The scourge of the church thumb tack poker

[MikeWaters]

Ever since I first noticed bulletin boards in the church, as a young child, I have observed the practice of people taking a thumb tack, and poking out various portions of a person's body in pictures.

Most frequently this is the eyes. Second and third, it's the nipples and the genital area.

I just noticed this in some pictures last week at the church.

For what purpose? Poking out the eyes is a way to dehumanize a picture. One of the images that science fiction and horror auteurs try to shock us with is the being with the burned out eyes. No eyes? No soul.

Poking holes for nipples and in the groin is a way of pointing out sexual characteristics. It's pointing the mind to sex.

Now is this a cultural practice among Mormons that is passed from one generation to another? Does this happen in other denominations? In schools?

Or is this like the de novo mutation, where each youngster that does this has stumbled upon it in his/hew own seeming original fashion?

Lastly, what can we do about it? Lessons? Letter read at the pulpit? Take down pictures that have holes poked in them and replace them with ones that are whole? Surveillance cameras? Ignore it?

I don't know, I'm at a loss here.