DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach city commissioners are taking action to address concerns about vulgar T-shirts displayed in storefronts, despite protections under the First Amendment.
The city plans to send a letter to shop owners asking them to remove T-shirts with inappropriate language from their window displays. This step follows numerous community complaints.
“I think asking is a good start and also it puts everybody on notice,” said a local resident. Another shop owner mentioned, “I stopped doing them because I don’t want to upset one family that comes here. I want them to come back.”
The Supreme Court sets a high bar for what qualifies as obscene material, which limits the city’s ability to enforce the removal of these T-shirts through legal means. Florida does have some obscenity laws that prohibit the sale of vulgar material to minors, but these laws still fall under the protection of the First Amendment.
Although the city’s letter doesn’t have official legal power, it really shows a community effort to discuss concerns about the merchandise displayed out in the open.
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