Texas bans suggestive cheerleading

[Badger]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050504.wcheerleader0504/BNStory/International/

Now, considering that pom poms are pseudo-breasts, and most outfits are clingy and revealing, as well as the whole evolutionary/mating thing about athletic displays being evidence for procreative viability, I kind of wonder where they're going to start.

Hmmm, maybe Texan women should remain indoors, unless they wear some sort of head-to-toe covering when they are in public.

[Orangutan]

It's OK,

No one is going to complain about the any routine.

Man A) Hey look at those chearleaders, thier act is sexualy suggestive.
Man B) No it's not, if you say it is again you must be a pervert. Now shutup and enjoy the show.
Man A) No no look there grinding there hips and everything.
Man B) HEY FELLAS THIS GUY SAYS HE FINDS YOU DAUGHTERS AROUSING.
Man A) AAAAArrgggh (Exit stage left followed by angry mob).

O.

[Upchurch]

I heard about this on the radio this morning. Maybe they are dry humping each other or pole dancing on the gym floor, in which case this makes more sense. Otherwise, this sounds like yet another religious right move to a 1950's ideal that didn't even exist in the 1950's. :rolleyes:

From the article:
Ribald performances are not defined in the bill. “Any adult that's been involved with sex in their lives, they know it when they see it,� he said.Again, :rolleyes: This is a surprise? Have these people never been to a sporting event?

[Donks]

I fully support this legislation... as long as I'm the one who gets to review the performances for lewdness.

One critic questioned the legislation's priorities.

“Have we done anything about stem cell research to help people who are dying and are sick advance their health? No,� said Democratic Representative Senfronia Thompson. “Have we done anything about the mentally ill, school finance or ethics?�
This woman obviously doesn't know how legislatures are run. Bills are not supposed to help people, they are supposed to get votes for the next election by focusing on the latest trend.

[Random]

Naturally of course, the media will be all over this one. There will be high-minded discussions and interviews with concerned parents, lawyers from the ACLU, religious conservatives, and school officials. There will be honest, forthright debate about the decline of social standards at sporting events, and the purpose of cheerleading in the first place. This will help everyone achieve enlightenment and a newfound understanding for each other’s points of view.

Failing that, there will at least be a lot of video footage of sexy cheerleading routines on the news.:D

[TragicMonkey]

From what I remember of high school, the cheerleaders were the last people to object to being viewed as sexual objects. Heck, that's why they became cheerleaders to start with. My high school had so many wannabe cheerleaders, they started a separate "dance team" that did all the same stuff only without pom-poms.

If they were real athletes, they'd be in gymnastics or ballet or dance, not grinding their barely-clad pelvises at the football team to the tune of "Tootsie Roll".

[Phil]

Originally posted by Upchurch
[B]I heard about this on the radio this morning. Maybe they are dry humping each other or pole dancing on the gym floor . . . .
This is exactly what they are supposed to be targeting, but I suspect that the idea originated because the religious right was ashamed that they were stimulated by pretty girls in short skirts. It still smacks of conservative, puritanical BS.

There's much I love about this state, but the fact that idiots can legislate outmoded, moral ideals isn't one of them.

[Ladewig]

Mr. Edwards argued bawdy performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases

A man who believes the way to stop sexually-transmitted diseases is to stop bawdy performances at high schools. Surely the U.S. is the greatest country on the face of the earth.

[Bikewer]

Hehe- the "naughty cheerleader" costume has always been a favorite in the adult costume area...

We used to sponsor a cheerleading "camp" at the university each summer. Sometimes as many as 2000 juicy, bouncy, enthusiastic young ladies.

Drew perverts like flies.... We had one guy set up a large-format camera with telephoto lenses on the field. Everyone thought he was the "official" photo guy, till the managers realized no one knew him.

Personally, I think that cheerleading should be expanded to other sports and activities. Give those young ladies something useful to do, and good healthy exercise.
Baseball. Where are the cheerleaders?

Hockey likewise, and soccer as well. How about boxing? (Well, they do have round girls...)

[TragicMonkey]

Originally posted by Phil
This is exactly what they are supposed to be targeting, but I suspect that the idea originated because the religious right was ashamed that they were stimulated by pretty girls in short skirts. It still smacks of conservative, puritanical BS.

There's much I love about this state, but the fact that idiots can legislate outmoded, moral ideals isn't one of them.

They've forgotten the danger that if the pretty girls with short skirts aren't present to stimulate them, it might be the pretty boys in tight pants who stimulate them.

I wonder how much hurried moralizing is done in the aftermath of a stray homoerotic thought? Can CSI analyze the pages of a Bible for "panic sweat"?

[Phil]

Originally posted by Bikewer


Personally, I think that cheerleading should be expanded to other sports and activities. Give those young ladies something useful to do, and good healthy exercise.
Baseball. Where are the cheerleaders?

Hockey likewise, and soccer as well. How about boxing? (Well, they do have round girls...)
There's really no activity in life that couldn't be made more enjoyable with cheerleaders.

[Tony]

Originally posted by Phil
There's much I love about this state, but the fact that idiots can legislate outmoded, moral ideals isn't one of them.

Do share. The more I learn about this state, the less I like it.

[Desertphile]

Mr. Edwards argued bawdy performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Golly, what a scholar this bloke must be.

The USA military recruits high school students and yet the American Treason Party (Republicans) seem to have zero problem with senseless killing and dying or American citizens; but have a girl or young woman do cartwheels at a football gae and watch the enraged "morally superior" dictators rise up and wail their outrage.

[Donks]

Originally posted by Bikewer
Hehe- the "naughty cheerleader" costume has always been a favorite in the adult costume area...

We used to sponsor a cheerleading "camp" at the university each summer. Sometimes as many as 2000 juicy, bouncy, enthusiastic young ladies.

Drew perverts like flies.... We had one guy set up a large-format camera with telephoto lenses on the field. Everyone thought he was the "official" photo guy, till the managers realized no one knew him.

Personally, I think that cheerleading should be expanded to other sports and activities. Give those young ladies something useful to do, and good healthy exercise.
Baseball. Where are the cheerleaders?

Hockey likewise, and soccer as well. How about boxing? (Well, they do have round girls...)
Why stop at sports? They should put cheerleaders in every office.
Give me a T!
T!
Give me a P!
P!
Give me an S!
S!

[Donks]

Originally posted by Desertphile
Golly, what a scholar this bloke must be.

The USA military recruits high school students and yet the American Treason Party (Republicans) seem to have zero problem with senseless killing and dying or American citizens; but have a girl or young woman do cartwheels at a football gae and watch the enraged "morally superior" dictators rise up and wail their outrage.
Hmmm, Rep. Edwards is a Democrat. At least according to the article.

[Darat]

Originally posted by Ladewig
A man who believes the way to stop sexually-transmitted diseases is to stop bawdy performances at high schools. Surely the U.S. is the greatest country on the face of the earth.

Well if in the course of these performances the cheerleaders are getting pregnant and/or transmitting sexual diseases then I do have to say they probably are going a bit too far. ;)

[Phil]

Originally posted by TragicMonkey
They've forgotten the danger that if the pretty girls with short skirts aren't present to stimulate them, it might be the pretty boys in tight pants who stimulate them.

I wonder how much hurried moralizing is done in the aftermath of a stray homoerotic thought? Can CSI analyze the pages of a Bible for "panic sweat"?
In Texas, quite a bit, I'm sure.

A buddy of mine who lives down the street is quite flamboyant. There are a lot of townhomes nearby having "Open Houses" for prospective buyers. The yuppies come in from the burbs to look at the homes, and are often met by my friend whose favorite pastime is what he calls "scaring the straights". The last time I saw him in the act, he was dressed in a big blond wig and bright blue and yellow sun dress.

High hilarity.

[Ladewig]

Originally posted by Desertphile
Golly, what a scholar this bloke must be.

The USA military recruits high school students and yet the American Treason Party (Republicans) seem to have zero problem with senseless killing and dying or American citizens; but have a girl or young woman do cartwheels at a football gae and watch the enraged "morally superior" dictators rise up and wail their outrage.

The bill's sponsor is a democrat.

[Random]

In all seriousness, does anyone think that this will not be covered by every television news show in the US tonight? They will advertise this story for their news programs, they will feature this in their programs, and every last one of them will show footage of cheerleaders in action. Purely for informational reasons of course.

[Random]

Originally posted by Ladewig
The bill's sponsor is a democrat.
Well, a Democrat in Texas has a hard time getting elected dogcatcher without a couple of overt nods to social conservatives.

[crimresearch]

Originally posted by Desertphile
Golly, what a scholar this bloke must be.

The USA military recruits high school students and yet the American Treason Party (Republicans) seem to have zero problem with senseless killing and dying or American citizens; but have a girl or young woman do cartwheels at a football gae and watch the enraged "morally superior" dictators rise up and wail their outrage.

Yeah, you can just tell that this guy is a right wing Republican by looking at him, can't you?

http://images.usatoday.com/news/_photos/2005/03/18/inside-edwards.jpg

Al Edwards is considered the Father of the Juneteenth Holiday, making Texas its national birthplace.
....He was part of the Civil Rights Movement during the 60's where he participated in peaceful marches and demonstrations throughout the United States with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mr. Carl Stocks, Rev. Bill Lawson and others.
In 1978, he was elected to the Texas State House of Representatives and has been re-elected for the office for nine terms.
In 1979, he wrote and sponsored the bill, House Bill 1016, making June 19th, "Juneteenth", a state holiday. This is the first state paid Juneteenth holiday in the United States.
He founded Juneteenth U.S.A. in 1979.
...He was a member of Push International Trade Bureau Board from 1983 to 1989.
In 1984 and 1988, Rep. Al Edwards was State Chairman for Jesse Jackson's campaign for President of the United States.
He founded Operation Justus, a community based organization in 1986.
In 1987, he was arrested and went to jail for peacefully demonstrating on the Embassy of South Africa in Houston, Texas. Others on the national level were Dick Gregory, Jesse Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Harry Bellefonte and many others trying to end apartheid in South Africa.
In 1989, he traveled to Mozambique, Johannesburg, and Angola, South Africa on a peace-seeking mission.
He served as Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus from 1991 to 1997.
In August of 1995, Representative Edwards was elected as chairman of the Democratic National Committee Black Caucus.
http://www.texasjuneteenthusa.com/about.html

And the right wing Republican constituency he had to placate to get elected:
--------------------- POPULATION ---------------------
TOTAL - - - - - ANGLO - - - BLACK - - -HISP - - - B+H - - - -OTHER
133,765 - - - - - - 33,769 - - 69,641 - - 21,989 - - 90,957 - 9,039

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/par_rpts/current/house/dist146/r4.htm


Not to mention by looking at his other legislative efforts:

"WHEREAS, The United States cannot hope to stop acts of
genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan without halting the flow of
money to the government of Sudan from public pension funds that invest in United States companies doing business in that country....
...RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby encourage managers of Texas public pension funds to divest their portfolios of any stock in publicly-traded companies doing business in Sudan"
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/79R/billtext/HC00143H.HTM

"The Department of State Health Services shall develop and implement a dental care pilot program to provide dental services to indigent children who are residents of this state in border-region counties selected by the department."
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/79R/billtext/HB00682I.HTM


Yeah, just another typical Republican redneck, hey?

:rolleyes:

Edited to fix table

[nightwind]

This is really getting to be embarrassing. Just when I think that Texas can't do anything more stupid than some of the stupid stuff that we have already done, they come through and do so with flying colors.

Texas cannot even pass a decent education funding bill, but yet they seem to find it within themselves to pass some stupid bill about how cheerleaders dance. This is outrageous. And then to infer that cheerleader dancing causes pregnancy, etc.? Oh my gosh. So this is why our state legislature doesn't seem to find the time to get any really meaningful legislation out.

The author of this bill would have to secretly be a complete idiot, or have some serious sexual issues. And is most likely secretly very horny for cheerleaders or at some point was rejected by one.

Texas is starting to become the laughing stock of the nation. I used to make fun of states like Kansas with their creation bills, etc. but I certainly can't anymore. As far as I am concerned, Texas is now the leader, in stupid and meaningless legislation. Funny that this only seems to be a problem with some "dirty minded" legislators, and probably a few stuffed shirt religious fanatic.

What's scary is the state is coming in and telling a school how its cheerleaders can dance, without any research whatsoever to back up the reasoning. Interesting. And we are wasting time on meaningless bills instead of getting real and valuable legislation through. At least we know where these guys have their minds.

[Renfield]

I don't know. Some of these routines are getting extremely bawdy. I can see why people would be a little bothered by the fact that these routines are being performed at a public school activity by minors. I always found it a bit odd myself.

Guess I'm old fashioned.

[IllegalArgument]

Originally posted by TragicMonkey
From what I remember of high school, the cheerleaders were the last people to object to being viewed as sexual objects. Heck, that's why they became cheerleaders to start with. My high school had so many wannabe cheerleaders, they started a separate "dance team" that did all the same stuff only without pom-poms.

If they were real athletes, they'd be in gymnastics or ballet or dance, not grinding their barely-clad pelvises at the football team to the tune of "Tootsie Roll".

I know a couple of people that would kill you for calling them wanbe-cheerleaders, they were on the dance team and damn proud of it, they didn't want to be cheerleaders.

I actually don't like ballet, it can be very damaging to joints and would never recommend to people.

Regards :)

[Ladewig]

Originally posted by Renfield
I don't know. Some of these routines are getting extremely bawdy. I can see why people would be a little bothered by the fact that these routines are being performed at a public school activity by minors. I always found it a bit odd myself.

Guess I'm old fashioned.

Well, then present your concerns to the school and the let the school decide what is and isn't appropriate for teenagers to watch. There is no need to have a state government involved in the issue. Especially when the bill's sponsor describes such dancing as a factor in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases

[Zep]

GO TEXAS! YAYYY!

http://www.postcardman.net/15131.jpg

[Hutch]

Originally posted by Desertphile
Golly, what a scholar this bloke must be.

The USA military recruits high school students and yet the American Treason Party (Republicans) seem to have zero problem with senseless killing and dying or American citizens; but have a girl or young woman do cartwheels at a football gae and watch the enraged "morally superior" dictators rise up and wail their outrage.

Won't add to the above posts, but you're a newbie so I'll be kind--don't just rant to be ranting, if you do not have your facts straight or can't back up your assertations with evidence there will be people (on both sides of the debate) that will rip through your argument like a hot knife through butter.

Here endeth the lesson....

[The Fool]

Originally posted by Renfield
I don't know. Some of these routines are getting extremely bawdy. I can see why people would be a little bothered by the fact that these routines are being performed at a public school activity by minors. I always found it a bit odd myself.

Guess I'm old fashioned.
I challange your claim and demand you present video evidence.....

[Lemastre]

As long as the legislature spends its time on idiotic, but relatively harmless, matters such as cheerleading decorum it is less likely to pass some really harmful act such as cutting aid to needy children or to get up to some nastiness for Tom Delay, such as the probably illegal redistricting accomplished during its last special session. The damage the legislature does could be greatly reduced if its sessions were limited to about one week every decade instead of being allowed to go on for several weeks every two years.

[peptoabysmal]

As I see it, the major problem with this bill is this bit:
Ribald performances are not defined in the bill.

And this part is funny:
“Have we done anything about stem cell research to help people who are dying and are sick advance their health? No,� said Democratic Representative Senfronia Thompson. “Have we done anything about the mentally ill, school finance or ethics?�

Nice to know they have still some real Democrats. :D

[a_unique_person]

Next thing you know they'll be banning footballers giving each other a pat on the bum after a touchdown.

[Electron #1]

Hmmm , instead of the firing or reprimand of a coach , principal ,or school board district director. The punishement is a cut in funding..

"(c) If the commissioner determines that a school district or
a campus in a school district knowingly permits a sexually
suggestive performance prohibited by Subsection (a) or knowingly
permits a school performance group to perform in violation of
Subsection (b), the commissioner shall reduce the funding the
district receives under Chapter 42 by an amount the commissioner
determines appropriate."

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/tlo/textframe.cmd?LEG=79&SESS=R&CHAMBER=H&BILLTYPE=B&BILLSUFFIX=01476&VERSION=1&TYPE=B

for the entire district.

So who stands to be more at risk ? Urban school districts or

rural heavily fundy districts?

edited to add link.