Singer Alysha Brilla and sisters argue with police over right to ride bikes while shirtless

[anon50609448]

@alistairmichaelkinne

I still maintain that she was self-promoting, and it’s getting harder to get people’s attention for your work these days, so why not go that step further?

Is that a bad thing? Are you judging what she did in a negative light or just making an observation about what you belive is human nature?

[popobawa4u]

@alistairmichaelkinne

Well if you need the difference explained to you…

FFS, I asked about the difference to highlight that I can’t think of any which would be relevant to “the peace” you keep mentioning. It doesn’t mean that I can’t think of any differences. Women’s breasts actually serve a functional purpose, so one could just as easily say that men should hide their useless wanna-be breasts so as to not anger hungry infants.

In any case, this is not how “disturbing the peace” laws are typically enforced. They apply to stuff like people making noise or boisterous activity which is actively making normal everyday life difficult for people. Or, alternately, when cops can’t think of anything else and want a particularly vague charge to arrest somebody with. I am not confident that either use should have applied in this case.

[middlewaytao]

Maybe it wasn’t done for your enjoyment.

[alistairmichaelkinne]

I was actually joking mate…

[middlewaytao]

Or yours.

[Falcor]

Mod note: FYI sexists taste sweet but leave an aftertaste.

[PatRx2]

It would have been charged as an indecent act, but on a community-by-community basis, because there was no definition in law as to what constitutes an indecent act (except for flashing minors). A series of court cases in the 70s acknowledged that nude sunbathing, streaking and nude swimming were not indecent acts. I think that going topless just never really got tested legally until later. The ruling, however, is right in line with the rulings some 20 years earlier.

[cdhawke]

Yes, Humbabella - absolutely!!!

[tachin1]

Please explain how a citizen doing a normal activity, acting within the law can be said to be baiting a cop. Especially since the cop clearly knew there was no reason for him to stop a topless person on a bike ride.
I’ll be waiting.

[cdhawke]

Yes, thanks for your reply.

It really doesn’t matter here in Eugene. Y’know - I hardly see any appealing (to me) shirtless guys (or gals) here - ever. Going shirtless does not seem to be a thing here - even in parks or trails. (No one oink I’d wanna see.) There has never been a law in Eugene prohibiting people being bare-chested in public - it’s not an issue.

Which is why when some anti-topless law repeal campaign in Kansas or wherever makes national news –

“If this passes, women will be shaking their breasts in my ten-year-old sons’s face”

I roll my eyes.

[enso]

@alistairmichaelkinne

Sorry to be pedantic

[enso]

@AcerPlatanoides

Look out, we’re dealing with a heavy hitter here.

Don’t worry. He’s suspended now, for being “sexist,” officially.

[PatRx2]

I’m in Ottawa. It is something you’d see here during Pride, buck-naked bicycle rallies (f*cked if I can remember what those were supposed to be in aid of), and, very occasionally, on really steamy July days. None of these raise eyebrows very much; none really constitute it being the usual state of affairs.

Given our July climate, though, maybe it should be.

[redesigned]

@robulus

Although, he might be onto something. If you made sure all women were completely covered every time they went outside, they would be totally safe from the uncontrollable desires of men.

It seems like a great idea, I wonder if its been tried anywhere, and how its working out?

Excellent reply. For safety ya know?

Should be safe now right?

@cdhawke

But going topless is legal there and they were doing it at night with not a lot of people around - plus there were three of them, and being in their twenties, at least one of them was sure to have a cell phone. Also, I believe it was in their neighborhood or at least familiar territory.

True, but doesn’t matter. It is legal regardless. It is a right. No need for any qualifying conditions.

@alistairmichaelkinne

the policeman was concerned that the girls display had the potential to disrupt the peace, which he’s duty bound to keep.

BS. He is a police officer who should be aware of the law. It is so backwards thinking to be afraid of the human body especially to the point of thinking that it would cause public danger. What is this puritanical 1700’s? GTFO of that kind of primitive way of thinking about women, they are people with equal rights and should be treated with equal respect.

@robulus

You are going a long way out of your way to blame the women here

I know right?

@tachin1

Please explain how a citizen doing a normal activity, acting within the law can be said to be baiting a cop. Especially since the cop clearly knew there was no reason for him to stop a topless person on a bike ride.I’ll be waiting.

exactly. they were doing nothing wrong.

@alistairmichaelkinne

I still maintain that she was self-promoting

Then why was this at night in a less densely populated neighborhood? Seriously think about what you are saying… If this was self promotion the stage would have been a lot grander and in the middle of the day and it STILL would have been okay, because it is her right under the law. AND more importantly her right as a human regardless of the law as far as I’m concerned.

[jmsaltzman]

Christ, what an asshole.

[popobawa4u]

@redesigned

Excellent reply. For safety ya know?
Should be safe now right?

The perverse irony is that many prude squads in the Americas would probably complain about this also. Having women covered too much seems to scare them also! There’s just no pleasing some people.

@redesigned

Then why was this at night in a less densely populated neighborhood? Seriously think about what you are saying… If this was self promotion the stage would have been a lot grander and in the middle of the day and it STILL would have been okay, because it is her right under the law.

The only reason I can think of that it could seem like “promotion” is merely posturing to imply that there is something abnormal about it. Otherwise, why would it even be notable?

[robulus]

@redesigned

You are going a long way out of your way to blame the women here

I know right?

You’ve got to hand it to him, he owned it and doubled down when many would have paused for a moment of reflection and thought better of it. He was nothing if not committed!

[NatMcG]

Canadian mammaries matter!

[aeon]

Whenever I see anyone riding bare chested I picture having to scrub and debride the road rash out of them after they fall off …

But I appreciate that having the experience to base the picture on is not that common. Maybe it should be?

[csilvest]

@PatRx2

I sincerely doubt that, in that 20+ years, public toplessness has caused any disruption of the peace,

I’d say there have been incidents that some might consider a disturbance of the peace. I don’t blame the women. Most of the blame rests on immature males who can’t control themselves. And it’s so rare an event it generates media attention. So in these senses, disturbance.

In the ~14 years since the decision, I’ve never witnessed it. And I’m always on the look-see…