Truckers’ Pictures Taken When They Buy Porn
Take our survey at the bottom of this post
I couldn’t resist reporting on this. When a Lion’s Den (adult store) opened in Uniontown, Indiana, four years ago, I’m sure the owners were not prepared for the community reaction. Thirty-five residents have protested outside the Lion’s Den in shifts for four years—365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Their website boasts: this is the longest running protest against a sex business in the United States.
They are the Uniontown Watchdogs.
When a truck driver pulls into the Lion’s Den parking lot he sees a sign: “Warning Truckers. If you visit this adult bookstore we will take your picture and send it to your employer. Plus post it on website War-Line.net.” Similar signs warn other potential Lion’s Den customers. And the Watchdogs make good on their promises (their website features dozens of pictures of Lion’s Den patrons, many whom seem rather . . . um . . . irritated by the Watchdogs).
According to the owner, Ronald Stone, the business model estimated over 200 truck visits per night. However, 90% of the potential customers turn away when they see the signs. According to the protesters’ website, the Lion’s Den property is now up for sale, and two local buyers are soon to make offers on the property (to be used for anther type of business).
What else has the protest accomplished? One of the protesters signs offers free Bibles to Lion’s Den patrons: they’ve given away over 1,000 Bibles to date. Protesters have also prayed with customers who wanted help for addiction or relationship problems. The Watchdogs claim over 100 customers have prayed to accept Christ in the last four years. In addition, a parole officer from another county ran the plate numbers recorded by the Watchdogs and discovered several sex offenders violating their parole.
What do you think about this protest? Some have mentioned that the protesters are guilty of harassment and intimidation (Title 35, Article 45, Chapter 2 of the Indiana Code). Others say the protesters are merely exercising their first amendment right to assembly. Some say they are doing injustice to their anti-porn message with their methods. Others think they are being good concerned citizens doing their part to rid Uniontown of adult businesses.
I don’t think this survey has enough answers. I like the offer of the Bibles and prayer. That has obviously worked. The sign and posting of pictures has worked too, but if it is illegal and infringing on their right to privacy, I don’t feel good about supporting illegal activities “for a good cause.”
Their methods have obviously been effective and I would love to see another store like this shut down, but I’m not pro breaking the law to do it. If no laws are broken, I hope this movement/method spreads.
I think it is overdone… it is an infringement on people’s freedom and even though we do not like it, people will do what they do. Was it effective.. YES! Am I happy that it has had a negative impact on their business…YES! Pornography hurts and I would love to see it gone.
It is one thing to leave a message that gets the point across without blatantly overstepping personal boundaries and saying and doing something that totally advertises the fact that they were there. I am all for protesting, but it needs to be done in a way that is not intrusive.
@Donna – Thanks for your thoughts. I am interested to see people’s reactions because there’s a strong desire for many to protest adult businesses but great disagreement about how it should be done. Thanks!
@Bradley – There is a question about legalities to be sure. Because this is somewhat a gray area, it would really be up for the courts to decide. So far no amount of protest from the business has shut down the protest from a legal standpoint. The other issue is even if they are not technically breaking the law, do they appear as if they are abusing the law? This may have a bearing on how their message is received by others.
It seems to me that this protest is being done within the boundaries of the law, and tastefully as well. Insofar as being “intrusive” – so be it! Pornography stores “intrude” the peace and tranquility of many neighborhoods, as well as people’s lives, with their dispicable smut. Both the protest, within the limits allowed by the law, and (unfortunately) pornography, are protected Free-Speech items. for the moment, one will have to tolerate the presence of the other.
I think this is great!
My life was personally efffected by pronography, ending a 35 year marriage. My ex was completely consumed by the addiction and was unable to conquer it. It chipped away at what remained of our marriage one piece at a time until nothing remained. I am agnostic and so won’t bring religion into my comment except to say, if it helps some, then all the power to them. I personally believe that the methods the activists have taken is a non-violent act and that it is the right path to take. The fact that it has helped in the capture of numerous sex offenders is the most one could hope for. I wish them success in their attept to create a pornography free community.
I am a CHRISTIAN too
but I believe that the approach should be in a loving way I am a truck driver too. I have done it for over 6yrs . I now do local driving but thier methods should be not so thrustful ..if you wnt to talk more please ….
The first amendment works both ways. I think this is a great example of that in action. To say these people are infringing on others’ freedom by exercising their own makes no sense. Porn stores have the freedom to sell their wares. Individuals have the freedom to buy them. Protesters have the freedom to assemble and take and display photos in public places.
While I believe porn is sinful, I do not believe it should be illegal. This is a great example of how people can stop porn and limit its effects by exercising their first amendment rights rather than trying to quash others’.
PS: Bradley, what specifically, is illegal about what they’re doing? Anyone can take your photograph and do what they want with it if you’re in a public place.
I agree with the sign, it just reinforces how wrong pornography is, pornography can really destroy a family.
I am one of the Uniontown protesters. Thank you for your blog article. It was accurate and balanced.
I would like to clarify our taking pictures and posting them on the web is absolutly legal. In fact, if you look on our website you will see a number of porn customers taking pictures of us. The Lion’s Den has a state of the art camera taking pictures of us 24/7 along with all their customers.
Many of their pictures of us are posted on pro porn websites. The 4th amendment of the constitution does not protect privacy in the public forum.
@Rob – Thanks for visiting our blog! I was hoping to get some feedback from those in your area. Some have raised concerns about legalities, but doing this for four years without prosecution convinces me and many others you aren’t breaking any laws. I was just trying to get a feel for how people are reacting to this protest. Thanks for all you are doing there in Uniontown!
Just so you know, as of now (August 28, 8:50am), there have been 46 responses to this survey, and 35 believe you have a right to protest the way they are doing it, and I think your methods are an effective way to promote your anti-porn message.
Luke,
We at Uniontown appreciate your blog. We welcome your comments and those from your readers. The situation is changing here making us closer to victory. You can keep up with our situation on http://www.war-line.net. We will also arrange a link on our website to yours.
It’s not only you appear to be of the same mind as us that impresses us. You were fair, balanced and accurate. In our work here we live live surround by lies, not only from the porn business and customers, but also from local government. You are a breath of fresh air. We will be happy to answer any questions from you or your readers.
Our victory is near. We will keep you posted on the details as they develop.
I feel that this will cause more extreme measures to be taken
to satisfy their needs. Drawing people to Christ should not include exposing them in this manner, sin is not sin to the unsaved. I think this could do more harm then good. I’m not saying that everyone is going to that next extreme (kidnapping, rape, and sex trafficking) but when someone can’t get their fix, they will find it elsewhere.
Jesus said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” John 8:7
Hi Stefan,
I’m from the Uniontown protest. We understand your feelings as they are a common misconception of our protest. If you look on our website you will discover we do not judge anyone (John 8:7). We do not call Lion’s Den customers rapists, molesters, etc. We simply apply scripture to the activity the customer is doing at the moment.
The scripture we apply to ourselves is Ephesians 5:11 – “Take no part and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead expose, reprove and convict them.” That’s the the purpose of our taking pictures and posting them on our website http://www.war-line.net
The result is we have stopped 90% of their business (it’s now up for sale), we have counseled thousands of porn customers, hundreds have come to Christ right here in front to the porn store and we have given away over 1,000 Bibles.
We do not judge, ever. We put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-13) and stand fighting off the evil that comes in our midst. This too is the duty of all Christians. God in turn has blessed us with opportunity to witness to thousands and hundreds of salvations of the lost souls who come into our community for porn but leave with a Bible and Jesus in their lives.
I think this is wonderful what the protesters are doing. The courts certainly aren’t doing their job and neither is the churches in the area! Somebody has to do something and it’s working! It’s keeping many away and hopefully will shut down the place asap!
By the way, I was molested as a child and porn was a part of it. Pornography should be illegal as it harms everyone in society. I know it nearly wrecked my life and cause me a lot of pain both as a child and adult.
@Amy – I hear more and more stories about how pornography has played a significant role in sexual abuse. I am so sorry to hear you went through that.
I am so happy that someone (or all of you) are standing up for what is right. The Lord allows these sick individuals to get away with this, as well as purchasing women for sex because we (as the body of Christ) are responsible to put an end to it. The Lord has said that His children will have his strength to rid the Earth of these aweful acts, but we have to act! You are doing just that! You are amazing and an example for all of us to live by! Thank God for all of you standing up for what is right!!!
Amy,
All of us at the Uniontown protest hold you in a special place in our hearts and prayers. We have counseled hundreds of women here in front of the Lion’s Den in Uniontown. The common denominator is sexual abuse with all of them. One survey of rape victims shows 85% of all rape/molestations is a reninactment of a porn scene. The purpose of the sex acts in porn is to arouse the male and desensitize the victim. Porn messes up our hard wiring regarding sex. If you look on our website you can see pictures how messed up people become with porn addiction. They become very dangerous. This is why we must all stand together fighting porn.
Protesting a porn store isn’t going to stop sexual crimes. Porn is not illegal. Go protest some meth dealers’ houses.. you know, a real problem in Indiana.
This is incredible safe, and easy, and makes some retired pathetic Christian idiots feel like they’re doing something with their time. I’ve been to that store… they sell lingerie and dildos. They sell massage oil. They sell things that MARRIED COUPLES use when they make love. Is this also wrong? Just because these people haven’t gotten laid in years, that doesn’t mean they should take it out on other people.
They just look pathetic and ridiculous, and everyone is laughing at them. Instead of getting involved, they should just turn their head. If it’s really so wrong, their “God” will punish the people. But I think even God would hope that these Christians would do something more constructive with their time.
This is dangerous to post peoples pics and License #. esp. if You are asked to not post. What if a misguided soul who thinks that they are doing work for the Lord looks at the information that is being posted on War-line.net and finds some of these people and does them Harm, all in what they think is in the name of the Lord? How are the protesters going to feel to know that they Personally helped some of these people to get hurt? This is wrong Expecially when asked not to post pictures in a polite way.