WHY we fight this. Yes, it’s THISCLOSE.
Daughter sitting on couch in liv. rm, originally uploaded by lauramichaud.
Here is my 7 year old on the living room couch.
She can read well now.
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This billboard reads:
“Relax, It’s Just Sex… We’re All Doing It”
Sexy Lingerie
Adult Toys
XXX Novelty Gifts
1000’s of DVD’s
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So now I have gotten questions like “Mom, what are ADULT toys?”
and, with excitement “Mom, it says they have 1000’s of Videos!” (she’s thinking maybe she could rent “The Little Mermaid” or something!
So, if you wonder WHY we are fighting this, this is why. Unless you have seen this in person, don’t realize how close this is. It’s in my front yard, not down the road, not simply within sight. Right there.
VIP Billboard Truck 2009
This truck comes frequently (nearly daily) and parks, sometimes for hours at a time. Some people find this offesive o drive by this on the highway with their children in the car. Imagine if it came and sat there for hours visible from your living room window.
SEE THE LINKS IN RIGHT COLUMN UNDER BIP2009 FOR RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE.
Neighbors do about-face and vote to Welcome porn shop!
Last night, in an unexpected about-face, neighbors in Berlin’s Webster Heights voted to give up their opposition to the VIP “adult” shop that is trying to open near their homes.
When asked why the sudden change of heart, one resident, who asked to remain anonymous, stated “After reviewing some of the points brought up by Atty. Dan Silver, General Manager Gary Porter, and a letter to the editor of the Berlin Citizen by an astute Berlinite… we just saw the light. It’s all in the way you choose to view the situation. If you just take a moment, you can appreciate all the positives, and forget all the negative aspects so many have been dwelling on.”
Asked to elaborate, another neighbor offered these selling points,”Well, to be honest, I never considered the convenience of not having to drive all the way to Hartford to buy a little sexy something for my wife’s birthday! With VIP just a few doors down, I can just pop in on my way home from work, without having to go the extra ten miles into that dangerous industrial section of Hartford.”
A mother of three chimed in saying “With 3 kids, its hard to find time to “spice things up,” if you know what I mean. Now that I know it’s really a romance shop, maybe it can help revive my less-than-spicy marriage and keep my husband off the computer for a while. Really, I mean, I hear these stores actually SAVE marriages.”
Aren’t you concerned about property values? One resident answered that “At first, I WAS, but since that letter in the Citizen pointed out that maybe if we just give them a chance, VIP will go out of their way to be a “low-key, unobtrusive” adult business, you know, that quitely blends in with the neighborhood. I’m not concerned anymore that they might paint it the same color as the Manchester location. As far as potential pornographic litter, I’m sure that they have parking lot clean up on an hourly basis.”
What about other potential problems in the parking lot? “Oh, I am sure that they must have security surveillance at all times! I mean, would people actually DO something sexual in a parking lot?”
One neighbor said she was even considering getting a part-time job at the store. “Why not? I could walk to work and save on gas. I mean, besides bringing down taxes, VIP is even bringing JOBS to Berlin!”
And what about the imact on the children? “Oh, I don’t know what the fuss is. They’re just going to see these things on TV anyways… this stuff is so mainstream, they probably have seen it all already.”
Asked for his take on the turnaround, Mayor Adam Salina said “You know, I never thought of these things either. Maybe we should embrace VIP, and other stores like it, and promote Berlin as the Sex-positive Mecca of Central Connecticut. Maybe we could get a billboard that says “Berlin, your place for hometown porn, around every corner!”
Gary Porter, VIP general manager stated “I KNEW these people would come around after I just EXPLAINED the benefits we have to offer!”
As I was reviewing my notes for this article, I noticed the date of the meeting: Sunday, April 1, 2007. APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yet ANOTHER Mega-Porn store in CT?
My husband had occasion to drive out towards Danbury this morning. When he got home, he mentioned seeing a billboard on I-84 west bound, near Waterbury, for yet another “adult” themed store. He thinks it was called “In The Mood.”
Just how many of these places does the state of Connecticut need? And how many billboards advertising these sex shops are necessary? Driving through Connecticut, one might get the impression that the only businesses we have are huge porn shops. It’s not a very big state. At some point, won’t the market get saturated, and after a while, won’t the “novelty” wear off?
It’s not like porn and “adult” products aren’t abundantly available on the internet, or pay-per-view on cable TV… even CVS sells newly marketed “lubricants,” etc. Do we really need 15,000 sq. ft. sex-themed stores in every town? Open until 2:00am?
The adult industry would like us to think that the demand is that great. “If we build it, they will come.” No pun intended.
If communities don’t want this to happen, people are going to have to speak up and fight, because they are not going to go away if people remain silent.
I was pleased to read a post at the NoPornNorthampton blog about communities putting up anti-porn billboards. It’s expensive, and the adult businesses have alot more money to spread their message.
The only way to stop the spread of these stores is to not give them any business. If you don’t go, they won’t build them.
Just how close is this SOB to homes?
(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE) image courtesy Google Maps
Well, my house is the little white square underneath the letters “Cir.” on Woodruff Cir., at the corner of Mildrum Rd., and the VIP building is the big square just above it, near the green arrow. It is clear from this satellite image that there are many homes near this proposed “adult business” location. 144 homes in “Webster Heights” and 43 in the Bluebird/Hummingbird neighborhood behind it.
This building is at one of 2 entrances to the neighborhood, the other being at the end of Ronal Dr., at the bottom of the map. There is great concern that traffic coming from Rt. 372 will just cut through the neighborhood, especially late at night, as they are open until 2am.
