Wearing Only Underwear In Public Not Deemed Indecent

[matcom]

<snip>

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Reuters) - Wearing underwear and nothing else in public does not constitute indecency, a Massachusetts court declared on Thursday as it tossed out charges against six animal rights protesters.

Members of the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were arrested and charged with indecency and disturbing the peace after a chilly rally in March near Harvard University where they stripped to their skivvies and staged a nearly naked pillow fight to protest against fur.

Six months and three court dates later, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, judge threw out the indecency charges against all six PETA members.

All but one of the protesters -- PETA Vice President Dan Mathews -- were also cleared of disturbing the peace. Mathews was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=2&u=/nm/20040827/od_nm/life_indecency_dc

[mrboba1]

1. UNDERPANTS:

you have been set free!!!

woohoo!!
:bounce:

[SarahB]

2. I see an underwear party at the People's Republik!

:P

[StopTheMorans]

3. just another reason why I love Harvard Sq

:evilgrin:

[GOPisEvil]

4. In Cambridge, too!

:bounce:

[JVS]

5. Now begins the era of my tighty-whitey terror!

[soothsayer]

6. Is that good or bad news for Axis of Eve (RNC protestors)?

Of course, some of them were gonna wear their undies OUTSIDE their clothes. (whuzzup with that?)

www.axisofeve.org

[matcom]

7. where is Jeff?

:D

[name not needed]

8. Is it considered indecent if

I'm walking down the main drag in my boxers, and Mr. Happy just flops out of the front door?:spank:

[arwalden]

9. So I Can Mow My Lawn In A Jock Strap Now??? FINALLY!!

[pagerbear]

12. I'd pay to see that!

[arwalden]

15. You Mean I Could Sell Tickets??

[Shananigans]

10. It's about time.

So what color panties should I wear tomorrow?

[Mike Daniels]

11. Usually, most underwear is less revealing than most swimwear

I'd be interested in seeing someone argue that point in court in a similar circumstance.

Providing that the underwear is question wasn't a thong or postage stamp sized, I'd be interested in seeing what a court would decide when asked why someone can wear speedo's or some relatively petite two piece in public without comment but it's wrong to wear your underwear in public.

[Pithlet]

13. I always wondered what the difference was

Obviously, swim wear is judged more decent overall, because it isn't always limited only to beaches and pools. It doesn't make sense to judge underwear as any more or less offensive or indecent.

[pagerbear]

14. Yes, but clothes are about more than coverage

It's true that, in making a point, these people were not really legally indecent. But the symbolism inherent in clothing is how they made the point. Sort of. I still don't get the pillow fight thing. Unless it was just to get attention. I guess sometimes that is the point. Like now, when you're all riveted to this post, desperately hoping something makes sense.

[TrogL]

16. Speedo wearers Unite!

I'm going south the beginning of Septebmer and I'm packin' 14 pairs of Speedos.