Become a squeaky wheel...works wonders with the dilapidated buildings. Appeal to the owner’s sense of citizenship...works with the dilapidated buildings. Write your legislators...works with the hog farm. Boycott...works for Al Sharpton.

I say close them up and leave another empty shell of a building in town. Besides I’ve never gotten a winning lottery ticket from them anyway.

Remember we’ll be doing it for the children.

JustPlainC - 01 July 2008 12:00 PM

The real question is...do we want these things for sale in OUR town? Do we just tolerate these things being for sale because they are “legal”??

I have lived in Stewartstown for 15 years now.  Not long compared to some, but an eternity compared to others.  And this is a constant reminder of the nature of where we live.  Rather than protest what is being displayed for sale in a legal fashion, why not go after the root cause.  I can pretty much guarantee that the guy running the Shell station is not selling dope.  However, there are places in town where things are being sold.  If you force the guy to stop selling his junk then he will simply find something else to sell.  He is not the culprit here.  There are plenty of other places to look.

C

Exactly!

RickK - 01 July 2008 12:56 PM

Become a squeaky wheel...works wonders with the dilapidated buildings. Appeal to the owner’s sense of citizenship...works with the dilapidated buildings. Write your legislators...works with the hog farm. Boycott...works for Al Sharpton.

I say close them up and leave another empty shell of a building in town. Besides I’ve never gotten a winning lottery ticket from them anyway.

Remember we’ll be doing it for the children.

They sell lottery tickets??? So now they promote gambling?

chrisjames_71 - 01 July 2008 03:30 PM

RickK - 01 July 2008 12:56 PM

Become a squeaky wheel...works wonders with the dilapidated buildings. Appeal to the owner’s sense of citizenship...works with the dilapidated buildings. Write your legislators...works with the hog farm. Boycott...works for Al Sharpton.

I say close them up and leave another empty shell of a building in town. Besides I’ve never gotten a winning lottery ticket from them anyway.

Remember we’ll be doing it for the children.

They sell lottery tickets??? So now they promote gambling?

I think they sell condoms too, so they must promote promiscuity!

markG - 01 July 2008 03:35 PM

chrisjames_71 - 01 July 2008 03:30 PM

RickK - 01 July 2008 12:56 PM

Become a squeaky wheel...works wonders with the dilapidated buildings. Appeal to the owner’s sense of citizenship...works with the dilapidated buildings. Write your legislators...works with the hog farm. Boycott...works for Al Sharpton.

I say close them up and leave another empty shell of a building in town. Besides I’ve never gotten a winning lottery ticket from them anyway.

Remember we’ll be doing it for the children.

They sell lottery tickets??? So now they promote gambling?

I think they sell condoms too, so they must promote promiscuity!

Oh man oh man oh man..... thats just over the top now

Quick!  Gather up the torches and pitchforks!

JustPlainC - 01 July 2008 03:54 PM

Quick!  Gather up the torches and pitchforks!

Do they sell those at Shell?

Don’t forget the pornography.

I am certain there might be a government approved alternative to torches and pitchforks.  Perhaps bic lighters and plastic forks?

JustPlainC - 01 July 2008 07:54 PM

I am certain there might be a government approved alternative to torches and pitchforks.  Perhaps bic lighters and plastic forks?

Solar lanterns and biodegradable recycled plastic hatchets.

Otter - 01 July 2008 12:32 PM

Once again, much ado about nothing.  Let’s all persecute a business owner for selling legal products because they could potentially be used for something illegal.  Following that logic, I have to boycott any store that sells cigarettes, whipped cream, guns, knives, alcohol, cough medicine, fireworks, etc.  Get a grip.  What’s the worst case scenario?  Some kids in town buy a pipe or a bong to smoke their pot instead of rolling papers?  Gee they could never buy any of that anywhere else if the Shell didn’t sell it.

I’m not advocating McCarthyism here. All I’m asking is how much we as citizens of this town are willing to tolerate. Are there bigger issues? Yes. Does this apply to the “broken windows” theory? Absolutely. The town is what we make of it. All the other examples you mentioned are products with legal purposes. This is a legal product to be used for illegal purposes.

As for the rest of you, never mind. I’m sorry I even brought it up. I can see it really doesn’t bother anyone else like it does me.

JustPlainC - 01 July 2008 07:54 PM

I am certain there might be a government approved alternative to torches and pitchforks.  Perhaps bic lighters and plastic forks?

Maybe a spork

mike&brandi; - 01 July 2008 11:52 PM

Otter - 01 July 2008 12:32 PM

Once again, much ado about nothing.  Let’s all persecute a business owner for selling legal products because they could potentially be used for something illegal.  Following that logic, I have to boycott any store that sells cigarettes, whipped cream, guns, knives, alcohol, cough medicine, fireworks, etc.  Get a grip.  What’s the worst case scenario?  Some kids in town buy a pipe or a bong to smoke their pot instead of rolling papers?  Gee they could never buy any of that anywhere else if the Shell didn’t sell it.

I’m not advocating McCarthyism here. All I’m asking is how much we as citizens of this town are willing to tolerate. Are there bigger issues? Yes. Does this apply to the “broken windows” theory? Absolutely. The town is what we make of it. All the other examples you mentioned are products with legal purposes. This is a legal product to be used for illegal purposes.

As for the rest of you, never mind. I’m sorry I even brought it up. I can see it really doesn’t bother anyone else like it does me.

To answer your question, I am willing to tolerate a business selling legal products even if there is a possibility that they are used for illegal purposes.  All of the examples that I mentioned are legal products that can and are used for illegal purposes.  I just don’t see any reason to be trying to organize a boycott.  I think the thing that bothers me the most in this thread is a member of the town council and our Police Chief are spening even one second of their time on this issue.  Did they run out of things that are actually illegal to deal with?

Otter - 02 July 2008 12:19 PM

<snip>
I just don’t see any reason to be trying to organize a boycott. 
<snip>

Otter,
I’m the one who originally suggested the boycott.

It was in response to the proposition to get the townships and boroughs involved, which is unnecessary and useless.

I have no problems with the sale of a legal product.  However, there are some in the community who have concerns.  If enough members of the community are concerned enough to take action, it would be in the best interests of the business owner to address the communites concerns. 

Will it have an actual effect on drug use?  Not a chance.

Like it or not, did Wal-Mart in Shrewsbury stop selling rifles and shotguns because rifles and shotguns are now illegal, or that they were losing money on the sales.  No, it was due to outside (market) pressure. 

At the risk of making a straw man argument, let’s assume that “the local chain pharmacy” (without naming names) decided to sell adult sexual aids shaped like part of the male anatomy and displayed them prominently at the entrance to the store.  Again, a legal product.  However, I’m sure that some, maybe many, would not appreciate the display.  Many would choose not to patronize the store.  Even if this were not organized, it would still be a boycott.  If “the local chain pharmacy” loses business due to the display, it can choose to remove the display, or continue to lose business.  However, someone needs to tell management why they will no longer be patronizing.

However, I’m sure that some, maybe many, would not appreciate the display.

Remember the uproar over the best ‘damn pizza’ sign?  Could you imagine the issues with a giant phallus in a window.