Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Bonneau is a quiet little town in the “Low Country” of South Carolina. Boasting plenty of southern charm, it covers about 2.9 square miles and sports 354 residents. Not much going on except good red beans and rice and some pleasantly hot summer boat rides on Lake Moultrie. Pretty Mayberry-esque except it’s also the epicenter for a debate on South Carolina’s obscenity laws which prohibit motorists from displaying bumper stickers, decals, or devices depicting “sexual acts, excretory functions, or parts of the human body in an offensive way as determined by contemporary community standards.”
In early July, Bonneau Police Chief Franco Fuda spotted an unusual item adorning the trailer hitch of 65 year-old Virginia Tice’s pickup truck. Tice has a quirky sense of humor and thought it sassy to display a red plastic set of human testicles for her fellow motorists to enjoy. The items sell under the brand names of “Bulls Balls” and “Truck Nutz” and are apparently standard fare in convenience stores of the “Palmetto State.”
Ms. Tice was ticketed with the charge which carries the possibility of a $445 fine but no jail time. The case outraged other residents of the Bonneau.”To me it’s just a personal expression,” John Caddell told the local paper. “My truck’s got power.” For her part, the grandmotherly Tice is embarrassed and not taking calls.
Sheriff Fuda has spoken to Tice’s lawyer, Scott Bischoff, Esq., of the Savage & Savage law firm that took the case on pro bono. In a remarkable display of small town enlightenment and faith in the jury system, the Sheriff asked for a jury to decide the propriety of the novelty. “The statute says obscenity should be determined by community standards,” Fuda said. “I didn’t think it was fair for a judge to decide that.”
Bischoff was equally sanguine if a little amused. “She’s such a sweet lady and she just says ‘I don’t want to pay the fine.’ We’ll let a jury decide whether this is really criminal behaviour. I don’t want to take away from the importance of free speech, but it’s really comical,” he said.
A little of what’s best about small towns–genial folks doing their jobs and the right thing without promise of financial reward. Believing in the system and the good sense of their neighbors to effect justice, all without the savage rhetoric and moralizing that has become the staple of our public discourse. Maybe that “little town” on the Potomac could learn a lesson from Bonneau.
Source: Charleston Post & Courier
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
i don’t like being harassed the chief dick head fuda he harasses people and if any of you have been in traffic court with chief fuda you will know you have no right to a jury and you are guilty until proven innocent and he will trump up charges in order to make more money for the town which they are embezaling from the state. I find it funny the mayor is married to the clerk of court and treasurer and the chief is married to the mayors daughter like the perfect crime family they are in business for themselves . they only serve themselves to your money and protect their bank roll.
Blouise,
As you know heart problems are near and dear to my own. I know from here your intelligence, strength and good insight. Men like myself and perhaps Tex is one, tend not to be the best patients and need a loving woman to play a key role in their health. My wife kept me alive and I have every confidence you’ll be the one to keep him going.
“I do approve of some. I’ll elaborate later.” (mespo)
I look forward to a spirited debate … 🙂
Mike S.,
Thank you … from my granddaughter’s open heart surgery to Tex’s heart meds … we keep on keeping on.
the problem i find with some of these posts is that YOU find it offensive and you wouldnt want your son /daughter to see it. so then i take it you also dont allow your child to have animals WHO ARE NOT FORCED TO WEAR CLOTHES AND THEREFORE THEIR GENITALIA IS FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE. because of todays society and its all thanks to certain world bankers that nothing is private anymore. if your child is old enough to know the difference then its time to have that talk with them. and if they aren’t then what exactly is the issue? i get the feeling most of you would prefer not to ever have to explain to your children about that part of life. and thats is exactly how and why kids pick up what they can from their friends which is always the wrong information. i know you would prefer if your kids didnt act on certain feelings until they get married but we all know thats b.s. and even though there are instances of it happening. id rather be safe then sorry. especially since thanks to all these so called new meds and what not kids today are growing up much faster then kids of yesterday
or sit and pee in corner leave yer mark!
Personally, I would hang a nice bouncy set of titties on the back of mine. If some idiot can hang a set of testicles on the back of his truck, I can hang some perky titties on mine.
In reality though, there should be standards, and a general responsibility for drivers to not disply such crap on their cars for the public to see. If I had a daughter in the car behind someone with one of these, I would kindly take them off and put them inside their vehicle.
“If you don’t want to see human genitalia, don’t look down ……”
Doesn’t work that way. It’s like saying if you don’t like pee in a pool, stand over there in the corner of the pool.
Blouise,
My heart goes out to you and Tex. I know how hard being in a hospital is, I wish him the best and the patience to stand the ministrations. I know how good you both will feel when he is home again.