Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

I must confess that my boycott of a certain magazine started back in 1993. My good friend and I split a subscription. After a few months of reading it, I felt very convicted that it was bringing me down. As a young woman committed to saving myself until marriage, reading that magazine made me feel like I was the only 20-something girl on the planet committed to such.

Sixteen years later that darn magazine has reared its ugly head again. A couple of months ago I complained at my neighborhood Kroger because there was a magazine cover that had two questionable (explicit) words my children could sound out. I requested (and they obliged) that this particular magazine would have its covers blocked by a piece of solid plastic. A small victory, but a relief nonetheless.

Today I was horrified to find myself standing in a WalMart checkout line with this same magazine (different issue) at eye level for my children. This one had three vulgar words on the cover...two of which the FCC would not allow on television during certain times...and six little eye balls were looking right in that direction. I distracted them, flipped the cover around backwards, paid for my goods and headed straight for the customer service desk.

I am not sure if they will take action, but I just cannot get over how exposed our children are to things in places that should be safe and innocuous. I am all for free speech as long as it does not infringe on someone else's freedom. I know I have a responsibility as a conservative mother to keep us away for seedy places, but really, a checkout line at Walmart for crying out loud?!

I never dreamed I would be a 'book burner' Mama...but I may be on my way.

18 comments:

Traci said...

Right on- that magazine is quite over the top and obviously aimed at teenagers now too- I have been fighting with our librarian at school (9-12 grade) because we have a subscription and it is always out on display and obviously much more popular than Smithsonian or National Geographic.

twiceasnice said...

Love the title of the blog note today...my twins sing that song in the car and we had a long talk about what they are saying to us in the song. Be careful...when they learn to read, your eyes are going to find so many things....i'm praying for you! and me!

Marva said...

Amen! I have done that but because of the pictures of the fronts of magazines. The boys are that far along with words. Blessings!!!

HW said...

I won't even buy Good Housekeeping because it usually has something about sex plastered on the cover. I don't want my teenagers picking it up and reading something they shouldn't.

I feel so bad for you. It's a shame when you can't take your children grocery shopping without running into stumbling blocks.

Jenny said...

I feel the same way about that particular magazine. UGH!

Rebecca said...

Forget magazines, our local paper is almost as indecent as the checkout line magazines. We don't have a tv, don't listen to the radio when our son is around, and are careful of what's said, but he still comes up with phrases and words we don't want him to use. We can only protect our children for so long. There comes an age when we have to teach them how to be "in the world but not of the world."
It's encouraging to read of other moms working just as hard to keep kids innocent!

Colored With Memories said...

i just peeked at the cover. that is awful. you go, jmom!

HayesFamilyHappenings said...

This makes me want to cry. My little one is just now wanting to sound out words, so this could easily have been us. I don't know if I could have held it together as well as you. It makes me so sad to think of their precious, innocent minds wanting to learn new words, and this trash could be some they see. Thanks for the heads up, so now I'll know to be more aware of those covers while at the checkout.

R said...

my girls are only 1 1/2 and 3 1/2, but i always wonder how i'm going to handle that when the time comes...we already have interesting discussions when we pass lingerie stores in the mall!

KBroome said...

You are such a role model mama! I have never really payed attention to the magazines in checkouts.. so sad how easily accessible that vulgarity is:(

Dave and Michelle said...

Kudos for you...and it's the same reason I won't allow Victoria Secret's catalogs in my home...see I'm the only female in a household of 3 men (husband and 2 boys). To put it in the words of Beth Moore...'cute, but modest'.

Thanks for being an advocate for your children's innocence. God will bless your efforts

Tonya Ingram said...

Be a book burner mama!!! We all stand behind you on this issue. It really is insane. Just another tactic from the dark side to turn God's children away. And ditto for me and my boys, twiceasnice... we love that song too!

Robin said...

I'm right there with you...It is absolutely ridiculous that they have to put such "shockers" on the covers to get someone to even pick their magazine up.
You make me proud...I hope that I would do the same thing...

Unknown said...

There is a far cry of a difference between being a book burner mama and a mama who protects her children by choosing what she exposes them to and what she doesn't. One prevents all adults and children from exposure; one only protects her own children -- while leaving the books for others to choose as they please.

I know you were just joking about the book burner comment, but I'm a leeetle sensitive on that subject. Keep on protecting them as you are though. Kudos to you for speaking to customer service.

Mickie McGee said...

Jennifer,
Somehow I think you've heard the little song of our youths: Oh, be careful little eyes what you see; oh, be careful little eyes what you see; For the Father up above is looking down with love; Oh, be careful little eyes what you see."
There are, of course, other verses to include "little hands-what you do; little feet-where you go; little ears-what you hear.
Admire your tenacity as a loving mother!!

Creekmore's said...

I saw that cover the other day and was relieved that my boys weren't with me. I wish I had been like you though and asked for it to be removed. Luckily mine aren't readers yet, but my oldest is trying to sound out words now. Why do they think this is okay?

Aubrey said...

Oh, my soul! Thankfully, the kids are more enamored of the candy and impulse buys than the mags right now, but thanks for the warning. Sigh. How sad.

Kelly said...

I'm typically a lurker but I have to comment on this post. About a week after I read this post for the first time I took my three children to our local mall.

There are televisions hanging in the main corridor and my children were excited to see Elmo on the screen. At the end of the Elmo segment there was a trivia question. The question was "Which was the first country to legalize abortion?"

I was shocked and appalled to see such a horrifying "trivia" question. I came home and talked with my husband about the incident. And then I remembered this post and knew I had to do something.

I contacted the two individuals listed in management for the mall and expressed my feelings on the issue. I don't know what will come of it but at least I know I did something to let them know that there are patrons who disapprove of such innappropriate material being displayed for young eyes.

Thank you for encouraging me to take a stand.

Blessings~