... Judge Mathers said although some councillors may deem the parade to be offensive, she did not agree, even if it was tacky. Females walking down the street bare-breasted was not unlawful. But she added her decision case was made by considering the law not morals.It used to be that the law was based on morals.
For my position on the Boobs on Bikes parade, see my previous post: Fig leaves on their faces.
Related Link: Boobs on Bikes parade gets go-ahead ~ Stuff
"made by considering the law"
ReplyDeleteI thought indecent exposure was against the law. What law was she reading?
Can I now wander down the street dressed only in a greatcoat and flash women? Not that I'd want to of course, but this ruling opens up lots of legal possibilities for "legitimate expressions of individuality" by sick individuals.
I suspect if you did a poll, that many would not consider it OK that fat hairy men show their beer bellies in public. We've just put up with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd even if it became legal, I'm not sure many women would be keen to walk down the main street topless. The ones "exercising their freedom" are doing it to solicit sexpo attendance.
Personally, I don't consider women's breasts offensive which is why I support women who wish to breastfeed in public and be protected from wowsers.
I'm not keen though on supporting blatant advertising for a porn show in an inappropriate context. Let them do it after 9pm in the corner of the botanical gardens.
In this regard, I'm exercising my right to express an opinion.
Zen I think the council should have made it mandatory for men and women to be naked.
ReplyDeleteLet's have that awful Steve Crow and other fat, bald men, whose only friends are life-sized inflatable dolls parading up Queen St with the women so we can laugh at them.
I bet that would have made him cancel.
Hah! Great idea. We'll see how the emperor looks without his clothes.
ReplyDeleteSome people have a morbid fascination with horror movies and accidents. I suspect the turnout would be quite high.
Free speech law is based on morals, just not yours Lucyna!
ReplyDeleteCrow *has* done something noble with his victroy over that council twit. Good on him.
Indeed a combination of not turning out or laughing at the men who do would have an interesting effect.
ReplyDeleteHowever, defending the rights of Crow to pay women to bare their breasts is defending the rights of us all to express our opinions, views, taste and distaste at him, and the other wide range of views. One need not like or endorse what is being done to appreciate that it is not the business of the law to restrict it.
Let it happen or not, let people react, without doing violence, as they wish. We are the richer for the right to do all of this.
Supporting the parade or not, doesn't it seem a little strange that a kindergarten disco held for toddlers between the time of 5 and 7pm can be told to peg back their activities because one unknown person complained about the volume, but a parade promoting an R18 erotica expo can go ahead in the middle of the day on NZ's busiest street with a folood of complaints?
ReplyDeleteThat seems a little lopsided to me.
Mr Crow king of porn in dorkland and Mr Brown king of porn in the mainland!!
ReplyDeleteGod help this sick country.
Libertyscott,
ReplyDelete"We are the richer for the right to do all of this."
Let's start with removing the "We" part, as many of us do not include ourselves in your comments. As another commenter said, pronography is the intent behind this, and breast feeding a baby is not pornography.
Pornography devalues women, treats them as if they are objects to be had and discarded and, if left unchecked, will result in the raping of 2 month old babies by their parents and seen on the internet. Remember that one Libertyscott?
Your simplistic approach belies the complexities of human nature.
but this ruling opens up lots of legal possibilities for "legitimate expressions of individuality" by sick individuals.
ReplyDeleteHow can that ruling "open up lots of possibilities" when nothing in the law was changed in that ruling?
The possibilities were open long ago.