Folks in Marshall, North Carolina know the cost of good clean dancing. It is $275,000. Just ask Rebecca Willis. The town has apparently agreed to pay Willis $275,000 in exchange for settling litigation over the town's ban of Willis from the Marshall Community Center, a local hangout. The ban was in place because other patrons complained about Willis' dirty dancing. Eight years ago, at the age of 56, Rebecca Willis was accused of gyrating and simulating sexual intercourse with her partner while dancing. At the time she was allegedly wearing a skirt so short it exposed her underwear. Rebecca considers her dancing "exuberant and flamboyant" but not obscene. Rebecca gets $275,000 and she agrees to never return to the community center.
Twice in the past five years the case had gone before a federal district court judge and twice before the court of appeals. In May a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said it could proceed to trial on the question of whether the town violated Willis’ Constitutional right to equal protection under the 14th Amendment by banning her from the town's public music arena. The staff claimed that they banned her because she had acted in an obscene manner, showing her underwear and dancing crudely. Willis contended that she was dancing appropriately.
Rebecca's attorney was Jon Sasser. The American Civil Liberties Union announced the settlement Thursday. Larry Leake, the attorney for the town, believes that the town did nothing wrong. But Willis said in a statement that the settlement sends a message that the town should allow for diversity and free expression.
To the town of Marshall, just be thankful that she is not a teacher dancing in front of students.
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23 comments:
Mayberry wants to stay pure!
How could a 56 year old, scantily clothed, not be obscene!
The new millennium Footloose.
Legal, I guess it depends who the 56 year old is.
Cher is pushin 90 and I think everyone enjoys seeing her scantily clad.
Hmmm, I'm 51 and Dirty Dancing is my favorite movie....maybe I should move to Marshall,NC and hang out at the community center.
Legal Pub, I take exception to your comment,"How could a 56 year old, scantily clothed, not be obscene!" IMO a 56 year old, scantily clothed may be unappealing to some but would only be obscene if he or she goes commando in public.
Depends on how L.P. is defining obscene. I am sure there are some hot women in their 50's. But there is something about older people dirty dancing that offends younger people. I am 67. I still enjoy relations with my wife. Yet our grand children think it is obscene that Me and the misses still sleep in the same bed.
I suspect Legal Pub meant to say that anyone, scantily clothed, dirty dancing in public is obscene. Don't forget the accusations are, Katfish, that she did basically go commando. Perhaps it was not obscene under the strict legal definition but it was in the sence that it is offensive and she was old enough to know better.
Ralph
Katfish, I know Legal Pub's chief editor. He is not prejudice against older women. What he wants is for women to submit their videos to the web site to prove middle age women are still hot!
Jester
I am from Mayberry (Marshall) and L.P.'s statement is right. Any grown middle aged women dancing scantily clothed is considered obscene unwanted conduct at our center.
Hey, L.P. did not say a 56 year old woman. He said a 56 year old. That means he meant it for either sex!
Ginger
Are young woman aloud to dirty dance in Marshall???
I would gladly take my dirty dancing elsewhere for 275,000 smackaroos.
I read LP's comment to include dirty ole dudes too!
In my neck of the woods commando isn't showing your undies..it's leaving them at home. LOL
ps. My video will be in the mail as soon as Patrick Swayze signs the release!
Folks, have you ever spoken and wished that you could take the words back...
Here are some examples:
FIRST
I walked into a hair salon and asked loudly,
'How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?'
I turned around and walked back out and never went back.
SECOND:
I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls.
I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using.
After browsing, I was approached
by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store.
He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him
and said, 'I think I like playing with men's balls'
THIRD:
My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a
variety of candy and nuts.
The boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.
I replied, 'No, I'm just looking at your nuts.'
My sister started to laugh hysterically and the boy grinned.
FOURTH:
While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance.
I told her that if she did not start behaving 'right now' she would be punished. To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening,
'If you don't let me go right now,
I will tell Grandma that I saw you
Kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!' The silence was deafening. bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.
FIFTH:
My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch. It was very busy.
While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny. I realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while. I asked him if he needed to go, And he said No'.
Then I said, 'Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?'
'No,' he replied. So, I asked one more time, ' Danny did you have an accident ? This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks
and yelled 'SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!'
Last:
What happens when you predict snow but don't get any!
We had a female news anchor that, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked:
'So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?'
Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too, they were laughing so hard!
Jessica
LP,
video is in the mail . . .
i loveit!!!!
Dancing in the dark with strangers, then suddenly I found you...
Is that $275,000 in your pocket or do you like my dirty dancing?
If it is Paris Hilton doing the dance, then it is not a role of coins in my pocket! :)
Yup, Paris rocks. No one would need viagra or cialis if everyone's partner looked like Paris!
Doc Long
Not what I expected for a google of dirty dancers...
The above was deleted because it was an attempt to advertise viewing of photos of women.
L.P. You know you have made it big time when all the spammers want to advertise on your site.
Love the Willis story.
P&G
Willis was not Asian! And she never advertised as a dancer so such advertisements are deleted!
Legal Eagle 3
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