The following is the body of a letter sent to Ohio 84th District State Representative Angie King as testimony pertaining to the proposed H.B. 249 entitled “Indecent Exposure Modernization Act”.
“As Mayor, I feel a deep responsibility in living up to my oath of office and remaining faithful to God in my promise to provide a safe, healthy environment in which our citizens can live, work, and raise our families. There’s no room for lewd, obscene behavior, much less exposing our children to it in public.
I am fully in favor of a law prohibiting any person from recklessly engaging in adult cabaret performances in any location other than an adult cabaret. Any violation of it should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
To have to worry about our children being subject to indecent exposure by the degenerates of our society is ridiculous. Its level of decency has significantly declined over the years, and the moral fabric of our communities is constantly being challenged and compromised, which it need not be. This bill needs to be passed.”
My position regarding this proposed legislation is clearly stated, and for the record, is not made on behalf of anyone with the City of Greenville nor its City Council.
The word ‘degenerates’ was used in expressing my belief that indecent exposure in public constitutes lewd and obsene behavior. By the very definition of the word, such acts “fall below a normal or desirable level of moral quality and leads to the moral deterioration and decline of society”. I contend that adult cabaret performances belong inside a cabaret and nowhere else.
I will always stand by my statement, as the last sentence of the Oath of Office I took in becoming Mayor states “This I shall do as I shall answer unto God.” In my view, my job as Mayor of the City of Greenville, Ohio is to always strive to provide a safe, healthy, and decent environment in which our children are protected from such behavior and activity. To be clear, our citizens should be able to live, work, and raise our families in a decent, respectful society. We should expect nothing less.
Jeff Whitaker
Mayor
