The following is a guest post by Craig Cobia, Ph.D., founder of Citizens for Decency.
Recent headlines in Southeast Idaho mentioned how our youth are struggling with pornography, sexting, and more. So what are we to do? We believe that age-appropriate education, designed to carefully (without introducing them to objectionable content) help children tell a parent or teacher when they stumble across bad pictures, is a first step. Then, in the home, it becomes important that parents discuss what to do when some of their children’s’ friends are sharing inappropriate images.
But what can we do as communities, cities, and as a state? Citizens for Decency and our elected officials, earlier this month, tried to pass an amendment to our existing bill to protect children from pornography on Idaho Public library WiFi connections. You may be surprised to learn that it failed in the House State Affairs committee with a 7-7 vote. I may share the details of that later. But what about the resolution and how did it come about?
L-R: Craig Cobia, Ph.D., Chairman and Co-founder, Citizens for Decency; Chantal Cobia, Co-founder and Vice President, Citizens for Decency; Arlene Thurston, Communications Director, Sugar City Idaho Stake
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) approached Utah Senator Todd Weiler and asked if he would be interested in carrying a resolution, proclaiming pornography as a public health crisis. He told them if the resolution was supported by citations and research, backing up the statements, that he would. As such, the 2016 resolution made national and international headlines with as many as 1100 separate news articles, up to 500,000 hits on his Facebook page, and Senator Weiler was even referenced in a Times Magazine cover story, reporting some of the ill effects of pornography. Senator Weiler, Senator Brent Hill, and Representative Lance Clow have been so kind to mentor us and their assistance was invaluable. As such, Idaho is officially the 8th state in the US which has passed this resolution and Virginia unofficially passed it. You may see a map showing which other states had already passed the resolution: http://nationaldecencycoalition.org/updates/
This is the second Idaho anti-pornography resolution that our local elected officials carried and passed in behalf of Citizens for Decency and local constituents and for this we are very grateful. Additionally they have also sponsored, carried, and passed two Idaho bills to help protect children from pornography in public libraries and schools.
NCOSE leads the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation with over 300 member organizations.
100+
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has had over 100 policy victories since 2010. Each victory promotes human dignity above exploitation.
93
NCOSE’s activism campaigns and victories have made headlines around the globe. Averaging 93 mentions per week by media outlets and shows such as Today, CNN, The New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Fox News and more.
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93
NCOSE’s activism campaigns and victories have made headlines around the globe. Averaging 93 mentions per week by media outlets and shows such as Today, CNN, The New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Fox News and more.
100+
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has had over 100 policy victories since 2010. Each victory promotes human dignity above exploitation.
300+
NCOSE leads the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation with over 300 member organizations.
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