No Matter How Ridiculous You Think Folks Are . . .

A recent rundown in the tiny little SM paper (which seems to offer linkable stories now instead of just PDFs, guess they read my Festivus grievance) of city council business has some interesting tidbits (tidbits, I said tidbits, can't you hear?)

With elected officials in rare comedic form, it seemed like the perfect time for Mark Levine to pop the big question. The soft-spoken, middle-aged man with glasses straight out of the sock-hop era was checking out the dynamics on the dais to see which member would be brave, or zany enough to sponsor his “Topless Equal Rights Amendment.”

That’s right, topless. It’s Levine’s mission to level the playing field for females by creating not just a topless beach, but a topless Santa Monica, where women would be allowed to expose themselves just as men do — minus the back hair, of course.

“If there’s to be freedom of choice, why not freedom to be topless in public?” read a flier Levine distributed to raise awareness.

And women say their men never support them.

The proposed amendment would enhance the U.S. Constitution’s concept of equality like Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction did for the Super Bowl half-time show, Levine said. He added that it also would reduce the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, cut down on the consumption of pornography, alcohol and drugs and — get this — prevent urban warfare.

That's not all, our council has seen fit to propose a ballot initiative for the fall weakening marijuana enforcement (following West Hollywood's lead, presumably) and placing more restrictions on tobacco in public, essentially banning tobacco in all business and tourist areas (which seems like a very bad move for a city that relies on tourism from Asia and Europe)

In an odd twist, the council approved of a ban on smoking in most public spaces, while at the same time, placed an initiative on the November ballot that would make it easier for adults to smoke marijuana in their homes. Since the marijuana initiative already qualified for the ballot, the council had no choice but to certify it or adopt it as law. In the end, wacky tobacky got the thumbs up, while the Marlboro Man was told to ride into the sunset.

Another day in the left-leaning city by the sea.

(Of course the article's author means for that last line to be combined with a trombone wah-wah-wah, whereas I think it should be accompanied by a blood-curdling scream)