By Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI

Our generation has witnessed the devastation of terrorism, war, the scourge of AIDS, and many other sorrows and pains.  Today we are faced with another form of devastation. It is the devastation of pornography which rips families apart, destroys the innocence of children, and removes the sense of trust we once had in normal family relationships. Illegal hardcore adult pornography (obscenity) is pouring unhindered into our communities through the Internet, pay-TV channels, magazine, sexually-oriented businesses, neighborhood video stores and other outlets. Sadly, the present government administration has little heart for enforcement of obscenity laws.

Sunday,October 30, through Sunday, November 6, 2011 is Pornography Awareness Week. The White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) is a major promoter of this week dedicated to educate people, especially the young on the on the harm and evil of pornography.

Pornography degrades and objectives women, spoils the credulous minds of young people who view it and destroys many families of the people who become addicted to it. Pornography is destructive and cancerous. Parents should be the “front line of defense” when it comes to protecting children from the filth of pornography, especially from the Internet.

The defenders of pornography try to convince people that any limitation on what is broadcast over the public air ways will inevitably lead to serious erosion of our freedom of speech. However, the drafters of the Constitution were not intent upon protecting obscenity with no concern for the rights of people.

More and more we need to ban together in effective strategies that will restore a level of decency to the public air ways and printed media. The White Ribbon Against Pornography campaign (WRAP) is a leader in this effort. This campaign is a reminder that pornography is an evil that should not be tolerated, and that all good citizens must use every effort, even political and legal means, to eradicate this cancer from our society.

Originally posted in the Diocese of San Angelo's West Texas Angelus newspaper.