And now, reflecting briefly on the 1960s and early 1970s when New York City was beginning to fall apart with the demoralization of converting the movie theaters into hard core pornography road houses, the invention of the VCR and the memorabilia shops and newsstands that turned into porno-video stores. Remember when really New Yorkers celebrated our Honorable Mayor Rudolph Giuliani s proposal to cast out pornography theaters and shops in the name of decency, and for a traditional conduct establishment? The day he vowed to eliminate the negative impact pornography put upon the quality of life? Giuliani s commitment was such an important part of his effort to recover the sense of civility lost in New York.
Who else would agree with the New York Civil Liberties Union argument that zoning would constitute an impermissible diminution of First Amendment rights? Isn't it an uneducated ethic of personal freedom that ignores the notion that a civil society depends on mutual respect and the suppression of personal impulses when those impulses interfere with social civility? Their idea of free expression creates tremendous violence to other freedoms, the freedom to feel safe and welcome in New York City.
Today, because of Giuliani, The Big Apple is cleaner without the clutter of peep shows, strip joints, adult immoral services, video X-rated stores and topless bars that once attracted the perverts and fetishists, voyeurs and psychos, illegal activities: drug-dealing and prostitution. All things responsible for social ills, drug crimes and diminished property values have decreased. Gone too, is the unhealthy and nauseating odor of mildew, bacteria and toxin. You can walk up the streets and avenues without the hassle of being offered sex and cocaine by pimps and hustlers, prostitutes and drug dealers. We are reaching the millennium in a clean and sober state.
People romanticize about the way things were. They have nostalgia for the old Times Square. Remember what it was like? Remember the fear and the disrespect for people s right that went unchecked in that climate? (Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York Post, February 26, 1998.) Quality of Life is a process, not a destination. It's a way of living, not a goal. If people don't see improvements in their individual lives, if they have to put up with incivility and disrespect for their rights every day, they will remain pessimistic about the future.
Once upon a time, our former Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, performed an outstanding job of cleaning our New York streets. He's the one who considered the decent people of New York since his first day in office. It's the key to Rudy Giuliani's success as Mayor. A man who used his power as Mayor to create change and popularity with all New Yorkers.
There is a difference between love and sex. There is a difference between nudity and nakedness. There is a difference between art and pornography. And because of these differences, we ought to show compassion for the decent men in our society. Human and nurturing, sensitive, emotionally and morally responsible men who have risen to their adulthood from positive upbringing and discipline and profound respect and love for women.
To the really decent men around the world, who have prevailed from behaving in a way that he knows in his heart and soul is just wrong. Thank you for making mothers and daughters, sisters and friends have complete faith in you.
All the fair and gentle women thank you for your strength and courage to be real men in this very real world. You are definitely the ones with the real power.
