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Campaigns against porn, drugs return to County


New Castle News
Published October 20, 2006 12:00 am

LESSONS A Butler woman who launched anti-pornography and anti-drug campaigns reflects on both as each one is trotted out locally next week.

Norma Norris never set out to gain national fame. However, in the nearly 20 years since the Butler County woman launched the White Ribbon Against Pornography Campaign, requests and recognition often follow her. The White Ribbon campaign -- which she began in response to legal foot-dragging in the case of an adult bookstore that refused to heed an eviction notice -- received attention around the country and was quickly adopted by Morality in Media. The anti-pornography watchdog group turned it into a national observance, held every October. More recently, Norris found CANDLE Inc., a drug prevention program that presents "The Reality Tour." The "tour," which takes participants through the life of a teen heroin addict -- including his arrest, jail time, overdoes and ultimately, funeral -- is now in 14 communities across Pennsylvania and one in Ohio. It was recognized last year with a national Acts of Caring Award in Washington D.C. and, following a national convention this spring, is drawing interest from communities in 16 other states. Despite being in the national spotlight, Norris said, the success of both programs is found on the local level. And each, by the way, is coming up in Lawrence County. The annual White Ribbon motorcade is scheduled for 2 p.m. Oct. 28, while the Reality Tour will take place Oct. 24 at the Lawrence County Government Center, and Nov. 14 at the Ellwood City Municipal Building. "Pulaski Township has taken ownership of it," Norris said of the White Ribbon campaign. "That's the beauty of it, it's designed for whoever has an issue to take hold of this symbol as a basis to do one thing more, then do 10 dozen things more. "That's also why the Reality Tour is so effective. It is delivered by the citizens of the community. We give you blueprints, but it is very reactive to whatever your drug of choice is, whatever your community's problem is."

WHITE RIBBON ROOTS Norris' rise to the forefront of national anti-drug and pornography efforts began in 1986, when the Butler County Citizens for Decency bought the property an adult bookstore was leasing at a sheriff's sale. The group, as the new landlord, issue an eviction notice, but the case dragged through the courts for another two years. One Sunday, Norris' pastor -- who had been sued by the bookstore for alleged discrimination against the adult business industry -- lamented from the pulpit that no one seemed interested in the ongoing fight. That's when Norris came up with the idea of a white ribbon tied to automobile antennas, and her eventual mile-long motorcade got the attention of the national media -- as well as the bookstore's attorney's. Complaining they could not get a fair hearing in Butler County, they requested a change of venue to Venango County -- where a judge quickly ruled against them, upholding the eviction and dismissing lawsuits filed against Norris' pastor and a county commissioner. Not long after, a bulldozer also adorned in white ribbons leveled the former bookstore.

PULASKI ANTI-PORN Lawrence County's annual event is aimed at Adultland XXX, located on Route 224 in Pulaski Township. The store has been ordered to close for a year after citizens noticed that it was open on a federal holiday, in violation of township ordinance. Norris praised Pulaski residents for the vigilance and noted that the Pittsburgh Diocese's Commission to Counter Pornography -- which she heads -- has dedicated its 2006 White Ribbon campaign to the township's citizens. "The threat of lawsuits are what they (adult business owners) use to intimidate you," Norris said. "You just have to figure out what you want, go for it, and not be dissuaded in the process. In Pulaski Township's case, the law is the law, and it's a question of are you going to uphold it, or are you going to run scared. "It's tough, but when you have citizens backing local government, you have power." Fern Heckert, president of the Coalition Against Pornography in Pulaski, appreciates of the recognition from the Pittsburgh Diocese commission. "We're very pleased," she said. "It's really an honor for the supervisors, and the decisions they've made. We believe that when people and officials work together, we can make a difference."

REALITY TOUR -  Norris sees the anti-drug program she founded also making a difference as it gains momentum around the country. "It stuns me every day to realize how many lives we're affecting," she said of the program that began as a summer-only effort. Eventually, she walked away from a 21-year career in radio "because the list of people waiting to get into the program just kept accumulating. The need was there, so we pressed forward." Though the program is offered already at two Lawrence County sites, she is hoping to get schools involved in a "prevention initiative," in which a school designates a grade level to go through the program each year. "Just like the White Ribbon campaign, this is God's work," Norris said. "I always hesitate to promote it as my program. I'm just a tool, and there are many other tools who make it successful. "It's the community that makes it work."