problem with them looking at porn?


Oh and real good brining up how people like Osama bin Ladin dislike us in part because our tolerance for pornography. Have numerous wives of various ages, force them to cover their faces, and abuse them, a-okay. But have a naked picture of a woman ! That would be immoral!

[CamEdwards]

I have nothing to contribute, I just thought this was a Ping for me.

[AgPete]

Originally posted by Fritz
Right now I am in the process of hiding dirty cards in a rice krispy treat foil wrapper.

ROFL!!

[JeeberD]

nothing wrong with a little porn every once in a while. well, ok, two or three times a day, at minimum...

[KWhit]

It's okay for the troops to get prayer cards for Dubya, but not porn?! What is wrong with this country?

[Fritz]

getting non-islamic religious items allowed was no small diplomatic effort.

[KWhit]

I'd rather have the porn.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by KWhit
I'd rather have the porn.

so would the guy I am sending the cards to

[mckerney]

Fritz - A True Patriot

[tucker342]

What's wrong with sending the soldiers porn!?!?!?!? If I was a soldier I wouldn't mind recieving porn at all.

Since Osama said not to, than we definitely shouldn't do it.

Some people just need to chill out.

[tucker342]

dola-

Fritz,
Where do you find this stuff? This is almost as good as the last article you posted.