WOMAN SPREADS ANTI-PORN MESSAGE

BENTON -- Jean Bartlett wanted to make people in Southeast Missouri aware of the negative effects of pornography.

She first told members of the Christian awareness and moral concerns committees at her church about the pornography awareness campaign.

Bartlett, who lives in Scott City and works for the Charleston Baptist Association, is a member of the Miner Baptist Church.

As a result of her efforts, a white ribbon hangs on the door of the Miner Baptist Church and more than 200 members received ribbons during Sunday's services. This is the first year the church has participated in the campaign.

The white ribbons are the symbol for the National White Ribbon Against Pornography or WRAP campaign.

"I don't think people are aware of it," Bartlett said, adding that she first read about the campaign in a Christian newsletter.

The October issue of Family Watch Inc. newsletter included an article about the national campaign and obscenity laws.

"Each community determines the standards of public decency for that community -- if we don't take a stand against pornography, our silence leads the pornographers and law enforcement officials to believe that either we don't know what is going on or that we do know, but don't care," the article says.

Pornography Awareness Week, which began Monday, is a national effort to bring the issue to the attention of elected officials.

Obscenity is not protected by the U.S. Constitution because it is not considered free speech.

A week isn't long enough for people to realize the importance of the message, Bartlett said.

About 35 churches in the Charleston Baptist Association also were asked to participate in the campaign, which ends Friday.