An anti-porn city councilman in Charleston has decided that sunbathing is just as inappropriate as pornography.
Marion Square has become a popular sunbathing spot for college students - many of them scantily clad.
Councilman Wendell Gilliard, who compares the sunbathing to Girls Gone Wild videos, says the display is inappropriate in a place frequented by families and surrounded by churches..
"I've seen them pushing the limit. They have their breasts exposed, their ... rear end exposed, wearing a G-string bikini," he said. "This Girls Gone Wild-type attitude has caught ahold all across the country. We don't want it to get to that point, but I'm sad to say I think it's at that point now."
Gilliard, who has led the city's effort to shut down a West Ashley adult video store, said he was disturbed by the sight of several sunbathers during a recent gospel music concert in the park. He added that they have caused other problems, including a recent traffic jam.
"Everybody thought something had happened, but these two guys in a truck were looking at the girls laying out on the lawn," he said.
Gilliard recently asked city police to look into whether the bikinis violate the city's indecent exposure ordinance, and he will meet with College of Charleston officials to ask them to deter students from sunbathing in the park.
"The problem is, the Supreme Court has been trying to figure out for 30 or 40 years what indecent exposure is. So how's a cop going to figure it out? Police Maj. Herb Whetsell said. "It is unenforceable ordinance. That's something you just don't want touch."
None of the other councilman seem to think of the sunbathing as a pressing issue, and Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. has gone on record saying that he doesn't agree that sunbathing is a problem.
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