Clean up porn stores

A pre-trial hearing in Judge Robert Whaley’s court Nov. 5 ended badly for neighbors of the three “Adult(eries)” World Wide Video stores and for moral justice. Spokane had been winning court battles to maintain its zoning ordinance that would keep these pornography purveyors away from places where children play and learn.

Then, in 2006 Judge Whaley stopped the progress by signing off on a compromise agreement he had asked for. WWV consented to morph into boutique stores, stocking less than 30 percent of their products in porno and sex toys if the city would not consider their sales receipts as evidence against them.

Spokane’s city attorneys had plenty of evidence to show that WWV is as injurious as ever and is not exempt from zoning ordinance – innocent children exposed to adult video cover litter, late night carousing, prostitutes, lewd acts in alleys. Yet WWV got better consideration in the hearing than did what is good for the people of Spokane.

We condemn property where garbage/sewage amasses a health hazard. Why is the court too spineless to defend Spokane against this prosecutable obscenity business that is an obvious social ill? WWV is not worthy of a license to practice business here.

The Rev. Bruce Wakeman

Spokane Valley