Texas House Bans 'Suggestive' Cheerleading

[renaissanceguy]

AUSTIN, Texas - After an alternately comic and fiery debate — punctuated by several lawmakers waving pompons — the state House on Tuesday approved a bill to restrict "overtly sexually suggestive" cheerleading to more ladylike performances.

<snip>

"Girls can get out and do all of these overly sexually performances and we applaud them, and that's not right," said Democratic Rep. Al Edwards, who filed the legislation.

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

<snip>
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=9&u=/ap/20050504/ap_on_re_us/suggestive_cheerleading
--------------------------------
The theocrats are at it again... What ever happened to letting the PARENTS do their jobs... And why the hell is a DEMOCRAT proposing this legislation? He needs to be ousted.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.21272015

[Hobarticus]

1. Cheerleading causes pregnancy?

Is this that new science I keep hearing about, along the lines of Dr. Frist's claim that 'tears carry AIDS'?

[livinginphotographs]

46. Yep. But jumping up and down right after sex

Will prevent pregnancy. /sarcasm

[chicagojoe]

2. Only in Texas, where cheerleading is a career ambition,

would there be legislation by the state government.
Don't these people have anything better to do?!?

[saigon68]

5. These girls should join up

And go to Iraq, and abuse the prisoners like Lynndie did.

[Ex_Catholic]

51. Why Doesn't the F'ing Texas Legislature Ban Horse Slaughter?

The Yellow State of Texas has 2 Belgian owned and operated horse slaughter houses killing US horses for export as a "delicacy."

Stupid, "Red" weenie bastards...Burn in Hell

[brooklynite]

3. Tough call for Republicans...

Family values, or America's god-given right to football with all the trappings?

[Wright Patman]

8. Read it more closely

Al Edwards is a Democrat and an African-American one at that.

[brooklynite]

18. I'm not talking about him...

I'm talking about the Republicans in the Texas Legislature who are going to have to dercide how to vote on his bill.

[Pithlet]

Utterly ridiculous

Something like this should not be legislated. This is a matter that should be directly handled by the schools, the coaches and the parents. I cannot believe they would legislate a group of young women to be ladylike. :puke:

[VegasWolf]

60. Udderly ridiculous! n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

63. I agree

I think this guy is stuck in the 19th century.

[XemaSab]

65. They can't even get Bush's daughters

to act ladylike for 5 minutes, so how do they expect to control all the cheerleaders in Texas?

[BrightKnight]

70. The only absolute defense is cheer-leading burkas.

There is no objective way to determine what is suggestive. I don't think that school funding should be contingent upon this. How do we know that this will not be abused to target schools for other reasons.

Do most people want to remove any form of sexual expression from cheer-leading? I there a first amendment argument here?

This should be decided by parents and the local school board.

[oblivious]

4. My head's spinning! What a weirdo!

Edwards argued bawdy performances...resulting in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

[Gelliebeans]

80. mine too

you mean to tell me of all the things in Texas (politically) going to hell in a handbag this Democrat couldn't find any other pet project to hone in on?



like......
ummmmmmmmm maybe Delay????

[tanyev]

6. This is hilarious.

I bet there are plenty of good Republican daughters out there shakin' their groove things as cheerleaders and their parents are very proud of them for doing so.

Bring on the popcorn!

[joeybee12]

7. While this is phucked, remember this is, after all, Texas

:puke:

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. BRRRR...It's cold in here

There must be some hard-up-old-men in the atmosphere....

[MrTriumph]

10. Texas- What problems?

Shame on all of you. Things are great here in Texas.

Oh, school funding is a mess and the state budget is in the red. And property taxes- among the highest if not the highest anywhere- continue to run away as many busnesses as not having a state income tax attracts (the shall game is over). And property insurance reform to lower the highest property insurance rates in the country has been a dismal failure. Wages are low and the plight of the uninsured is scarey. So maybe things aren't exactly in order and bad Republican government continues unabated.

But no way we Texans will endure gyrating cheerleaders! Look for state troopers to be in force at sporting events soon.

[AzDar]

11. Hmmm, do I detect the faint scent of middle-aged -pervert -who -became

-embarassingly-aroused-at-Jr.'s-football-game-and-needs-to-enact-useless-legislation-to-make-sure-it-doesn't-happen-again in the air???
Methinks I do.

[MountainLaurel]

25. I think you might be right

:rofl:

[Javaman]

30. Would that be...

MAPWBEAAJFGANTEULTMSITDHA syndrom?

[BlueEyedSon]

12. Maybe they can do their cheerleading routines in burkhas?

[leesa]

13. Why not eliminate the sports events? Problem solved.

What an enormous waste of time energy and money this will be. I wish Americans could grow up.

[kbm8795]

17. Next up -

All body-covering wool swimming outfits to help the good evangelical Texans keep their christian wits about them on the beaches.

[Chipper Chat]

19. And what about all this ass-grabbing, hugging, and even kissing

by the players after a touchdown? Doesn't that lead to homosexuality? C'mon Edwards - let's ban that as well. Why should we tolerate all these young male perverts? Clean up Texas! Oh nevermind - you CANT clean up Texas. The state has been "DeLayed."

[GregW]

14. My name is Craig ...

I give good hugs
You're not my friend
If you do drugs

I'm Ariana
The boys are urgin'
But I am proud
To be a virgin

[Sabriel]

15. Anyone else offended by the "ladylike" comment?

Being "ladylike" means being chaste and non-sexual? Give me a FB! I'd like to know if this applies to the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, too.

Maybe they're afraid of this:

[eowyn_of_rohan]

22. sooooo sexist

Chauvinist male definition of a "lady" ...and what is "gentlemanly" behavior? Same old tired song about women as temptresses... too many men making too much money off the Dallas cheerleaders to give that up

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. Ladylike??? George Bush was a cheerleader!

[smirkymonkey]

34. Yes. Exactly.

:evilgrin:

[tanyev]

24. Bite your tongue!

There's nothing more wholesome and American-as-apple-pie than a bunch of young women wearing tight skimpy briefs and shimmying their surgically enhanced cleavage at a professional football game!

[Julius Civitatus]

16. Puritan nation

This is ridiculous. Are we in the Middle Ages yet?

[KurtNYC]

20. Next year's squad pictured here

"Defense attack, sack the quarterback! I said defense..."

[Miss Chybil]

27. LOL! I just posted my "headline" then saw your picture.

Great minds think alike!

[Double T]

21. Let's see if I understand this correctly...

...1. Cheerleading leads to immaculate conceptions
2. Watching cheerleaders perform will cause you to quit school
3. Airborne STD's will be transmitted by cheerleaders; stand clear
of those high kicks

Looks like another smokescreen by incompetent politicians that can't deal with the real serious issues.

[BrightKnight]

81. A burka cheer-leading demonstration would make great TV.

That might convert a few suburban repugs. There are a lot of repug ex-cheerleaders out there.

[Miss Chybil]

26. Breaking: Texas Cheerleaders Must Wear Burkas

Just kidding.

:shrug:

[sinkingfeeling]

28. Cheerleading is a very serious thing in Texas. Remember the

mom who put out a contract on another cheerleader's mother, so the girl would quit the squad and her own daughter would get the slot?

[ernstbass]

29. Maybe they should put them in burkas

but by all means let's not worry about all of the injuries involved in cheerleading. After all, their sexual suggestivenenss is highly dangerous and immoral!!

[burn the bush]

31. Oh no, they are going to have to restrict themselves to the Elvis pinky

move only. Go team!

[noonwitch]

32. Some cheerleading does cross a line

I don't think a law was needed, just parents getting involved with their children's school and letting the school know if the routine or uniform is inappropriate. High school cheerleading shouldn't be raunchy or sleazy. That's for pro football cheerleading.

[yellowcanine]

33. Molly Ivins will have a field day with this one. And some people say

there is no God. You couldn't convince Molly of that as long as she has the Texas House to generate new material for her.

[MN ChimpH8R]

36. Waiting for Molly to weigh in

This should provoke one of her best mockeries.

Just :wtf: is going ON with these cretins in the Texas Lege, anyway? :dunce:

Rest of country: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Psephos]

35. Man, you couldn't make this stuff up! lol

[Arger68]

37. Someone might want to tell Al Edwards

that the XFL went broke already. Besides, Texas didn't even have an XFL team!!!

[gauguin57]

38. Gimme an M. M! Gimme an O. O! ...

Gimme an R-O-N-S! What does it spell?

MORONS!

[Coventina]

39. MST3K: Look! Look! Look at my crotch! yaaAAYYYYY CROTCH!

:D

Even 1930s cheerleaders were suggestive.

[zbdent]

40. Comical - would criminalize *'s "Town Hall" meetings

with the chants from skimpily-clad pom-pom wavers shouting "We love BUSH! We love BUSH!" unintentionally freaking out the Religious Reich . . .

[shrike]

41. You don't have enough to do?

People in Texas? I guess not.

[Jack1963]

45. We're not ALL bad here in Texas!

I promise....some of us here in Texas are just as disgusted by the politics around us as outsiders may be. Keep in mind that Shrub and his group did to Texas politics what they are doing to the entire country now.

We had a very popular democrat, Ann Richards, running our state just fine. We had a surplus in the budget and people were relatively proud of the governor and our state. Then the Bush machine roared into gear and knocked Ann out of office using their now common tactics. Not all of us saw it coming....

We're not all supporting the various confinements that our state legislature seems to think are important. I know more people that DON'T approve of what is happening around here and are hoping for things to eventually change.

Just know that not all Texans are as ridiculous as our state government might imply!
:)

[jobycom]

49. HEY!!!

This is the land of Ralph Yarborough, Barbara Jordan, Sheila Jackson Lee, Mickey Leland, Henry B. Gonzales (who tried to impeach the first Bush), Henry Cisneros, Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, Roe v Wade, Madeline Ohare, Ann Richards, the Dixie Chicks, and WILLIE FRICKIN' NELSON. Not to mention a LOT of veteran DUers.

Don't give us that "Holier Than Thou" shit. Your state's never done anything stupid?

:-) (Meant in the nicest of ways).

[shrike]

59. Should've made myself clearer

I meantt the legislators. There are plenty of good people in Texas; I know some of them personally.

And BTW, I live in Indiana, Midwestern birthplace of the Klan.

[Ms_Mary]

42. Let's think on this, shall we? Legislating cheerleading...

I'd think they'd be equally concerned with those short skirts and bloomers. That's probably next on the agenda. We can't have them inciting people to lust or engage in improper behaviors, especially since abstinence only education means they don't know how protect themselves if they do.


It's utterly ridiculous. Texas state goverment is legislating cheerleading dance moves. I only wish it suprised me.

[trogdor]

43. Wonder what they think about this...

BTW, I already got a sense from the armchair general freeper types at military.com that IOKIYAR.

[Paulie]

44. Good you didn't show the next picture...

it's not safe for work. :)

[jobycom]

50. Dude, the last person who published pictures of Jenna

Was the first Anthrax victim. Might want to be a little careful.

(And that doesn't look like Jenna.)

[sakabatou]

47. Why not dress them in Burkas?

Lawmakers taking this too seriously. It's not even an issue.

[norml]

48. When Texas Cheerleaders start loosing National Competitions because of

these restrictions, there will be Hell to pay.

[tammywammy]

61. Exactly

The high school I attended had the NCA champions and are one of the leading squads in the country. (Ahh, the joys of being editor of the yearbook, this is what you learn). They weren't "suggestive" in any way. They worked hard and were athletes.

What a waste of time for the Texas legislature.

Morality police are stepping up.

[Remmah]

52. For those from the 70's and earlier, remember the "Fish Cheer"?

Gimme an "F"................................

[anitar1]

53. I call it Pantie Politics. n/t

[Az_lefty]

54. Time to give Texas back to Mexico...

:hide:

[UTUSN]

55. So Shrub & Pickles Will Have to Perform Separately from the Horse? n/t

[txaslftist]

56. Sheesh... How embarrassing to be a Texan these days.

[Neshanic]

57. "Let's GO Fighting Puritans!" How to do cheers as Hester Prynne

Will Texas have a board of "Cheer Review?"

Al Edwards needs to know that doing a Tipper/Hillary takes finese.

[rainbow4321]

58. This is how the repukes in Austin celebrated when it passed

I hate this state...soooo, what will they be doing come August when Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders start THEIR half-naked routines?? Oh, I forgot, Jones is one of the Highland Park-elite chimp supporters, so NOTHING will happen.

[Mugweed]

79. Here's the caption

"God hates women. Yes he do. God hates women. How 'bout you?"

[Generator]

62. This settles it

We live in the dumbest country on earth. (why dumbest-because we have every resource, a beautiful land , an incredible history, a great constitution and THIS is what crap our legislators have time to concern themselves with-no health care..no..ho boy fill in a hundred thousand other issues more important)

And TEXAS is the epicenter of dumbass.

Also, how the hell can you legislate some teenager's sexy moves?


They are not just dumbasses but off their freaking rocker.

[rainbow4321]

66. This is why it is a good thing...

that our TX lawmakers ONLY get together every OTHER year for a few months at a time.
BUT..there IS hope for Texans..look at what happened to Coulter when Her Horseface dared to show up at UT Austin..hopefully these kids will one day run the State of Texas:

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2005/05/04/TopStories/Arrest.Made.At.Coulter.Speech-947529.shtml

Incessant heckling and shouting culminated in an arrest Tuesday night during a speech by Ann Coulter, an extreme right-wing pundit, at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.

Shouts became so pervasive during the question-and-answer session that Coulter informed the organizers she would no longer take questions if the hecklers were not silenced. For a time, the shouts were considerably lessened, until the issue of gay marriage was broached.

Coulter said she supported the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman on the basis that a good woman civilizes and inspires a man to strive for something better, leading to a question that was met with a stunned silence.

"You say that you believe in the sanctity of marriage," said Ajai Raj, an English sophomore. "How do you feel about marriages where the man does nothing but fuck his wife up the ass?"

[Bozita]

64. Can Bush still take his Social Security roadshow to Texas?

I've never seen more suggestive cheerleading.

[Fire Walk With Me]

67. Another weapon of mass distraction buries Bolton, Italian Memos, etc.

[distantearlywarning]

68. The most important thing for TX legislators to worry about right now:

Cheerleading.

*bangs head on desk*

What about poverty? The war in Iraq? Education?

This reminds me of that stupid vibrator law they passed in Alabama a while back. Don't these politicians ever think about anything but sex? Some of them are clearly obsessed and as a result think everyone else is too...

[CTyankee]

69. This is why I left Texas

never to live there again. There are some great Texans, to be sure, but I can't stand the waste of time on this nonsense.

[killbotfactory]

71. So that's why so many cheerleaders at my school were getting preggo

Sexy chearleading will make you pregnant.

now i know.

[Mugweed]

72. What cheerleading isn't suggestive?

Just HOW long has a bunch of girls in short skirts doing panty-revealing high-kicks and flips been associated with sporting contests? Another great idea from Puritanical (yet the highest consumer of pornography worldwide) America.

edit: I can't spell porn right? I'm turning in my trenchcoat.

[undeterred]

103. Its become so much more athletic than it used to be

I'd be more worried about cheerleaders getting hurt than anything else.

[daleo]

73. So that's where babies come from.

"...bawdy performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies..."

[Fire Walk With Me]

74. Just KNOWING that there is "suggestive" cheerleading makes my day happier

It's a public service I'm telling you. Want to ban indecency? Fine the first lady for obsenity like they did Howard Stern.

[BrightKnight]

75. Texas Taliban - n/t

[harpo]

76. Cheerleader cops? How will they enforce this?

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Solly Mack]

78. Can we ban obscene legislation?

[Moderator]

82. kick

[maxrandb]

83. Texas legislators want to curb suggestive cheerleading

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/05/05/MNGTBCK75Q1.DTL

Mods-Move to GD if appropriate. I try to find humor in the news, but this does NOT come from The Onion.

I feel that this country is moving into the Dark Ages. Seriously, I would like to do a study about what happens to societies when they start losing their collective minds about sex and sexuality.

Granted, I think that some of the outfits that young girls are wearing today could be right off the rack at Victoria's Secret. It won't be long until we may see the Victoria's Pre-teen line at the local mall, but why is legislation necessary? Where are the parents? Where are the strong families demanding that the outfits be a bit more modest? I'm no prude, but if my daughter tried to leave the house looking like some of these girls do today.....

I'm sure Rush and Hanity will be all over it to blame it on the "Clenis".

From the Story:

"Austin, Texas -- Texas state legislators are threatening to stop school cheerleaders from shaking their pompoms -- or anything else -- too suggestively.

Already lawmakers in the Texas House have approved a bill to ban sexually suggestive dance moves and regulate other school performances that might be considered too sexual in nature.

"Show me where you define what is 'too sexually suggestive,' " demanded Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Democrat from Houston.
She also raised the issue of who would get to decide the appropriateness of expressions of school spirit.

The bill's author, Rep. Al Edwards, also a Democrat from Houston, responded by noting that the activity that would be banned "is like sex -- you'll know it when you see it."

FYI-It was authored by a Democrat, (or should i say a TEXAS Democrat)

One of the funniest things I heard on the news was that during the debate, some in the legislature were shaking Pom-Poms.

:eyes:

[johncoby2]

84. If we bump and grind when we read our insurance bill...

Will they vote to lower our insurance rates?

Im not sure what is more stupid-er. The fact that a so called Democrat filed the bill, or the fact that 64 Republicans voted for it!!!!!!

[PDittie]

85. Edwards is my rep.

He's a DINO. A more recent pic:



This is the picture your article references:



Go caption the photo:

http://www.pinkdome.com/archives/2005/05/caption_this_pi_8.html#more

[salin]

86. Wasn't there a Mom in texas who tried to hire someone

to kill her daughter's rival for making a cheerleading squad?

Ya, I can see it now... crazyMom is at a game - spies the rival cheerleader - calls the cops to make an arrest, and open spots up on the cheerleading squad.

How would this be enforced? Send cops to games to monitor the cheerleading squad? Boy crime must be at an all time low in Texas to be considering this new and dangerous task for law enforcement....

[maxrandb]

89. And the Legislation Always, I mean ALWAYS target girls and woman

Where is the legislation to ban Speedos? Where is the legislation to require boys to wear shirts? Where is the legislation to ensure Basketball Shorts stay up where they belong?

I may be wrong, but this just seems like some "bible thumping fundy" watched a cheerleader routine, got a hard-on, felt vile and sinful, and demanded legislation to protect HIS virtue.

You just can't make this shit up!

[jayfish]

87. Sorry To Say, But This...

is old and has already passed in the TX house.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1443779

Jay

[maxrandb]

92. Story Was Dated 5 May

I think it may now be headed to the Governor's desk.

[jayfish]

93. Crazy Shite,...

ain't it?

Jay

[swag]

88. Those cheerleaders have gotten carried away miming horse masturbation

[maxrandb]

90. ROTFLMAO

Thank you for that. Now I need a new keyboard.

[Skidmore]

91. It would benefit society much more if Texas legislators

curbed "suggestive politicking", which is infinitely more obscene and does much more harm to the nation than any cheerleader can.

[tanyev]

94. Legislators will be watching hours and hours of video

to fully research their decision on this bill.

[maxrandb]

95. This Really Frosts Me!

"But Edwards noted "nothing of what we do here is more important than to protect our young children," who, he argued, are being sent the wrong message by suggestive dance routines."

Ok Rep Edwards, but what about

-Children that have no health care?
-Children that are starving due to *'s wonderful economy?
-Children that are having children because you won't take the time or political risk to provide education on practicing safe-sex?
-Children that are getting a piss-poor education?
-Children (both Iraqi and American) that are being butchered by this administrations "shock and awe"?
-Children that are from broken homes that could be in a loving family if you allowed same sex partners to adopt them and love them?

You want to protect the children Rep Edwards?? Well there is a hell of a lot more pressing needs than what they are doing at half-time!

Tell me, were the * twins cheerleaders? Because they turned out to be lovely little "frat mattresses" didn't they? Maybe it's not the dance routines, maybe it's lousy parenting.

[Mizmoon]

96. I agree with the Texas Legislature

oh God... shoot me now! :)

Actually, I do think that some of the costumes and routines are too suggestive for school aged girls. Yeah, I know ... you think I'm being a prude. But honestly ... kids in high school and jr. high are not really mature enough to have sex yet. By putting limits on the public expression of their sexuality we let them know that we want them to wait until they are mature in body and mind. They have to hear that someplace in this world saturated with sexualized marketing.

[tanyev]

97. I agree that some cheerleading routines go too far,

but that is why they have faculty and parent advisors who should be setting the limits, not the Texas Legislature.

[Mizmoon]

98. I agree with that

but it appears that those people are asleep at the wheel or something.

It IS too bad it came to this ...

[Jade Fox]

105. This is actually an example of...

the whore/madonna syndrome typical of those whose attitudes towards
sexuality are shame-based. This can be found in abundance in
places like Texas, which pioneered the "cheerleaders as strip-club
dancers" movement. Now their own guilty saliciousness has gotten
out of hand, and their Sunday Morning contingent has moved to control it.

[JRob]

99. FOOTLOOSE! Edwards (Dem) and GOP Kiss-Ass!

This (if indeed there is a problem) is an issue between parents and teachers on a local level. The fact that politicians are pursuing legislation is outrageous when you consider our problems in the US, the world or the Delay scandal IN TEXAS!

These people get paid for this work?!

Al Edwards was asked on CNN this morning if there aren't more pressing issues that affect our kids etc. which he side stepped.

HEY TEXAS! You pay this guy, is this really a productive use of government resources? Are there people in the State of Texas that might benefit from some of the focus and publicity that this "issue" has received?

This is sickening!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

100. Gimme an F!! Gimme a U!!

Gimme an M-B-L-E!


Shame on you for expecting otherwise. ;)


Cheerleaders being suggestive? Sex Objects? The horror! Why, next thing you know they'll make dirty movies about it!!

[Jack Rabbit]

101. Does anybody know where the Dallas Cowboys stand on this issue?

Photo from the website of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

[jazzjunkysue]

102. Ban cheerleading until they can find a way to tax it.

Bring any disobedient cheerleaders into my office for punishment.

[geniph]

104. I thought that was the whole point of cheerleading

just mindless entertainment and eye candy for the voyeuristic types. What IS supposed to be the point of it, anyway? Do they think fans won't cheer for a team without it? Somehow soccer worldwide manages without it.

[Feli]

106. Believe me . . .

Cheerleading is not the cause of that, or at least not the most relevant.