FREE SPEECH IN SCOTTSDALE: PORN OVER POLITICS

The Founding Fathers would be stunned at the understanding of “freedom of speech” in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2008.
Political speech has always been understood to be at the “core” of speech protected by the First Amendment. By contrast, the Framers would not have considered the act of disrobing in public to be “speech” at all.
But in 2006, owners of strip clubs in Scottsdale dramatically outspent opponents and won a very narrow victory overturning regulations on Scottsdale sex clubs. Now, the sister of one of the strip club owners – who was involved in fighting the regulations in order to help her brother’s pornography business — is actually a candidate for Scottsdale City Council!
Meanwhile, the Council voted to enact a complete prohibition on political signs on city property — a clearly unconstitutional restriction on political speech that was actually endorsed by local newspapers! (Newspapers, who present themselves as defenders of the First Amendment, tend to support unconstitutional restrictions on political speech such as campaign finance laws and sign ordinances because those restrictions enhance their own political influence.)
And no one will challenge the sign ordinance because it is extremely popular, and the only people who can challenge it need to be popular to win elections.
So here we are in Scottsdale in 2008 — where strippers have more “free speech” rights than political candidates.

2 Comments

  1. Hi Len,
    Lisa’s in the middle of a malpractice suit against Scottsdale Healthcare, so I think her chances of getting elected are slim to none. As to the signs, most of the State and Federal candidates have ignored the ban and are posting their signs.