Myrtle Beach Bans Magic Tricks!
Myrtle Beach Bans Magic Tricks!
It sounds like the headline for a story at The Onion, but I assure you its legit. Section 19-172 of a new City ordnance clearly says "no person may perform in a public area without a permit issued pursuant to this section", a permit which costs $50 and requires the applicant to fill out a business license application. The ordnance restricts other forms of entertainment like singing, dancing, reading the Bible and even little girls drawing "hop scotch" on the sidewalk.
It makes no attempt to exclude impromptu behavior by persons not holding themselves out as public performers. Any street performer that reads this new ordnance would laugh at it's unconstitutionality, I can't even imagine how much of a kick a First Amendment attorney would get out of it.
None-the-less, the intent behind this new legislation is a good one - the City seeks to encourage street performers, and I have decided to seize the opportunity to help them. I will be delivering a speech to the Council tomorrow (May 13th 2008) in an attempt to get them to ease the restrictions being placed on both performers and residents to better balance them with the needs of the merchants.
I have prepared a press release for this; I love street performing and have high hopes that Myrtle Beach will take my recommendations seriously.
-JoeJoe
It sounds like the headline for a story at The Onion, but I assure you its legit. Section 19-172 of a new City ordnance clearly says "no person may perform in a public area without a permit issued pursuant to this section", a permit which costs $50 and requires the applicant to fill out a business license application. The ordnance restricts other forms of entertainment like singing, dancing, reading the Bible and even little girls drawing "hop scotch" on the sidewalk.
It makes no attempt to exclude impromptu behavior by persons not holding themselves out as public performers. Any street performer that reads this new ordnance would laugh at it's unconstitutionality, I can't even imagine how much of a kick a First Amendment attorney would get out of it.
None-the-less, the intent behind this new legislation is a good one - the City seeks to encourage street performers, and I have decided to seize the opportunity to help them. I will be delivering a speech to the Council tomorrow (May 13th 2008) in an attempt to get them to ease the restrictions being placed on both performers and residents to better balance them with the needs of the merchants.
I have prepared a press release for this; I love street performing and have high hopes that Myrtle Beach will take my recommendations seriously.
-JoeJoe
posted by JoeJoe at 7:12 PM
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