[BruceS]

Why don't they just quit complaining about the left wanting what's best for us and go burn a flag on the beach?

[syriacus]

It does strike me as a ban on political speech.

[dd5339]

Well let's see, it's ok to have free speech if one supports murdering babies, but if you oppose it then it's not ok to have free speech.

Hmmm, a comment from Orwell's "Animal Farm" comes to mind. Some animals are more equal than others".

Apologies to Orwell if I butchered his great book.

Semper Fi

[gridlock]

ordinance (...) that bans all aerial displays above or within the boundaries of the city

Seems obvious, but how for out do the boundaries of the city go? If they go out to Mean High Tide, these aircraft are operating outside the city limits, because, generally speaking, they fly over the water, don't they?

This should be a pretty easy thing for CBR to determine. I would suspect that the city does not have the authority to regulate what happens offshore.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The affluent City of Huntington Beach, California, has aimed its legislative guns on aircraft towing large graphic images of aborted babies over its beaches by enacting an ordinance effective October 16, 2002

I have absolutely no problem at all with such a ban.  Good for them.

Pro-life activists, like the anti-smoking activists, sometimes go over the lines of decency with some of their photo-ads.

It's hard to describe exactly when the line is crossed but it's like porn: you know it when you see it.

There are limits - even when your cause is as just and proper as a pro-life campain.

[stilts]

I live on the coast in Southern California and have to deal with the flying advertisements. They are generally quite annoying, not just from the standpoint of the visual, but the planes that drag them make a huge racket and are flying very low. Conversation stops when they fly over as you can't hear anything else.

As for the pro-life ads, I saw them a few times over the summer. They are very, very disturbing. My child was upset as they were extremely large graphic photos. They are not the kind of thing my 4-year old needs to be exposed to. I felt that in their zeal to push their pro-life family value they were trashing several other family values. It was inappropriate to say the least.

[EdReform]

Bump

[thinktwice]

From what I recall about real estate law, and the airspace over Huntington Beach, California is real estate; anyone that's been using that airspace openly, notoriously, and without permission for five or more years, has a prescriptive easement to continue using that airspace.

Any lawyers out there to confirm this?

[Saundra Duffy]

Go, fly birds!!! For victory & freedom!!!

[ER_in_OC,CA]

Pro-life related ping.

[Kenton]

Pro-Life Group Engages in Air Battle Over California--Federal Lawsuit Filed

This title is a little misleading. Here I was all set for a story about aerial dogfights over Laguna Beach.

[Consort]

Bad timing for this law suit. It favors Gray Davis's claims to defend Pro-Choice.

[let freedom sing]

Ban Huntington Beach from California!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Great way to inspire pro-life support - wrecking a family day on a beach.

This kind of activity actually drives people away.

Idiots.

[Salvation]

In response, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the central district of California on behalf of the pro-life group, Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) and its executive director, Gregg Cunningham, asking the court to declare the ordinance unconstitutional and enjoin its enforcement.

Bump for Thomas More Law Center, pro-life agenda and Free Speech!

[breakem]

..........that bans all aerial displays.

Much needed relief for beach goers.

[BJungNan]

I don't see why they file the suit. Why don't they just keep flying the planes and the banners as usual. If the City thinks it can defend its law, let them.