Persistent noise that hums in the background of life is called white noise. Usually the noise is so subtle that we unconsciously accept it as necessary to functioning normally. Remove it and you become oddly disturbed.
Joe MackA huge industry was developed to combat the natural quiet that tends to keep people awake. Whether you call them noise or sound machines, millions of people cannot go to sleep without the reverberation of ocean waves lulling them into a catatonic state. Where noise used to be the hindrance, it now becomes the rescuer. The same analogy can be made between what was once morally reprehensible and has now become all too familiar – the infiltration of sexually oriented businesses into the heart of our neighborhoods. For many, these businesses foster an immoral lifestyle legitimized by pervasiveness of indecency.
We’ve been encouraging our legislators to pass House Bill 3679 to regulate sexually oriented businesses. Rep. Scott Talley introduced this bill. It was killed last month in a House Judiciary Subcommittee.
This bill demanded that a space of six feet be maintained between customers and nude or semi-nude employees. The bill stated that a “variety of adverse secondary effects including, but not limited to, lewdness, public indecency, prostitution, potential spread of disease, illicit drug use and drug trafficking, personal and property crimes, negative impacts on surrounding properties, blight, litter, and sexual assault and exploitation” are prevalent where these places operate.
The House Judiciary Committee sent the bill to the Criminal Laws Subcommittee, who voted to kill it. We were confident we could count on Rep. Murrell Smith (Sumter) and Rep. Keith Kelly (Spartanburg) to vote for regulating these businesses. Reps. Todd Rutherford (Columbia) and Doug Jennings (Bennettsville) voted against the bill. The swing vote was left to Rep. Bill Herbkersman (Beaufort). He broke the tie and voted to kill the bill.
Do those who voted against H. 3679 consider sexually oriented businesses as positive influences in our communities? Do they believe that the secondary effects of these hangouts have no impact on the quality of life for the women who are being exploited by the men who own, manage, and frequent these establishments? Have they no regard for the mothers, sisters, and wives who worry about all the problems that accompany degenerate behavior?
Pray for those who are being pulled down by the clutches of sexual immorality and for their family members. Pray for Rep. Talley and those who value a South Carolina where families are free to shop and enjoy recreation without being confronted by blatant advertisements about nude dancing. Every House seat is up for reelection in November. Learn how your representatives voted on critical issues so you can be an informed voter.