EDITORIAL : CITY HALL CENSORS; ORDINANCE BANNING OUTDOOR SIGNS FOR ALCOHOL, TOBACCO OFFENDS THE FIRST AMENDMENT.THE pitch du jour du jour adj. 1. Prepared for a given day: The soup du jour is cream of potato. 2. Most recent; current: the trend du jour. of politicians looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. new ways to pick the taxpayers' pockets or erode Erode (ĕrōd`), city (1991 urban agglomeration pop. 361,755), Tamil Nadu state, S India, on the Kaveri River. The city is located in a cotton-growing region, and its industries include cotton ginning and the manufacture of transport equipment. individual liberties is that they are doing it ``for the children.'' That's the lame excuse being made by the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. for a new ordinance that would ban outdoor advertising of alcohol or tobacco products within 1,000 feet of schools, residential areas or locations where young people gather. The vote was 13-0. ``This is a basic issue,'' said Councilman Mike Feuer, a leading sponsor of the measure. ``This is about whether we put alcohol and tobacco first or we put kids first. I say we put kids first.'' Is there compelling evidence that this ordinance will have any impact on children's susceptibility to alcohol and tobacco? Is there any evidence at all that this is anything but a feel-good exercise in meaningless legislating leg·is·late v. leg·is·lat·ed, leg·is·lat·ing, leg·is·lates v.intr. To create or pass laws. v.tr. To create or bring about by or as if by legislation. ? Without proof that children will be less likely to use alcohol or tobacco, we say put the First Amendment first. That's right, the First Amendment - the portion of the Bill of Rights that protects free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and the right of the people to petition their government for a redress of grievances. The proposed ordinance, by prohibiting one form of advertising for products that underage individuals can't purchase legally anyway, is a blatant violation of the First Amendment. As such, we are confident that it would be struck down in court when it inevitably is challenged. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , precious tax dollars, court time and the resources of private individuals could be wasted on litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. that shouldn't have been necessary in the first place. The litigation simply would rob the municipal treasury of money that otherwise might be used for activities that really serve children, such as recreation programs, books for libraries and improved law enforcement. We carry no brief for the alcohol and tobacco industries, advertising companies and owners of billboards. We do, however, support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. So should the council. |
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