Should public nudity and public sex be legal?

[Mechaman]

By the way, did I mention that I like this greenforest guy?

[patrick1]

It is bad enough having people eat their disgusting smelling food and shouting/talking at the top of the lungs in confined spaces.  And you want to give people the green light to fornicate like apes in public, for what reason?  People don't have a modicum of decency and civility as it is. If I have to be forced to see some crazy 80 yo homeless broad's knockers or two meth heads banging on the subway, I would go on a Bernie Goetz style rampage.

[greenforest32]

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

Well you know if public sex was legal, it wouldn't be a problem for people to masturbate in public.

One time, about fifteen years ago, my bicycle was stolen in Central Square in Cambridge.  I was living in Somerville at the time and had left my bicycle at a friends door only for a minute while I went inside to get him.  So I called the Cambridge PD and reported the bicycle.  Anyway, a cop shows up and takes me around in her squad car to places where she thought it was likely to be.  Alleys where homeless thieves had been known to park stolen bicycles temporarily.  As we were making the rounds, I see her jerk her head over toward a park bench and say, "Sonofabitch!  I can't believe he's doing that."  And she drives quickly to the other side of the road, to the bench, where I could now make out this old, black dude frantically beating off.  He was going after it hard and angry and fast, with his face contorted in such a way as to make me think that his moment of arrival was nigh.  And she slams the car in park and leans out the window and barks at him.  "Hey man!  You can't do that here!  Get a room!"  Like that.  So he looks around and realizes that he better put mister happy away and pull his pants up.  And then she drives off, cursing under her breath, as we continue to look for my bicycle.

Never found it. 

I'm not seeing your point? What was so wrong about that dude jerking it in public?

By the way, did I mention that I like this greenforest guy?

The first post ever on this forum complimenting me! I am honored.

[angus]

I'm not seeing your point?

um, that one time when a cop was giving me a ride I saw a dude masturbating in public.  I guess that was the point of the story.  Kinda hard to miss, if you ask me.

Maybe you're trying too hard.  This isn't meant to be an allegory. 

[greenforest32]

I'm not seeing your point?

um, that one time when a cop was giving me a ride I saw a dude masturbating in public.  I guess that was the point of the story.  Kinda hard to miss, if you ask me.

Maybe you're trying too hard.  This isn't meant to be an allegory. 

Well you quoted a specific sentence of mine and then gave an anecdote. I thought you were trying to justify banning masturbating in public with that anecdote.

[angus]

I'm not seeing your point?

um, that one time when a cop was giving me a ride I saw a dude masturbating in public.  I guess that was the point of the story.  Kinda hard to miss, if you ask me.

Maybe you're trying too hard.  This isn't meant to be an allegory. 

Well you quoted a specific sentence of mine and then gave an anecdote. I thought you were trying to justify banning masturbating in public with that anecdote.

Ah.  No, I was being Joycean.  I guess I do that most of the time. 

But I've already stated my reasons for disallowing public sex and, although I didn't think of it at the time, I think they would apply as well to masturbation in which ejaculation occurs.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

That's rhetoric, not an answer.

[minionofmidas]

I like how the thread title reads

"re: should public nudity... by [previous poster]".

So. Should public nudity by the preceding poster be suppressed ruthlessly? Go.

[Cincinnatus]

The first post ever on this forum complimenting me! I am honored.

Mechaman likes anybody that makes him appear remotely sane.

[Simfan34]

No. Its vulgar and obscene. It's also not what the people who wrote the Constitution meant by "free speech".

[The Mikado]

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

And since when has Free Speech applied to obscenity (hint: never)?  You're up against a good 200 years of legal precedent here re: the Court upholding obscenity laws.

[Simfan34]

The word "freedom" is only used once in the Constitution, and that is to refer to the freedoms granted by the 1st Amendment.  Even under a loose constructionist approach, one would have to try to defend public nudity and sex under one of those provisions.

[Mechaman]

The first post ever on this forum complimenting me! I am honored.

Mechaman likes anybody that makes him appear remotely sane. agrees with his insane views.

Corrected

[greenforest32]

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

That's rhetoric, not an answer.

Really I already answered this in my first post:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Are you saying it doesn't? So why can't you ban me from wearing certain clothes or protesting in public even if you don't want to see it?

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

And since when has Free Speech applied to obscenity (hint: never)?  You're up against a good 200 years of legal precedent here re: the Court upholding obscenity laws.

Funny you should mention that. In 1987 the Oregon Supreme Court struck down the state law (statute) criminalizing obscenity on the grounds that it violated the free speech provision of the Oregon constitution: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_v._Henry

This is the political debate subforum and I'm trying to have a debate on why public nudity/sex should or should not be legal and so far the only argument from the pro-banning it side is that people's "right" to not want to see something trumps everyone elses' right to free speech. I don't agree with that.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Again, where does this right to nudity come from?  Why do you feel that this is something people should be permitted to do?

Free speech? Freedom?

And since when has Free Speech applied to obscenity (hint: never)?  You're up against a good 200 years of legal precedent here re: the Court upholding obscenity laws.

Simple nudity is not obscenity.

Not that I consider it free speech granted. It's similar to as if some teabagger got very intoxicated and started walking around in public to protest that "Obama spends like a drunken sailor" or something like that.

[opebo]

Actually this is a fairly timely and urgent question, as the New Impoverishment means that millions more will be living 'in the open' under the stars.. or if they're lucky, or strong fighters for position, under a bridge, and they may not be able to afford many rags (rags will become valuable as the typical Dumpster will be raided dozens of times per night by desperates, fighting tooth and nail for bits of rotten food and stinking, urine soaked castoff garments).

In any case even if they are lucky enough to posess a rag, they will have to fornicate out in the open, or perhaps at best in a bush, as a room with four walls will be an luxury only enjoyed by the privileged few in America.

And we should also note that any punishments for the new poor will be fairly ineffective, as their lives will already be worse than prison.  Even if you kill them for nudity or public fornications, it is a kindness.

[minionofmidas]

No. Its vulgar and obscene. It's also not what the people who wrote the Constitution meant by "free speech".

Just like buying ad time, then.

[Torie]

Think of the children. Where will all the children go?  That is why God created sex resorts.

[minionofmidas]

Think of the children. Where will all the children go?  That is why God created sex resorts.

Nice double entendre.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

States Right

[RI]

States Right

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like this is a cop-out answer (to most political questions, really).

[Napoleon]

States Right

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like this is a cop-out answer (to most political questions, really).

It isn't an answer at all. All possible answers are listed in the poll.

[greenforest32]

States Right

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like this is a cop-out answer (to most political questions, really).

When it comes to civil rights and civil liberties, "states rights" is indeed a cop-out non-answer. It's basically an argument for states opting out of the bill of rights. Free speech? States rights! Trial by jury? States rights! Execute the innocent? States rights!

[TJ in Oregon]

I do think this should be a state issue because the federal government really doesn't have any reason to make nudity laws. However, saying it's a state issue also doesn't answer the question because states also make laws themselves. In this case I think every state should outlaw public sex and public nudity.

My reason for why they should be illegal is because I think I ought to have the right to walk out my door and down the street to work or the grocery store or church or a friend's house, etc. without seeing your naked body or someone else's naked body in plain sight. I also think I have the right not to see you have sex. If I had children I would want the right to allow them to go out in public without seeing that either. It really isn't that complicated.

It's crazy isn't it? The social left would harangue me personally for refusing to leave my home as though I'm "sheltered", yet make it as difficult as possible for me to do so!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

States Right

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like this is a cop-out answer (to most political questions, really).

That is the status quo anyway. If any state wanted to legalize public nudity, there is no reason they couldn't. Actually different states do have different standards and whatnot.