A loose coalition of community activists, lawmakers and government officials are working together to get an explicit billboard on Rockaway Turnpike taken down.
Lenore Davis, an estate attorney, is leading the community effort. She collected more than 50 signatures on a petition against the billboard in less than two days. She maintains that the sign’s location next to, in her words, a family-oriented Orthodox Jewish population, makes its explicitness almost illegal.
“The argument should at least be brought that this billboard is tantamount to saying fire in a movie theatre,” Davis told The Jewish Star.
If the billboard is not removed, Davis said, she would consider other ways to persuade the owner to do so, such as videotaping patrons entering the club and posting the videos on Youtube.
Jeff Toback, who represents the seventh legislative district, said that his office has been waiting for a response from the New York City Buildings Department to examine whether the billboard received initial approval. If the billboard had been approved, Toback said, he would challenge the legality of it in court.
“The first amendment says you have the right to free-speech, but commercial free speech can be regulated,” Toback explained. “The issue for the judge to determine is that [since] commercial speech can be regulated, does this rise to the level that it should be regulated?”
Donovan Richards, the district manager for Councilman James Sanders, said that Sanders was prepared to stage protests in front of the store if the billboard was not taken down. He said that members of Sanders’ staff had already been to the club to locate the owners but were unsuccessful.
He maintained that the fight needed to be “won on the ground” through community action and that any added media attention would help persuade the store to give up the advertising campaign.
However, the billboard has been a cause of insight for some.
“Sometimes we need reminders in the comfortable area in the Five Towns that we’re still in galus,” Davis said. “This is G-d’s way of reminding us, especially after Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, that we always have to protect ourselves and keep guard against all the material and disgusting intrusions that want to infiltrate our lives.”
(LINK – The Jewish Star)
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30 Responses
# 1
oiy veih!!!
seems u need to reevaluate ur torah values
#1 morality has nothing to do with seperation of church and state it is just unfortunate that we are the only ones expressing our sensitivity on the matter bec’ it is really something that everybody regardless of religion should be bothered by. We could blame the moral status of this country on JFK by taking off his hat.
#1 – This is America, and a democracy, and we all have rights. There are decency laws that were made to protect residential neighborhoods. Why wouldn’t you support people trying to keep their locale decent? It is not a matter of imposing your religious beliefs on others. It is a matter of exercising your rights as an American.
#1, If it’s not something for our eyes to see,
why not support taking it down?? You may be right that it might not be an illegal sign, but why not better the quality of the area by taking it down? Obviously, it is an offensive billboard. If the mayor of NYC was able to clean up Times Square by making store owners remove offensive signs, I’m sure we can try to clean up one offensive spot in the Five Towns.
hey #1 Do you understand that hundreds of children and teens travel Rockaway Tpk every day to go to school. If you dont mix religion and state, would you NOT accept vouchers to pay your kids tuision? I bet you will.
Give Me a Break , you give me a break. I don’t think site is for you. And yes I pass that sign everyday and even a dignified goy will say it’s wrong. And how come everyone keeps talking about children? It’s 100% asur d’araysah for any person to look at such a thing.
I “don’t see” that sign every day (meaning I know where to look away) and I agree with #9. I define a “dignified goy” as, say, a businessman who’s with a group of people, and what they’d do. It really is not shayich, even for Times Square.
Get someone to spray black paint over it
Use a different route to travel
Let’s see . . .
“Lenore Davis, an estate attorney . . . maintains that the sign’s . . . explicitness [is] almost illegal.”
“Almost illegal”? Is that like, “Almost pregnant”? Or, “Kind of dead”? It is illegal, or it is not. It does not help the cause for a lawyer to be wishy-washy about the law. And if it’s not illegal, then resort to non-judicial remedies.
“The argument should at least be brought that this billboard is tantamount to saying fire in a movie theatre,” Davis told The Jewish Star.
Huh? Is there immediate risk to life or property? Regardless of one’s opinion as the effect the billboard has on one’s spiritual life, the analogy is foolish and, again, does not help the cause.
“The first amendment says you have the right to free-speech, but commercial free speech can be regulated,” Toback explained. “The issue for the judge to determine is that [since] commercial speech can be regulated, does this rise to the level that it should be regulated?”
Commercial speech can be regulated only to serve a compelling government interest. Based on this report, it is tough to discern the compelling government interest here. Community interest, yes; government interest, I don’t see it.
“If the billboard is not removed, Davis said, she would consider other ways to persuade the owner to do so, such as videotaping patrons entering the club and posting the videos on Youtube.”
and that would do what, exactly?
I support the cause, but those interested in effecting results would be advised to undertake more rational efforts.
#1
What #1 said is totally against the Torah! I dont understand how YWN can publish his remarks! He is a Motzi shem Ra un himself. (רשע)
דינה דמלכותה דינה is only when its not כנגד התורה in this case where its מכשול the רבים one needs to do what ever he can to have it removed.
For “Give Me A Break” (#1) to say what he said, is showing us how low he steeped and how far he is removed from the Torah values. (Loshon Horah is prohibited even on yourself, so I suggest YWN to not publish anti torah values, its playing with איסורי דאורייתא)
“Sometimes we need reminders in the comfortable area in the Five Towns that we’re still in galus,”
No, this is not Golus, it’s Sodom!
I can remember the time when there were laws against “indecent exposure” in this country. The deconstructon of morality by the college professors, the media, and the corrupt elite have undermined all decency to the point where even our own Yidden, like commentor #1 on this website have lost their way.
RE #1
if u had torah values u wouldnt just say ur “against billboards”, u would be pained by it & do what ever u can legally to remove it.
I remember that many years ago the same thing happened and it was taken down in a matter of days, because some one put ads in many magazines and newspapers offering…… free bad stuff, using their phone number,offering collect calls, their phone must of been ringing off the hook, the person who placed the ad, called them after two days and told them if you dont get it down today the calls are going to continue, it was down in no tome, they had no idea where the call where coming from.
1,
You are so wrong on this! How is this a smurch / state issue? Your “right” to “Free Speech” in the Constitution is speech against the government (something the new Obama administration is looking to stop). There is nothing wrong with asking (or pressuring) a company to remove a billboard which is deemed to be prust. You do what you can and hope they remove it.
The problem is that compliments of the President we had in the 90s and the daily “news” stories pertaining to blue dresses, far too many people have become “immune” – or so they they think they have – to prustness that they look at the billboard and say “what’s wrong?!” If parents want to know whats wrong they could ask themselves an honest question of is this something they would be completly happy with their 8-15 year old kids seeing. If they say they are ok with it THEY are the sick ones!
To say not to look is the most stupidist thing I ever heard. Its not possible! I would even go so far as to suggest that the ones who say dont look are females who dont “get” the male drive. And being that this is a “family” site, I will leave it at that.
ML
#19 ML
Why tie in presidential politics to this issue? What does one have to do with the other?
And since you did, please provide evidence of your claim that the Obama administration is “looking to stop” free speech.
Give Me A Break- our morality is defined by religion (Torah) however there even excits a concept of morality in the world at large which is not governed by religion
If we all boil it down then we all know what it means..
On one hand consumer activism, zoneing by laws, legality issues, free speech are all US law and what we really strive for is Torah. NO matter how much you wash dirt its still dirty.
What about the ads on the LIRR? And the billboards near the midtown tunnel? And the billboards near 47th Street and Broadway? and the billboards all over the city?And how about closing down all the victoria secret stores?We live in Galus folks. Get used to it Yidden or move to a Torah observant community which is run by Torah Law.
Also while Ms. Davis is on her crusade, what about all the scantily dressed frum women in the modern orthodox community who walk around Central Avenue in Cedarhurst and Lawrence? Can she get Mr.Tobak and Mr. Sanders to remove threm from the Street? What about all the other scantily dressed women in the Jewish neighborhood? What about the frum women in 5000 .dollar shaitlach ain tight skirts and tops and expensive Jews who parade on Central Avenue on weekdays and in the streets on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Let’s call in the Ayatollahs and start removing them.
Let’s work together to help keep these obscene billboards and establishments far away from our schools and homes. Fill out the enclosed form to see what we can do to help. May Hashem help us in all our efforts.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p5Ni6clYEBckwXM0bnHlFRw&hl=en
#12 “KAJ guy” who so brilliantly suggests, “use another route”:
That’s like using the Holland Tunnel to get from the Heights to Monsey…
KAJ: Your idea of spraying black paint over it was the best I’ve heard yet. Someone should hire one of those graffiti spraying people to give the sign a good going over in the middle of the night.
#27 Queen of Persia
How, exactly, is this any different from throwing a towel over people that you think are dressed immodestly? Or ripping up books in a library because you don’t think they reflect Torah values?
If you want to live in a closed community, there are plenty to choose from. If, instead, you choose to live in the real world, you take the good with the bad.
#25 Imaccabi
Where is this information going? Did you or someone else have a discussion with the billboard owner, who agreed to change it if you collect XX signatures online? Please elaborate.
I live in Geula let me tell you something when many American women or Seminary girls stroll down Malchai Yisroel they are killing the Kedusha in our protected neighborhood. (our ghetto) I have gone over to so many people and explained to them what Tznius means to us and how offended we are when they come here i.e. with out socks, short skirts, tight clothing, etc. and they could not care less. I wish this problem billboard could serve as a reminder, they way you treat others g-d treats you.
It’s time we start having serious classes on Tznius not only speeches like Tznius is so important, but more direct examples of whats expected of us by the torah.
The names being collected will show the politicians the support we have from the community. We will be communcating with those who have signed up as per our progress in removing the obscene billboard. Lenore Davis is leading the community effort and will communicate with the people on the list as we progress with our efforts. Please join the list and share this link with your friends and family so we can work together to remove this obscene billboard from our neighborhood.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=p5Ni6clYEBckwXM0bnHlFRw&hl=en
Chesssed/#30:
Thank You.
I’m a BY girl who went to all the typical schools. I have friends in all crowds and I have seen all levels of Tznius. I have been to Geula and I have seen the seminary girs. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE TWO CAN BE COMPARED! I unfortunately have passed by this sign, and as it is new and unexpected, I saw it. IT IS FOR NOONE TO SEE! no child, teenager, or adult- male or female, jewish or other, should be exposed to such things! and we must do wtvr is on our power to take it down! its not a religious issue, its an issue of morality! and if the government can legalize other immoral/moral things, then they can have a say in this too!we are in golus, but we must do all we can to keep the kedusha! in the zchus of those working hard to take the sign down, we should be zoche to a geulah shleimah bkarov!!
justajew: Give me your Hebrew name and I’ll daven for you.
If the Orthodox cummunity finds this picture/sign wrong then ask the Gentiles who agree to help. Aproach the local churches and ask for their support. To make this a Jewish issue will not help the cause. The Jews of the five towns and elswhere cannot dictate their morality upon others unless there is universal support. If this was in the middle of B PK maybe it would be more of an issue for the community and even then other support could be used. I am not a lawyer and don’t know the rules of law as they pertain to this issue if at all. Remember it is not on city or county property but on private property..immoral maybe..illegal maybe but it shouldn’t be just a Jewish issue1