Lowering community moral standards (Arlington County Board Breaks State Law for Dicks)

Northern Virginia Journal ^ | 8/1/03 | Bill Wheaton

[chambley1]

I was appalled when I picked up my July 21 edition of The Journal. The front-page story, ``Saucy Aussies," I feel did not belong in a family newspaper, let alone on the front page next to a story about a camp addressing special needs children.

This article is what one would expect to see in the Washington Blade, not The Journal.

For those who might not recall, the story describes a so-called performing arts presentation at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater. In their performance, male performers publicly manipulate their genitalia for the audience. This is supposed to be art? I have another name for it, public perversion.

Richard Kelsey, an Arlington attorney and Republican candidate for County Board had the courage to speak out, refusing to call it artistic expression and correctly calling it boorish exhibitionism. But it's more than that.

The entire county should be embarrassed, not just Kelsey, that Arlington is the first county in the United States to allow such a lewd production in a publicly funded venue like the Rosslyn Spectrum.

Arlington County board Vice Chairwoman Barbara Favola is grossly mistaken when she speculates an obscene performance such as this is covered under free speech. Here is yet another example of the results of moral relativism and revisionist history.

Arlington County Manager Ron Carlee also missed the boat, claiming the county could run into legal trouble if it tried to restrict what performers could do on stage. I suggest just the opposite.

I would refer both of these morally challenged county officials to the Code of Virginia, Section 18.2-387, which addresses indecent exposure.

The law reads: ``Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present, or procures another to so expose himself, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. No person shall be deemed to be in violation of this section for breastfeeding a child in any public place or any place where others are present."

One does not have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to realize that these perverted performers are not covered by the breastfeeding caveat and are therefore in violation of the law.

Not only are the performers in violation, but also it would appear that any who ``procures another to expose himself," namely the promoter of this lewd exhibition and the manager of the Rosslyn Spectrum are equally culpable. Since it is a county-funded venue, perhaps even the entire Board of Supervisors is culpable.

It is the responsibility of the Arlington County Police Department, specifically Police Chief M. Douglas Scott, to enforce the law. The question is, will they?

Given the response of Favola and Carlee, and considering the radical left-leaning philosophy that prevails in Arlington, if I were a betting man, I'd say no.

If Arlington police should refuse to enforce the laws of the commonwealth, then perhaps right-thinking citizens like Kelsey might consider suing the county to enforce the law and replace the chief. It is always interesting when you sue a county, which I have done twice. I'm batting .500.

First, I sued Fairfax County Public Schools over a Freedom of Information request that was denied. When I was a member of the Family Life Education Advisory Committee, I heard that teachers serving on that committee were hired to do FLE curriculum development over the summer.

Since they would then be voting to approve or reject the curriculum in the fall, I felt this was a conflict of interest.

Since my FOI request to the school system was denied, I sued. Representing myself, I lost in the Fairfax County Circuit Court. I didn't have the time or wherewithal to appeal to the state supreme court.

In the second case, I was co-plaintiff against Fairfax County's attempt to restrict residents from carrying licensed concealed firearms onto county property. Not only did we win that case, but the judge dared the county to appeal it to the state supreme court. They didn't.

But, I digress.

Let us hope that there are enough right-thinking people in Arlington with the courage of their convictions to put a stop to this lewd display in a county-funded venue.

Let's also hope that this paper is a bit more discerning in the future when it covers stories such as that one. The front-page article was nothing more than free advertising for a perverted, lewd and unlawful performance that is far below the community standards of even the People's Republic of Arlington.

[chambley1]

Arlington County Police Chief Scott:

police@co.arlington.va.us

[JonathansMommie]

Ping

[skinkinthegrass]

Send these people various condoms..."where's the shame?, the so-called-artists did, ask them to wear them in the open...they approved of it"

[William Terrell]

It is the responsibility of the Arlington County Police Department, specifically Police Chief M. Douglas Scott, to enforce the law. The question is, will they?

Writ of Mandamus, no, it's not "abolished" at this level and no, it's not limited to judicial officials. Any citizen can use it.

[BlindedByTruth]

well, besides indecent behavior, aren't they also violating the law against lude acts and illicit behavior? an don't most venues ask for"no shirt, no shoes, no service?" now if the venue asks the patrons to do so, then the performers must do so and I agree, your local publication shouldn't have had that on its front page, it should've been a page 10 article, too miniscule for front page fare. I saw these guys on Howard Stern, they are disgusting and talentless!