The World According to Steve

After Tuesday's Clarksville Town Council Meeting, it looks like a lot of people are scratching their heads and on the other side it seems ROCK has gotten under some people's skin. What came out of the meeting was pretty much expected by the standing room only crowd. Silence rang out in the chamber room as Brian Wickens finished his jaw dropping dialogue on the circumstances surrounding a sex business that would make Dolly Parton and Bert Reynolds The Best Little Whore House in Texas look like a scene from Lady and The Tramp.

There is not much more to say on the issue that you cannot find in forums around the Kentuckiana area. I have done my part by flooding my thoughts and opinions throughout Wave-3, The Evening News, WHAS, myrocktoday.com, etc. However, my opinion is by far in the minority. It is amazing the misguided responses to this issue from those in favor of Theatre X. It appears most have not been educated on the legal aspect of the issue, if they are interested in the first place. Even more disturbing is how many people in favor of ROCK know every bit as little themselves. I can help with that.

To find out what they are doing wrong and what the laws REALLY are, check out the twenty page document at http://town.clarksville.in.us/. Look under town information, then click ordinances, followed by selecting frames, next click Title XI Business Regulations, and finally Chapter 117 Sexually Oriented Businesses. Never said it would be easy.

Two quick points. After visiting the meeting it became clear to me later that night how uncomfortable it must have been for the law enforcement officers present at the meeting, including the Chief of Police who I know for a fact is a upstanding man. As if their job in the community is difficult enough. Here they have to listen to description, after description of numerous forms of prostitution, drug tracking, involvement by minors, and numerous other violations that clearly break serious laws in Clarksville occurring at a place of business less than two miles from the headquarters and the Town Hall. What do you do if you are the police? Do you sit and listen to the meeting? Do you leave and go down there to check it out for yourself? Are your hands tied by town officials?

What a mixed message they must be receiving, especially after they were just praised by town residents for breaking up a prostitution business on Eastern Boulevard just minutes from...you guessed it, their headquarters and town hall. The laws are on the books (I showed you all how to find them remember - http://town.clarksville.in.us/), now what is the police's roll in the matter? As far as I know they don't have to check with town officials when they cite someone for illegal dumping or curfew violations right? Don't take ROCK's word for it, just go check it our for yourselves. It has been 18-months since you were informed of the findings. What is everyone waiting for?

Two. I said all that and much more on local websites to say this one thing...WHO CARES!!!!! What does it matter what I think, you think, ROCK thinks, the Town Council thinks, Evening News thinks, the guy peeping at naked ladies in the porn place thinks, churches think, blah, blah, blah. THE LAW ALREADY EXISTS!!! If someone doesn't like it, they should have spoke up in 2005 when the ordinance was past in the first place. They should have spoke up 20-30 years ago when The United States Supreme Court passed down rulings that serve as a guidepost for communities (and then followed them up in subsequent years) on how sexually oriented businesses can be governed. Once again, this is represented in Clarksville's 2005 Chapter 117 ordinance (http://town.clarksville.in.us/). If they don't like the laws maybe they should have tried to vote in different leaders or bring up their opinions at a Town Council meeting instead of spewing (no pun intended) their misdirected remarks about Southeast Christian Church, Jesus Christ, people of religious faith, old people, people they deem as "homophobic", and whoever else they want to blame. This issue has become a lightning rod for people who want to bash Christians, when SORRY but this is a LEGAL and GOVERNMENT-based issue. Period.

I am proud believers in Christ are coming out for this issue in full force. It is about time. And I by no means am attempting to down play the work of Brian Wickens and ROCK in the above paragraph, because without their work the status quo would surely continue. I bet people in the community that lived through the attempt to put this business here 40 years wish ROCK was around when no one was listening to their voice. Afterall, they were to small to do what ROCK is doing today. So....thank you ROCK.

However, it is a much simpler debate than one wrapped up in theology. We vote in leaders. They are sworn into their positions. An ordinance is written. It is voted on. If it passes, it is law. The law gets broken. The lawbreakers face the predetermined punishment. Any questions?

I urge everyone to educate themselves on the issue, whether you live in Clarksville or not. It is too important. If you read blogs or forums around the area, local churches and Christians specifically are being hammered by a majority of people on these sites. Unfortunately, old people don't know how to blog, so the young crowd is dominating the forums out there. If you need help Gretchen let me know.

Ohhh yeah. Did you get the website? http://town.clarksville.in.us/ - CHAPTER 117. Know what you are fighting for before you take on the opposing view point. The law supports our children and families.