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.
All I can say is I think GOD prefers Kind Atheists over Hateful Christians
I personally would not want this in my back yard. With that said, I have to say that I really find the protest repulsive. I have read the protest web page.
First, they say that bad things (obscene gestures to the protestors) are being done in plain sight. If this is the case, why did the protestors have to build a tower to peep over the fence to get the pictures. If your neighbors were peeping over your privacy fence at home and photographing your activities, then publishing the photos on the web…I’m sure you would have a problem with that.
Second, reading the web site, there is some rediculously WRONG mathematics being told regarding probabilities of people looking at porn versus committing violent crime. If you read this and the math sounds right to you…I PITY YOU. You need to quit protesting and go back to school, because any 6th grader can tell it is wrong. If you feel reading material is causing violent crime… what was the Uniontown protestor reading who was convicted of child molestation?
Touche!! I thought it real ironic that one of the protesters was convicted of child molestation. There is nothing wrong with adult businesses. They don’t have an effect on a person’s kids. If you think they do you obviously doubt your own parenting skills. My ex-wife became a dancer after we separated. My son knew what is mother did for a living. He just joined the Navy and is still a virgin at 25. I raised him well, yet I still went to the occasional strip club and adult novelty store. I once bought a toy for a girlfriend. I guess I am going to hell. These people who protest really need to get a life, and stop trying to take others rights away. If you want to protest do it with prayer, or do you think that prayer would just be falling on deaf ears.
The fact that lingers for me is that of just and fair exposure. If everyone were armed with cameras to photograph moral or religious failure, or “sin”, then I would be safe to assume the protesters owners of the website would also be part of the photo album, complete with a witty description of their shortcomings. Am I right?
I heard about this website from a friend. To say the least, it is infuriating.
For the record, this is a prime example of Christianity at is bleakest and most meaningless and yet another reason why I’m proud to exclude myself and my family from such witch burning.
Shame on you, War-Line. Your passion, time, and resources might be better placed with people and causes that could really benefit from your efforts.