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 that it is about the legality if the protest, but rather the methods imposed.I don’t really see how it is in a neighborhood since there is no housing close by.I don’t see why these protesters would have their family hang out in this area when they are so against the porn store in the first place
I’m from the Uniontown protest. Many people writing in have misconceptions about our protest. Much of this is due to the misconceptions about porn.
A primary concern of the protesters is “secondary effects.” Sexually oriented business bring thousands of people from out of the area and a significant percentage engage in unsocial, often illegal and very often violent behavior. Take a look on our website http://www.war-line.net “GOTCHA PAGE” and see this daily behavior residents face 24/7.
Uniontown is a small community of just 50 people. The sex business is smak in the middle of this small community. We hve no police force in the area due to its small population. Even Mayberry had Andy and Barney.
Federal stats regognized by the federal courts confirm a 77% increase in crime around sex business. This has happend in Uniontown and more. We’ve had breakins, sex toys in our yards, countless indecent exposure, violent attacks on residents. On at least two occassion children were sexually assaulted here near the porn store while adults were present. Twice we have stopped pimps setting up prostitution here and we can’t count the times we’ve stopped drug activity by our 24/7 protest. These problems did not exist here for the 150 year history of Uniontown. Only since the Lion’s Den arrived.
We can show much more but you get the idea. If any reader feels they would be concerned with this activity going on next the them, they can understand why we keep a 24 hour active watch on this place.
I just want to say that yes you are allowed to protest. But when it comes to destroying a truckers job, that is going a bit far. Me and my husband (who is a truck driver). Go to church every Sunday when he is home and I volunteer at the homeless shelter and we donate money to causes. We enjoy some of the items these stores have to keep flair in our marriage. We also were both virgins when we were married. Where in the Bible does it say that a man and women should not enjoy each other. Also i remember a pastor telling his couples to have relations for 30 days straight. Also look at the Catholic priests that have abused small children. Just because some of us go to these stores does not mean we are abusers and such. There are sex therapist out there that will tell a couple to buy certain items to get things going. Like for me i have a medical condition in which i have a low sex drive. So there are things in these stores that help me. Also the pictures you take of these rudes gestures, would those gestures happen if you were not there with your cameras. Remember you get more flies with honey. Just make sure that when you say all who go to these stores are bad, some are not. I mean congrats if you can shut your store down. But the porn industry is huge. It has been around for many years. Even back in Jesues day. There were prostutes. So please think before you speak or act. And I know that you say you respect truckers, if you do leave them out of this. Some of them are good guys, with families. I am sure their spouses know of what they do.We are not all sickos and abusers.
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.
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.
Porn is illegal to God! And as far as doing something constructive, absolutely constructive it is! Making these truckers think twice. We all have some type of diversion from our wrong doings and this might be surely one that could turn these truckers to a different path, The True. There is only two the Right Way and the Wrong Way. No in between. I even read the article in full if I remember correctly that people even got Saved. People took Bibles and Literature. Do something constructive, PRAISE the Lord for there commitment to ridding the neighborhood of ungodliness. Watcha think!
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.
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!!!
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.
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 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