Call to action for decency

Do you know what your child was doing at 11pm last Saturday? I hope they weren’t among the number of minors watching the public Wet T-Shirt Contest in downtown Garapan at the Island Auto Expo 2005.

Sorenson Pacific Broadcasting (Power 99/The Rock) should have made a better choice than to bring this type of indecent and immoral show out of the nightclubs and into the streets of our community. Women, some without bras, in bikini bottoms and wet, white T-shirts were parading on-stage at the contest in plain view of everyone else in Saipan’s main tourist district, including children as young as elementary age. In the name of public entertainment, Sorenson Pacific Broadcasting has delivered a resounding SLAP IN THE FACE to every virtue I believe most of our community still holds dear, including modesty and respect for God, self, and family. Despite the pre-contest “parental advisory” the sponsors gave, some of our kids got a good taste of what some Saipan nightclubs have to offer at this free “community” event.

But in all fairness, Sorenson and the other sponsors aren’t the only guilty party. Those of us who heard the wet T-shirt contest advertisement, were disgusted, and SAID NOTHING must also take responsibility. I approached Power 99 GM Tina Palacios with my concern before the contest and asked her to cancel it in consideration of moral responsibility to our community. She graciously listened, but told me that when she had broached the contest idea to the commercial sponsors, they had NO OBJECTIONS. When the contest advertisement started, NO ONE called to complain. In fact, she said I was the FIRST citizen to raise the concern with her.

We can no longer be naive enough to believe that the proliferation of indecency by only some individuals is not influencing our community as a whole. And neither can we be content to gripe to only friends and family about things we know are wrong. To my disappointment, mixed in with the nightclub employees on stage Saturday night were some of our own “local” women. Unless we, as concerned community members, start exercising our own guaranteed “freedom of expression” to tell sponsors “WE DON’T LIKE IT AND WE DON’T WANT IT,” we can expect to see more of this type of “entertainment”…and worse…happen. Last year it was the bikini contest, this year the wet T-shirt contest. Next year?

If mine is the lone voice of community concern, than this issue will be short-lived. But if there are others who do not want this in our community, then we must SPEAK OUT NOW. With respect and determination, write or call the event sponsors, express your thoughts in the media, and let there be a clear and resilient call that we STILL stand for and want to live in a community of respect, morality, and decency.

Catherine Perry Anderson
Saipan