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Editorial: "Eight is Enough" May Be Too Much
June 20th, 2002

Editorial: Cedar Key Plantation: Albatross or Opportunity
June 16th, 2002

Editorial: Hello Cedar Key Plantation, Goodbye Clam Beds
June 14th, 2002

Editorial: All`s Quiet on the Water Front
June 8th, 2002

Editorial: A Cop in Trouble
June 6th, 2002

Editorial: Community Redevelopment Wish Lists
June 3rd, 2002

Editorial: Heath Davis and the Power of Politics
May 19th, 2002

Editorial: Do We Need Another Hero?
May 16th, 2002

Editorial: Support Groups
May 8th, 2002

Editorial: Clarification of Speak Out
May 7th, 2002

Editorial: Introducing Our Editor
April 22nd, 2002


Editorial: The Obscenity Conundrum

Editorial: The Obscenity Conundrum

Editor

Obscene, adj., based on the Latin word for filth. 1. offensive to one`s feelings, or to prevailing notions of modesty or decency; lewd. 2. disgusting; repulsive.

Complaints from citizens of Cedar Key about allegedly obscene signs have inundated city hall recently. The stimulus of the complaints is the name of a yet-to-open restaurant on Dock Street. The complaints are an echo of complaints about the name of a chain of restaurants called Hooters. The name Hooters as well as the local instance have been judged to be insulting to women, disgusting and repulsive.

Debates about obscenity arise from content of radio programs, newspaper cartoons and works of art. Deciding what is legally obscene depends on "one`s feelings or prevailing notions of modesty, etc." Gainesville radio station Rock 104 includes the Lex & Terry program, a nationally syndicated show, in which Lex and Terry use presumably simulated sounds of flatulence and recommendation of giving women physical abuse. This passes for entertainment and airs despite complaints from Floridians. On the international scene, a Danish cartoon depicting Allah caused an outcry and death threats from offended Islamic people far from Denmark. These examples demonstrate the difficulty in getting a consensus of what is obscene. Locally it is hard, globally it is impossible.

The U.S. Supreme Court has great difficulty in deciding what is obscene. The Cedar Key City Commission plans to have the obscenity issue on the agenda of a meeting in the near future. The current sign ordinance may or may not be adequate to limit the contents of commercial signs. If the ordinance is unenforceable then it should be modified.

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