We’ve never been to Las Vegas, but apparently there is a serious problem with giant hula hoops going on. According to AOL, the Las Vegas City Council is considering banning hula hooping on a five-block pedestrian mall called “The Fremont Street Experience.” (Warning: link is annoying.)
AOL says that for 15 years the city has been trying to regulate what goes on down there, only to be thwarted by the pesky constitution and the ACLU.
The plaza was built over a road, Fremont Street, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada has persuaded judge after judge that it cannot be regulated any more than activities in parks or on sidewalks can.
“The argument they use is that free speech is bad for business and we need to protect business,” ACLU attorney Allen Lichtenstein told AOL News. “The courts have repeatedly said that while business is important, it cannot trump constitutional rights. I don’t know how much clearer they can make it.”
Giant hula-hooping is just the latest in a series of fun activities that are bad for business. In this case, giant hula hoops are allegedly obstructing the flow of pedestrian traffic.
Here’s a video of said obstruction:
Looks kinda fun.
Las Vegas Considers Hula-Hoop Ban [AOL News]
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Vegas used to be so much better when it was run by the Mob. At least we knew where we stood with them.
The tour bus driver said the exact same thing!
He said when it was the Mob people got more money from the casinos…now the companies are all about profits and hardly give out any winnings.
Fremont is lined with casinos, shops, and restaurants. Obnoxious drunken behavior is absolutely de rigueur; this would qualify as some of the more harmless that I’ve seen. I mean, for God’s sake, they let Criss Angel wander around there – how about trapping and skinning him first, then worry about the hula-hoopers.
I’d rig up my Criss Angel rug to look like it was flying, a la Aladdin.
Are they spangers or burning man types?
I find this hilarious. The last time I was in Vegas, trying to walk from point A to point B was a task worthy of Theseus, but not because of these people. The real headache came from the casinos, which seem to revel in creating sidewalk obstacles and ramps that funnel unwary pedestrians into their Stygian bowels.
There’s a distressing lack of minotaurs around Vegas. No wonder you didn’t have any fun.
I guess Vegas isn’t, you know, for kids.
Yay!
I have been to Vegas at least half a dozen times and I have never seen people with hula hoops like that before.
All I can say is “it’s about time!”. You don’t know how many times I’ve said to myself “self, if only we can get rid of the giant hula hope scourge, the world will be a truly fine and wonderful place”.
What?
I said… What?
I live here, I haven’t heard of this… but then again, I don’t venture downtown – too dangerous….
Haha, that’s like NOLA-the tourists are herded onto Bourbon street so they don’t bother the locals
Herd is the proper term… I’ve been to fremont a few times, just not in the last 3 years…. but I guess the hula hoops are getting in the way of the crackwhores and gamblers…. and those god-forsaken-people who still thing vegas is a “kid’s town.”
As long as they don’t ban light pole climbing little people who can break these cuffs, I can deal with this.
Warning: link is annoying. Understatement!
Dude it’s AOL news…. I refuse to click it… how are they still around?!
That’s one of life’s little mysteries: Why does AOL still exist? Why does Sarah Palin still have a career?
I have conspiracy-loving pals that I’m sure could answer both of those questions in one narrative.
Sigh… having lived in Vegas for 2 years I can tell you this doesn’t surprise me. I swear they need to starting filtering the stupid out of the water.
Thank the lord that the ACLU is all over this egregious threat to our liberty, freedom and civil rights. Is there a link where I can send them some money so that they may continue their noble and important work?
Hmmm…. I’ve never seen a hulu hooper on Freemont St. Must be a real recent thing.
I go to Vegas several times a year and I’ve never seen this – of course I avoid Fremont street like the plague. The most annoying thing I see on a usual basis are the long lines of Mexicans trying to hand me pornographic ads for strippers and “escorts.” It’s because of those guys that I no longer take walks down the strip…and no, flicking the card in my face is not going to make me want to take it, that just makes me want to hurt you.
There’s nothing more disturbing than an 80-year-old mexican woman offering free porno.