While I totally understand where you're coming from (I have a son, myself, and dread having to explain these signs to him), it's important to recognize that this company is stationed along I-75, a well-traveled road not just for Disney-goers, but for SEVERAL other walks of life. These kinds of places have been around almost as far as our history books take us, the only difference now is that there are such things as billboards for them to advertise on. Unless there is some kind of ordinance prohibiting these billboards, nothing will be done. The unfortunate thing is that most of the politicians we should trust to help us with censorship of things like this are probably frequenting the places...

You may not like these billboards but they are a legal legitimate business. It is a slippery road you go down when you wish a business to be shunned just because you are offended. Censorship is a word that goes against our first amendment. Cowboy up and be a parent. I certainly do not need the government parent my kids. Not everything needs to be explained to a child and a simple "That is a place for adults will suffice. The south has the same thin skin when it comes to establishments that sell alcohol. Every business that is open and, paying taxes and hiring employees now a days is a blessing.

Why should people, other than the ones who frequent such places, have their children and themselves exposed to the seamier side of life in this manner ? There is so much addiction to sex in this country that it makes one wonder if the Muslims have the right idea in covering up their women. How can, or should, God bless a country where this type of thing goes on? What kind of example are we setting for our children when we condone places such as this ? I want mine to grow up to be better than that. Adult toys ??? Explain THAT to a child!! Oh, I forgot, not everything needs to be explained to a child! How then does one leave the innocent questions of their child go unanswered ? Tell them "that's a place for adults". Just more validation for the billboards.

As much as we may hate to see them, Marc is right. They are legal, and legitimate, businesses, and they have every right to advertise. Driving past these billboards isn't "condoning" the business, and telling a child that those are "places for adults" isn't inappropriate. Regardless, the billboards aren't going anywhere any time soon, so maybe you should take another route to Disney.

In addition to Tabitha and Marc's comments, I have a couple points of my own to make. The first being your statement "America is over-sexed as it is, and we are often the butt of many jokes from other countries for our dependence on the distractions of sex." I would argue that the exact opposite is true. If we are the butt of jokes, it's because we react in just this manner to sex. Have you ever turned on a TV in Europe? The language, nudity and sex that we so frantically censor in America is all over. Take a simple show like Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay. The UK version is completely overrun with "bad" language that the American version censors due to the rating system and FCC rules governing out entertainment industry.

My second argument would be to advise that you can't have it both ways. By that, I mean you can't have the freedom of speech to write this article, and have those signs removed. Whether it is something that you align yourself with and support or not, Cafe Risque is a legitimate business, even if it is not one that you would patronize. This country is founded on the principles that people all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If this is what makes some people happy, and they engage in this happiness in accordance with all local, state, and federal laws, you have no reason to believe that your pursuit of happiness is any more important than theirs.

Since moving to Ga 6 years ago I find there is a lot of double standards going on in the south. The freedom to practice one religious beliefs is is widely practice here but at the same time many are trying to push, with the help of local governments, those beliefs onto others. Practice your beliefs in your homes and houses of worship. But do not pretend to believe what is best for me. I believe if God wished us all to be the same, he has it it his power to make us that way. Instead he gave us the freedom to choose. We will be judged on those choices but his Son died on the cross in order for us to be free to make our own choices. Do not raise yourselves to his level by trying to enact what you believe is His will upon the rest of us. We are fighting a terrorist faction trying to do that very thing.

There are many wonderful people working for billboard companies who might lose their jobs if Kristen's narrow-mindedness took hold. I have four children (ranging in age from 45-38 and 6 grandchildren (ages 18-8 months) and it's up to ME and MY FAMILY to answer any question they may have. In a state that's terribly overrun by Republicans who want less government intervention, this surely would not sit well with them!
This rant reminds me of the series on ABC news where Diane Sawyer's team is looking for "made in America" items. No one thinks about the many thousands of jobs created by the likes of Subaru, BMW, KIA, Honda, etc. (and these are just car corporations) that contribute to our economy. Would we put dealers who sell cars with foreign-sounding nameplates out of business and destroy those jobs?
I found it interesting that Diane's series found that Toyota creates more USA jobs than Ford!
Kristen needs to find more productive things to write about!

Jean,
In my many conversations with people on the topics of sex and alcohol here in the south, those who appose Sunday sales (or any sales) of alcohol or a business dealing with sex or the appearance there of (Hooters) almost always bring in the religious angle, so I make that assumption when someone is so vocal against them. You rant is proof of that. Go visit a Muslim country and see how those women are treated. In fact live as one and see if you have the same righteous ideas. Since you think women should be covered lets start with you. Hmmm. Maybe we should bring back the Scarlet Letters for women. Maybe start burning them as witches again when people like you feel they are a threat? Children that grow up so sheltered do not have a clue when they go out to the real world. And I am sorry you do not have the skills as a parent to explain things to your children. A car is an adult toy. A motorcycle is a adult toy. A boat is an adult toy. Use your imagination for goodness sake. As I said, Cowboy up and take responsibility for being a parent and teach your child to live in this great country. It does not take a "Village" as some have said. It takes strength.

We put our politicians in office to make those type of decisions. Why vote on the alcohol issue and not others? It is because of the power of the church in the south. Our politicians bow to their whims. I grew up in Md. when we had Blue laws. As soon as these archaic laws were put aside, our economy went through the roof. Restaurants opened hiring hundreds of employees. Hotels started to come were they never were before. If you do not want to drink at a restaurant then do not. If you do not want to by alcohol on Sunday then do not. That is your choice. What is the difference from buying beer on Sat then Sunday? Other than depriving merchants the income brought in and the state the taxes created. And the increased revenues created by new business that will come in once their hands are untied. Join the 21st century. Alcohol is legal Mon thru Sat. Why not Sunday?

Marc,
Honestly - we don't care how you use to do it up North, or wherever it is you're from. Why did you come down here if you so oppose our culture and it's standards?

Boygrandmother: You should give great heed to how somethings are done up north since the unemployment in the south is so much greater. My granddaddy use to say "Just because you have been doing something wrong for so long, that does not make it right.". The south is a place of wonder and beauty. That is why I moved here along with its warmer weather. But attitudes like yours will keep the south from rising to its greatest heights. Change will always be apart of life and some of that change is for the better. and quite frankly I did not believe the stories I was told of how far behind some places were in the south. A lot of baby boomers are getting to retirement age and looking to move south. You can either embrace them like Florida does and reap the financial benefits or keep living in the past and wallow in your economic misery. Ga has one of the worst unemployment and foreclosure rates in the country. This state should embrace and welcome companies willing to do business here and do everything in its power to keep them here. Not chase them off. Hartwell Ga is on the shores of Lake Hartwell. It should be a booming vacation lake town. But instead, because of its past archaic alcohol policies, it is a dying town that offers nothing to its youth for employment or advancement. Very few new business open there and a lot more shut down Your views on alcohol and other topics are yours to freely have. But you should not let those views drag down the great state you live in.

I have sat back reading these comments over and over, going back and forth between writing a response and simply biting my tongue. I'm not going to delve into a huge philosophical or religious debate, but I do want to point out one thing. Your comments prove that you are, in fact, the very definition of self-righteous. Rather than approach the article and it's comments with an open mind, and engage in friendly debate about the pros and cons and other issues associated with the content here, you have repeatedly bashed Marc for his views. You have criticized him over everything from his religious views and political beliefs to where he is from. All he has done is to engage in a friendly debate, and ask questions as to stimulate growth of understanding and to help you realize there is more than one side to any argument.

You, however, have belittled him, called his view points downright stupid, and made it abundantly clear that you believe your own ideas to be far superior to his. Since I am certain that you won't actually open a dictionary to learn the meaning of a word before you spew it out over the internet, I've provided the definition of self-righteous for you here because, well, I think this says it all:

: convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic

Jean,
I also like it here but I am not blind to ways to make it better. We should all want to improve our way of life here in Ga but limiting economic growth surely hampers that. Living in and around Atlanta gives one a false since of well being. Again, a great migration from the north is coming and Ga can either embrace it or get passed by. That migration will bring billions of dollars to the areas they decide to settle in. And they are going to settle in areas the feel welcome. Not in areas with the "You all just go back were you came from" attitude. Yes I have settled into the slower way of life but have not numbed my mind to the rest of the world. Censorship is a slippery road to venture down. Women in bikinis are not far off from those topless waitress restaurants. Should we ban public swimming pools or the magazines and newspapers showing bikini models? Have you taken a look at the video games children are being allowed by their parents to play? Mormons believe that coffee, cigarettes and alcohol are sins but I do not see them trying to pass laws banning them. The Amish have very strict laws that govern them but they do not push those beliefs onto others. Quite the opposite. Be who you wish to be. Our forefathers came to this country to get away from persecution. Are we really going to emulate what they fled?

Ashlee, I don't think either Marc or Jean have come to the level of personal assault you are describing. Both he and Jean make some very valid points that encourage thought on the fine line between too much religiosity or not enough mandates to protect impressionable people from seeking potentially harmful avenues for entertainment.

Kristen,
So you think someone calling someone else's ideas "stupid" is not a personal assault? I learned long ago when someone one brings themselves down to that level their argument is lost. They no longer are arguing on a intellectual level. They cannot make valid points so they change changes tactics to a emotional one. I do not mind. It shows their true colors and sort of validates my argument.

Ashlee and Marc, if you both feel Jean's comments to be lost in their effectiveness because they seem based on emotion or perceived personal assaults, then just let her comments speak on their own. Marc, I have been called much worse than stupid for my ideas, so it just rolls off and I don't take it personally. Here's why--Comments are a direct reflection on their originator. And yes, Marc, it is true that you have won the "debate battle" when you draw emotionally based responses from your opponent. But if you want to win the war and change someone's thinking, you have to meet them in the middle regardless of what they think is "stupid."

Kristen,
Please tell me what the middle is of wanting to close down and inhibit legal, legitimate businessmen? I am open to that discussion. The fact is wars are won buy the battles fought. There is no middle ground that I know of to this emotional point of view. They believe what they believe based on up bringing and/or doctrine not logic. As I said before we are fighting a whole group of people over seas with many of the same views Jean has. Jean said: "There is so much addiction to sex in this country that it makes one wonder if the Muslims have the right idea in covering up their women. How can, or should, God bless a country where this type of thing goes on?" Sounds very much like a totalitarianism point of view.
Where is the middle ground to that? Either you believe in what she said or you do not. There is no "Live and let live" middle ground to that statement.

Kristen- it could also be said that if you feel that my comments are lost in their effectiveness, or you disagree with them, perhaps you should just let my comments speak on their own as well.

I agree, Marc. And I think that that was probably the most shocking comment I have read, and the one that definitely got my blood boiling. We should be thankful that we are living in a country where we do have the freedom to post and discuss our opinions on all topics, freedom to choose our own religion to worship, etc.

We are blessed because Kristen has the right to petition her government with her grievances (ie. distasteful signs on the highway,) just as we have the right to comment and voice our opinions here about that!

To state that we should cover our women and oppress our people and alienate them from these rights is absurd.

Marc, This is your battle with Jean, not mine. It's up to you to find a middle ground. I didn't wage the battle against legitimate businessmen. I don't have a problem with them. Nor do I take issue with billboards in general. I do have a problem with tacky strip club billboards lining I75 like birds on a wire. In Europe, billboards are nearly non-existent. The reason being is that they are considered a blight on the landscape. I cannot say I would call their point of view totalitarianism. I can say I would call it sensible.

Many harmful things, (ie. tobacco) provide legal revenue. That doesn't mean they are healthy or lead people in the right direction. That is why you no longer see tobacco billboards. You can thank America for removing them. Cafe Risque billboards are likely the next to disappear. I'm done now.

http://www.youversion.com/bible/verse/esv/luke/15/7

Marc, the verse that I quoted was sent to me from a friend today. I thought it fitting for the people who are speaking about the "patrons" of Cafe Risqué and other venues of the sort as though they are making morally wrong decisions. If anyone really wants to discuss the Bible, shouldn't they recall that Christians are not supposed to judge one another?

Marc, I have read through all of your comments as well as the OTHERS. I just have to ask myself... why are you SO defensive about this? Do you own a Franchise of Cafe Risque or something similar? You totally missed the entire point!! This article was based on an opinion of one person who is offended by these signs and truly cares about the young people who see them. I to am personally offended by them being of the female gender. What planet are you from??? You have way too much time on your hands.

Lisa,
We cannot walk through life being offended by everything we come across. There are obviously a lot of the female gender who are not offended. There is a group of people who are offended by Christians displaying articles of religion. Should crosses and Christmas decorations be banned because of that? Simply being offended by something is a weak and prejudicial reason for wanting something removed. And remember. It is only her Opinion.As well as yours. No facts were written in the article. Please show me any factual studies showing these signs do any harm to any child. As I said before. Censorship is a very slippery slope to go down. Once one thing is censored by opinion, you open up for things you believe in to be censored also. That is the point I am making. Everyday our government seeks to take away more of our freedoms and limit what we do. Let us not help them in their quest.

Wow Marc... AGAIN you have missed the point. You have gone off on a Ranting Rampage so far away from the intent of this article. OPINION... look up the definition in the Webster Dictionary. Now... get your last word in and YOU WIN!!! :)

Lisa, I believe Marc's comments reflect HIS opinion on the topic that this opinion article was written about. Just as you have the right to share your opinion about his comments, Marc—along with everyone else here—has the right to share his.

Lisa, I think your reactions here are pretty immature, and to be honest, I feel you're the one who is missing the point. While this article was in fact about Kristen's opinion about CR billboards, Marc's arguments are showing her that while she is entitled to that opinion, it is not fair to try to have these boards censored.

What Marc has said that none of you seem to grasp is this:

1. Kristen is entitled to her opinion that the CR billboards are an eyesore and go against her personal moral/ethical code.
2. Kristen is entitled to petition whomever she desires in an attempt to remove these signs; however, she must realize that as our law is governed by the GOVERNMENT, and NOT an establishment based on religious beliefs or personal morals, nothing will be done about these signs.
3. Attempting to censor anything because someone (regardless of if it's 1 person or 100 people) are offended by it is a slippery slope.

Example: Kristen petitions and the government DOES remove those signs. Cafe Risque owner, in turn, petitions the government because he/she takes offense to the Jesus fish/cross/bible verse (whatever, it's an example) bumper stickers he sees. The government has now set a precedence that when someone is offended they need to be pacified and given what they want. Ergo, you can no longer use public displays of Christian memorabilia to show that you are Christian.

Obviously this is a stretch of an example, but you [hopefully, but not likely] get the point.

PEOPLE, people.... It's JUST an article!!! Let's not all come unglued at once!!!

Yet Kristen would have these billboards removed because of her OPINION. Not facts.The intent of this article is to have those billboards removed because of an OPINION.That is the intent of the article is it not? To remove the legal billboards advertising a legal business because of a OPINION. Oh and I am right here. No need to yell. And here is the definition:
o·pin·ion   [uh-pin-yuhn]
noun
1.a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2.a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
Notice that word insufficient in the definition. I wonder if you looked up the definition.
I am not basing my views on a OPINION but facts. The fact is these billboards are legal. The fact is the business they advertise is legal. The fact is Kristen wants them removed based on an OPINION.

SO... Do we all agree that we are having fun with this???? LOL

Nobody is coming "unglued" as you say, it's just a bit baffling to realize that there are so many people right here at home who just don't actually have a clue what's going on in the world outside of their own nearsighted endeavors. Having an opinion is fine. Not agreeing with others' opinions is fine, too.

My issue, which seems to be where you are saying we are all coming "unglued" is how you can sit here and say "she's entitled to an opinion," yet argue with us about our opinion. And how Kristen can say "let her comments stand on their own," and yet chastise us for our comments. And how Jean can say "your opinion is too silly to comment on" yet tell us she is not self-righteous.

Would you like another definition?
hyp·o·crite
noun \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\
1
: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2
: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

You're saying one thing as it pertains to YOU, and the people YOU agree with, yet what is good for the goose is apparently not good for the gander, because you chastise us for those same things. If you are entitled to an opinion, so is everyone else.

If all Kristen was doing was expressing her dislike of the billboards she is welcome to her opinion as everyone is. But she is using her opinion along with the power of this publication that she works for to force her opinion upon the owners of said legal cafe. Sort of walks the line of abuse of journalistic privilege is it not?

Marc, It's her job. Don't you get it dude? There are opinion columns all over the country. Don't start throwing threats out there buddy!! Just sayin....

In reading back over the comments I find so many remarks questioning my "Self"..righteousness", from the reason Christ died on the cross; as my Bible tells me, to any number of things. If this is what happens when innocent remarks are made I want to not have anything more to do with this. Byeee

Marc,

I'm going against my better judgement here by replying. Maybe "Threat" was too strong of a word. Abusive would be more like it. You and Ashlee have done nothing short of turning this into a *BLEEPING* match!! You both have been rude and abusive to whomever has made a comment and you were heard loud and clear. You both win for being the loudest!! GIVE IT A REST!!! It was an article, in an Opinion Column, in a small community Publication. One of a million others you will come across that you disagree with. I agree that everyone has a right to an opinion, but DON'T shoot others down for theirs. Treat the other person the way you would want to be treated. Be someone to be remembered by in a good way. I was merely trying to point out that the discussion had completely gone off track. I never said I agreed or disagreed... I did say I was offended by them as well and that's all I said!! And one other point... I hope my Daughter is never employed by this establishment to pay her college tuition. This type of job is not a BLESSING.

I would like for you to please point out to me where I have turned this into a *bleeping* match (whatever that means.) I have argued vehemently FOR the fact that Kristen can have her opinion, as can anyone else. The only thing I have argued against is the fact that these people who are so determined to have their own opinions have belittled Marc's opinion every step of the way.

I completely agree that everyone has a right to an opinion, nor would I ever shoot someone down for their opinion. I happen to agree with Kristen, as I have stated, that these particular billboards are in fact a blight on our landscape.

The point that I have attempted to make, several times now, which has been quite lost on you apparently, is that it is OKAY to engage in debate with one another about these opinions. But rather than debate, we have been called silly and stupid and told to go back up north, etc.

I will sleep just fine at night about the way I have "treated" people in my comments. I have done nothing more than defend someone whom I felt was being attacked unjustifiably, and to attempt debate about the issues that Kristen expressed an opinion on.

I, too, hope that your daughter never has to be employed by an establishment like Cafe Risque in order to pay her tuition. However, knowing first hand what it is like to have to pay for my education myself, I can also see how some women would turn to ANY job that they could find in order to afford those greater opportunities.

Furthermore, you're absolutely right that having to do this type of work out of desperation or lack of options is not necessarily a blessing. But it an economy like this where people are losing their jobs left and right and are spending months and even years unemployed, I personally take issue with not considering any source of income a blessing in its own right.

Obviously I would never expect this to be a top career choice, and I personally would never choose to do it, but I would also never judge someone who felt that they had to do it to get them by, or to pay their way through college, etc.

The point is that while you can have your opinion and I can have mine, it is not our place to judge anyone else based on their choices. That judgement is His alone to make, and as Tabitha shared with us yesterday in her scripture passage, Heaven rejoices more over the repentance of sinners than it does over the righteous. This is not to say that any one person is inherently better than another, I'm just saying it is not your place, nor mine, to judge someone for working in this environment.

I have no issues with Kristen's opinion on the billboards, as I have said, I agree with her opinion there. Where I took issue with Kristen, was the assumptive language and judgements she was passing on people that she doesn't even know.

As for where I was rude and abusive, this accusation is completely unwarranted. I have remained factual and respectful--moreso than most of you have.

Whatever.... I don't want to be louder than either of you or any one else for that matter. My interpretation (or my opinion) of this article was that of a person who was driving down the highway, passing sign after sign of similar content and she was offended by it. I did not quote a word that either of you said. I just said the conversation went into another level than what the intent of the article was about. I did not do any name calling, yes, I capitalized words, but that was not yelling... it was emphasizing just like Ashlee was doing. I did not judge any one, I did not pull our government into this, I did not pull our forefathers into this, I did not pull religion into this, I did not call any one immature, stupid or silly, I did not bring economic status into it, I did not even bring parenting skills into it... So you see we have all fed off of each others comments here, myself included. None of us is right or wrong in this debate. There were only 2 facts in this entire article... 1. The report that Kristin provided from Scenic Georgia from 2008 and 2. She wrote to the commissioner. Did she once say she was seeking to shut the business down? I think not. She only said she would like to see the signs come down. Marc, I will apologize to you right here in public for saying you had too much time on your hands. I have fallen guilty of this all day... I became obsessed. Lesson learned!

I think Marc and Ashlee's comments are well stated. This article has served it purpose by bringing more awareness to Cumming Patch. I also felt reading the comments to be very entertaining .

So Gary,
Everyone should be as close minded as you? When you speak or small minds are you looking in the mirror? Should we all bow down to narrow minded people? I for one am glad we live in such a diversified country. And we do not stand for the antiquated puritan beliefs leading us down that narrow road which ultimately leads to prejudice. If you do not like the establishments, do not go there. Simple as that.