Anti-gay activist Robert Joyce is trying to get my old paper, the Boston Phoenix, banned in West Roxbury, the Roslindale Transcript reports. Joyce says he doesn’t like the Phoenix’s adult-oriented classified ads, although he adds that it would be OK if escort services offered chicken dinners.
One of Joyce’s targets, liquor store owner Gary Park, says Joyce threatened him if he continued to carry the Phoenix. Jessica Smith writes:
“He [Joyce] walked in here and instead of talking like a gentleman, he started making threats and giving me ultimatums,” said Park.
The threats include promises of a protest. Joyce said that while the group has yet to apply for a permit to protest, his organization was looking for volunteers to hold signs and to organize such an event. Still, that did not sway the man who owns Gary’s Liquors.
Park said he does not intend to stop carrying the publication that he has had in his store for years and is available for free all over the commonwealth.
“Mr. Joyce has way too much time on his hands. He should be helping homeless people and the elderly. If he doesn’t like the paper, then don’t come pick it up,” said Park, who stressed that his business caters to individuals who are age 21 and older.
Someone should tell Joyce that picking up a copy of the Phoenix every week is not mandatory. Although I recommend it.
By the way, the name of Joyce’s organization is the delightfully Orwellian Support Community Decency Inc. (Via Universal Hub, which also links to this story in the West Roxbury Bulletin.)
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Hehe, Bob Joyce is still kicking, eh? Who knew? When I lived in West Roxbury, whenever he showed up someone would inevitably yell, “Hey Joyce — what’s your last name?”Wonder if he is trying to ban the Internet from West Roxbury too?Makes me wish I still lived in W. Roxbury, just so I could take the bottle caps from the beer I bought at Gary’s and toss them at him.
I read the story at Wicked Local and immediately clicked on Media Nation to see your take. Couldn’t even get to the text before that photo had me laughing out loud. Thanks for brightening my Thursday afternoon. As to the real issue here, I think Mr. Kadzis nailed it in the Transcript piece.
He probably had an old Phoenix with your column in it, Dan. Mr. Joyce must be trying to do for the Phoenix what Boston did for his “Uncle James.”— Larz
Larz: I could see that if my photo ran with my Phoenix column. But, sadly, since the Phoenix decided to deprive readers of that pleasure, your theory is probably incorrect.
I don’t know who Robert Joyce is but those ads for “escorts” (prostitutes) are pretty seedy . It’s a shame that the Phoenix can’t find ad rvenue somewhere else. I wouldn’t leave the classified section of the Phoenix laying on the kitchen table for the kids to see.
“I wouldn’t leave the classified section of the Phoenix laying on the kitchen table for the kids to see.”Nor would I, Rick. That’s why it’s a separate section.