http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542 This issue, which may or may not be a free speech issue, doesn't involve any speeches.  It comes about because a commercial firm's <a href="http://www.gazette.com/articles/chicken_31802___article.html/city_brande">right to advertise ran head-on into a town law</a> aimed at preserving its "mountain grandeur."  It doesn't involve speech because the centerpiece of the drama is a mascot -- a human being marching silently alongside a road dressed in a chicken suit.  A small Colorado town says Chic en-us Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:24:06 EST Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:25:23 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#26 Come on; clearly the chickenman is violating the livestock ordinances of the town. Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:25:23 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#25 <i>"restrict free speech by allowing restrictions on costumes and handheld signs,"</i><p> Interesting idea.  What exactly constitutes a costume and what is clothes?  Back in the 1970's, plenty of men wore "leisure suits" (I'm glad to say that I w Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:57:30 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#24 Alternate title -- Brokeback Burger. Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:13:54 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#23 While this doesn't concern street peddling ads...<p> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4_5qoy4oaQ">Creepiest.Ad.Ever</a>.  Now...if that were Skeeter, I get a chuckle visualizing the Burger King shot to ribbons. Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:42:08 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#22 It would be a fantastic test between their irresistible force to curtail all first amendment rights and their immovable object to allow free reign of commercial interest. Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:12:36 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#21 In this town at least, the rule is that the municipality has a say in where you place commercial signs, but not on where you carry them (unless you're blocking traffic), or what costume you wear (if not indecent).  This sounds like a decent compromise Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:44:32 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#20 Hey now...be nice.  Sometimes a feller just wants to be pretty, eh? Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:06:32 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#19 Please tell me that, if you were to have either one in your closet, it would be an Uncle Sam costume.  I don't know why for sure, but thinking about you all gussied up in a Lady Liberty gown dredges up memories of Gene Hackman at the end of "The Birdc Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:54:01 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#18 <i>"I'll give you a +5 disingenuous for your parsing for the rhetoric there ;-)"<p> "Disingenuous?  Thou doth wound me to the quick.  Where some see disingenuity, others see nuance. "</i><p> Now, boys, let's learn how to "play nice".  I wish Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:29:34 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#17 Disingenuous?  Thou doth wound me to the quick.  Where some see disingenuity, others see nuance.   Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:13:35 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#16 <i>"I'm pretty sure municipalities have the right to say how large and where you can place those signs."</i><p> I know that in my city, there's an ordinance about street-front signs.  There was one in front of my favorite ice cream parlor (within walk Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:32:34 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#15 I'll give you a +5 disingenuous for your parsing for the rhetoric there ;-) Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:16:23 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#14 There is a bit of difference between being "sort of an equivalent of a sign" and being a sign, isn't there? Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:05:40 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#13 So, you're saying you were wrong when you said:<br> <p> <i>he's sort of the equivalent of having a sign that says "Eat at Joe's" outside the restaurant.</i><br> <p> <i>I think that Buttery and the town of Woodland Park already lost that issue of restrictin Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:02:11 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#12 My point is that he isn't really akin to a street vendor at all.  He is engaging in commercial speech (without saying a word).  I agree that towns have the right and power to decide where and what type of sign you can display.  I contend tha Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:44:15 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#11 I'm not really going to defend the street vendor comment. He's more like a street vendor than a political protester but they're both off topic.<br> <p> <i>he's sort of the equivalent of having a sign that says "Eat at Joe's" outside the restaurant.</i><br> Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:35:45 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#10 But what is Chicken Man vending here?  He seems to be serving the sole purpose of silently walking back and forth in front of the restaurant, waving at people driving by.  He's not selling anything; he's sort of the equivalent of having a sign th Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:31:01 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#9 On a general basis, courts have found a difference between political speech and commercial speech. Municipalities have an interest in zoning the commercial aspects of their jurisdiction. A mascot on a corner is far more akin to a street vendor than a polit Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:59:43 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#8 Would you also be okay with, for example, a statute outlawing unshaven political protesters wearing hoodies? Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:23:44 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#7 While it seems ridiculous to want to do away with such things, I would view this as more akin to advertising signage that to freedom of speech. Municipalities have the ability to restrict size and placement of things like billboards so why not this? So lon Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:05:34 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#6 What a funny ad...it almost sounds like the new hire has to bring his/her own costume.  No biggie since we all have Uncle Sam/Lady Liberty costumes in our closets, right? Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:45:56 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#5 It <i>was</i> them. So I guess it's not exactly a mom-and-pop operation.<p> Also, I found out that they're <a href="http://cnj.craigslist.org/lbg/512689922.html">planning to do it again this year</a>. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:33:17 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#4 Was it these <a href="http://www.libertytax.com/">folks</a>? Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:12:52 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#3 The town I live in had a similar controversy last year. There was a tax accounting business on the main drag through town* that employed people dressed in costumes (alternately Uncle Sam and Statue of Liberty costumes) to attract attention to the business. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:04:41 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#2 I honeymooned in Gatlinburg.  The wife and I had so much fun we almost had to see a plastic surgeon to remove the smiles from our faces.  I say almost because once we got home we realized we were married.  You can still see the skid marks wh Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:04:13 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/1/17/132023/542#1 I don't quite know what value a "mascot" has, but Colorado already has some tacky places.  <a href="http://www.estesparkcvb.com/?code=GoogleEP&gclid=COrFubypgJECFQINIgodRG2h-g">Estes Park</a> comes to mind.  I might throw in <a href="http://w Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:49:29 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/