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Friday, March 21, 2008
Can I grill on the sidewalk? Thinking about anti-abortion signs
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Those signs of bloody fetuses are making news again—this time as City Council grapples with whether to allow these large, unsightly signs to be permitted on public space. I have always wondered if there were any rules about grilling steak on the sidewalk, and I have always thought it would be a good idea to grill some steaks next to those anti-abortion signs.
Note: There are graphic images if you keep reading.
The signs have many upset because they feature disgusting images of aborted fetuses, like this one:
Photo courtesy of here.
After seeing that image, how do you feel about a juicy steak?
Photo courtesy of here.
I’m most certain that you cannot figure out my position on abortion from reading about my idea. But if they can show those signs in public, I think I should be able to grill steak in public, right next to them.
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21 Mar 2008 at 07:47 am | #
Dean,
Not sure what steak has to do with your position on abortion, but I’m guessing you would not be allowed to grill on the sidewalk. That’s because you can’t move a hot grill so you’d be effectively blocking the sidewalk, which I understand the protestors are specifically admonished not to do. They have to give way to foot traffic.
Sorry.
21 Mar 2008 at 08:07 am | #
But if the grill were properly sized, it would not block traffic.
Maybe Planned Parenthood will let me grill on the very edge of their grass.
21 Mar 2008 at 08:26 am | #
At least this is placing the debate where it belongs, at the local level.
The city’s elected officials will be held accountable for their decision, one way or the other. Now if we could muster up enough grass roots effort to modify how city council is elected then there would be real accountability.
I apologize ahead of time for changing the topic.
21 Mar 2008 at 09:14 am | #
My idea always has been to show up on their appointed days- about an hour before they do with Pro Choice signs. You could beat them to their spot! And take over both sides of the street! What’s wrong with that?
Why hasn’t anyone thought of something so harmless and yet so positive? Just beat them at their own game?
And most of these signs with pictures are graphically enhanced. I know the graphic artist in Lexington Ky who was paid a nice hunk of money to do it and keep his mouth shut about 12 years ago. He could care less now! They are not real. He does worry about some of the extremist who would be out there taking shots at him for advertising, but if you ask him, he will tell you that he did most of the work 10-12 years ago.
21 Mar 2008 at 10:09 am | #
I’m interested to know exactly what is causing the sudden surge(out of the norm) of aggressiveness with the anti-choice activists lately. I stopped at a gas station on St. Patrick’s Day and a man called me over to his car. He looked familiar, so I walked over and he started asking me questions about voulenteering for PP. When I reached into my purse to give him a card, he sprayed me with gas.
It was St. Patrick’s Day, I had just left a bar--otherwise, I would have called the police, but in that moment, walking away and being thankful he just got my shoes and didn’t have a match seemed like a good enough deal.
I’ve seen some “interesting” anti-choice signs out and about lately-but that is one I have not seen!
Graphically enhanced or not, that’s more than a bit graphic, and given the connotation, a bit too violent to be displayed in any type of public place, I would think.
Is this really allowable?
In re: to Comment 4--
We do that several times a year
21 Mar 2008 at 01:53 pm | #
Given the giant, gruesome (not to mention embellished & out of context) images held up by the protestors, would you have the appetite to consume that which you grill?
I’d hate to see a good burger go to waste.
21 Mar 2008 at 02:29 pm | #
Great, now i’m hungry.
22 Mar 2008 at 12:04 pm | #
To answer the original question, the 1st Amendment protects the right to free speech but doesn’t address grilling a steak. That’s not to say that I don’t think you should be able to grill on a sidewalk, but if we’re dealing with matters of law that right has not yet made its way into the Constitution.
22 Mar 2008 at 05:33 pm | #
Now why is a bloody fetus on a sign “free speech,” while a bloody steak on a grill is not?
23 Mar 2008 at 01:49 am | #
As repulsive as these people are, I would hate to see their right to free speech and peacable assembly infringed on. I think that some of the above mentioned ideas, including The Dean’s are great counter-protest moves. Why should we expect our city leaders to “protect” us from speech that we disagree with?
Pro-choice advocates should shut these people out with counter-demonstrations.
23 Mar 2008 at 09:40 pm | #
I think you should. I cannot think of a better way to further emphasize the gruesome activity that goes on on that murder-mill that to dehumanize the murdered babies with cow meat. People need to see that that is exactly what is happening in there - unborn human beings are being butchered like cattle
24 Mar 2008 at 10:45 am | #
I hope the cow that you get the steak from is one that has been ethically raised.
Damn, i’m still hungry.
Dean, maybe you could cook some spaghetti with a nice meat sauce. That’d be pretty good.
24 Mar 2008 at 03:50 pm | #
“Note: There are graphic images if you keep reading.”
Or, if you enjoy reading the Beacon through a feed reader, they will be right in front of your face immediately.
25 Mar 2008 at 10:05 am | #
Let’s see:
Can’t trust me with a Choice-Really want to trust me to raise a child? (How many abused child stories a week do we have to keep hearing about? Let’s see I think there has been at least 1 a day for the past 2 weeks.)
If Men could have Children- Abortion would be a Holy Sacrament!
And my favorite:
So how much do those people make for walking the line?
25 Mar 2008 at 09:07 pm | #
Hey Dean:
I found this quote for you while browsing sites discusing the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform’s giant, graphically-enhanced, violent, dismembered fetus displays
P
And BTW--
I had my first run-in with one of those signs on my way to work this morning…
They certainly are huge and overly graphic.
I’m wondering what the protocol is when a bus driver has to pull up to a stop light and gets stuck next to one of those photographs.
25 Mar 2008 at 09:33 pm | #
Oh--I almost forgot--
In re: to Comment 11:
Lets not use leading language, my dear.
Scientifically “fetus” and “human” are not the same thing--not to mention a “fetus” is not considered a “fetus” until 2 months after conception, in which case, up until that point, the entity is simply a mass of cells.
I don’t think anyone plans to have an abortion. It is unfortunate that women are put in the position to have to make those types of decisions. Regardless, having a child is the responsibility of of TWO people.
When the law can not force a man to take full responsibility for the role he played in impregnation, how can it force a woman to have and take care of a child she does not want, can not afford, and / or does not have the ability to properly provide for?
And while I’m on the subject....
Why, why, WHY has it almost 90 years after oral contraception was developed for them to manufacture a male equivalent?
That’s right--there is a male version of “the pill” that lowers sperm count and is 98% effective. That is the same effectiveess rate as female oral contraception. I doubt it will catch on for a while though--mainly because I assume the health risks are somewhat similar to female oral contraception.
You know, cancer, stroke, blood clots, etc.
It’s okay for us to deal with those risks--but GOD FORBID you have to....
Hell, half the time most of you can’t remember to wear a condom--as is evident by our (Cincinnati’s) elevated (per capita) STI rate.
I’d hate to see you guys have to remember to take a pill daily!
01 Apr 2008 at 07:46 pm | #
I like steak, but as you know (from getting the first pic from my blog) my position on the abortion issue. Killing viable babies is bad.
Cows are ok to kill (not baby ones) and are yummy.
Thanks for the linkback.