Be it their (alleged) call for Merriful Christmas Carolling in their public parks, to forbidding Jewish students from donning tefillin, to facing the wrath of the Modiin Moderator (though in all fairness, I have found many community list moderators are just as fanatical and vengeful), Modiin is a brash city that doesn't hide from controversy.
The latest one to have caught my eye is an ad campaign going on in the Modiin shopping mall. Ads for the "Lee Cooper" jeans store advertise their jean-clad mannequins with signs proudly stating; "Cut the Bulls***"
I'm not surprised by a vulgar language ad campaign, as its rather sadly typical. What I found sadly amusing was the back and forth on the Modiin email list, and the attacks on the people who dared to question the ad placement in a public mall.
Comments included:
I think the point is that everyone has a different definition of what is "distasteful".We should all "live and let live" unless it is a matter of life and death, no? Many of us came from the intolerance of Jerusalem to a more tolerant Modiin (hopefully).
Can you all stop being such prudes and concentrate on more important issues that can make this a better place!!
Your children and others are hearing worse at school, and the more importance you place on it the more forbidden all this is the more they use these stupid words - that is all they are however affronted you are by them they are just words. [Jameel adds: of course, words aren't just words" when dealing with "incitement", but that's another story]
Freedom of speech and ideas are paramount in a democratic society. Don't infringe on my speech and I won't infringe on yours.
The bottom line is that a loud cacophony of Modiin's secular society believes there's absolutely nothing wrong with exposing children to vulgarity, and they honestly believe that any opposition to it is based solely on religious objections.
Foul-mouthed language is crass, crude and poor manners. Modiin's residents "left the intolerance of Jerusalem" so they can freely expose Modiin children to foul language?
As opposed to more civilized Western societies who know how to value "proper" speech, Modiin would rather expose children to everything and talk like a toilet.
Since sensitivity to exposing children to foul language makes one a "prude," why stop there? Without any yardstick for decent behaviour (and challenging it makes you a religious, fanatical prude), what's to stop Lee Cooper from showing unclothed models as well?
I'm sure the enlightened Modiin hedonists would find this example from a USA Public School, "religious coercion" -- its just a shame they are too wrapped in "targeting the religious" than to realize how embarrassing (and foul) their own behaviour is.
ALBANY -- South Albany High School to students: Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will get you suspended.
South is cracking down on cursing this year, to the tune of suspending students any time their, um, stuff hits the fan.
Principal Brent Belveal, now one month into his first year at South Albany, said staff members told him shortly after he joined the administration that profanity was a campus concern.
The new policy: Mention a potentially off-color word -- that one that rhymes with "witch," say -- and you'll probably get a warning. Stronger language means stronger measures.
"If they drop an "F-bomb," which is one people really get offended by, that's going to be a suspension," Belveal said.
Belveal met with each class in the first few weeks of school to outline the enforcement policy. Part of South Albany's job is to train students for future job situations, he said, and most employers don't tolerate foul language.
The bottom line: "We're trying to help you to learn how to be productive employees." --AP
I suggest that next year's Modiin Christmas carols be sung in front of this Lee Cooper store.
Note to all the Modiin residents who braved the email attacks, and tried to unsuccessfully explain why foul language doesn't belong in a mall ad campaign: you have my sincerest sympathies.
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