Franklin Countys First News

Topless woman downtown causes a stir; her march is coming

FARMINGTON - A topless woman standing on the corner of Main and Broadway Saturday morning brought several complaints to the Franklin County dispatch center and more to town and state officials.

Farmington Police Department Officers Bill Tanner and Kim Bates responded to the first complaint at 11:22 a.m. On arrival they found Andrea Simoneau, a University of Maine at Farmington history major, topless and handing out flyers advertising an upcoming topless march from 1 to 2 p.m. on April 30 at Meetinghouse Park on Main Street. According to Tanner's report, several pedestrians stopped and looked at the woman, with many taking flyers from her.

"A lot of people were supportive," Simoneau said. "And some weren't." She credits Officers Tanner and Bates with helping those who weren't so supportive in clarifying that it's legal in Maine for women to go bare chested in public.

"The Farmington police were my greatest ally, backing me up a couple  of times," she said.   

The officers did advise  Simoneau that if rubber necking causes an accident because of the unusual sight, she may be held accountable. 

"I would put my shirt back on if I thought someone might get hurt. I don't want anyone to get hurt," she said.

In Portland on April 3, a topless march of between 20 to 30 people was held to protest society's gender bias that holds men can take their shirts off in public but women can't. Simoneau of Brooks, Maine, said she participated in that march and was inspired by it to organize a march in Farmington. She plans to advertise her April 30 march again on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.

She believes her handing out flyers and marching topless will help break the social taboo that women have to keep their shirts on in public and men don't. It's an important message for all those who oppose it, she said, "it's doing something good for them and for future generations."  

After an hour and half of handing out flyers on Saturday, Simoneau left, but the incident continues to be the talk of the town. Selectmen have received complaints and calls to action, according to Town Manager Richard Davis, who fielded one complaint first thing this morning.

"No laws were broken," Davis said. "There's nothing selectmen can do; it shouldn't be a matter for them." Instead he advises people to call their local state legislator if they want to get a law on the books prohibiting topless women in public places.

Lots of people have taken that advice, because State Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, said as of Sunday night, he'd fielded 30 calls so far from people complaining of a topless woman on Main Street.

Davis said a march held at Meetinghouse Park wouldn't need a permit approved by selectmen, as some events require, because the event would not be using any facilities and would not be occurring over a sustained period of time. Freedom of assembly in a public place is a guarantee of the U.S. Constitution, he noted.

"Some of those opposed said they had a moral objection to it, after they were told no law had been broken," Simoneau said. In the end she hopes her political activism will help those who have a moral issue with it to ask themselves why and give more women who want to take their shirts off, the freedom to do so without objection.

She believes, so far, she has 15 people signed up to march with her on April 30.

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116 Responses »

  1. This is certainly typical of someone coming out of the so-called "freethinking" college of Farmington. Morality is something that does not exist in their little Utopian brains. I find this behaviour disturbing, but not surprising. I would expect nothing less from a morally decrepit town such as Farmington. I had one person try to tell me how natural it was for a woman to breastfeed her child. No kidding!! But right out there where everyone can witness the event? Sex and pooping are natural too. Why can't we have a parade supporting those things too? As long as we clean up after ourselves, right? Why not? What I find hilarious comes from the usual group of dolts and dunces is that it is the "religious right" who dictates how we should live or that our founding fathers would have no problem with this. I beg to differ. You would find yourself in the stocks with a sound lashing. How about some facts. Woman do not sexually objectify a man's body in the same way OR as intensely as a man will a woman's body. Some of you say that this is not about sexuality, well most of you saying that are women. I guarantee all men seeing this will turn it sexually in their mind and if they post on this site that they would not, they are bold-face liars. I know for a fact that the men that I have talked to who think that this is a good idea don't have any personal morality anyway think that their little slice of heaven just fell to earth. I am disgusted. As far as Farmington ever getting anymore of my business if my wife and children, and myself have to come to town on any given day and see this trash. No more. And finally, thanks to the "freethinking" University of Farmington for producing folks of this type. Why don't you go downtown and dress like a respectable, upright, moral person and act like one and talk like one. You will be looked at as weird and laughed out of town. Dress like a hippie, don't use soap, have lice, eat bugs, paint pictures that don't resemble anything, burn the Bible, take your clothes off in public, walk on the American flag, agree with your professor on everything, scorn the righteous, reject all forms of morality, and you will be pulled right into the fold. Not a big surprise, the Bible has predicted this was coming for a long time.

  2. Any person involved in this ridiculous event fails to discern the difference between the following:

    Men and Women

    Public and Private

    Legal and Moral

    Legal and Ethical

    Rights and Responsibilities

    Freedom and Consideration

    Selfishness and Courtesy

  3. Look out there may be a big biker rally if they catch word of this. Laconia here we go!

  4. Have you even thought of how this behavior might effect your future employment opportunities? Employers are looking at things like myspace, facebook, and twitter these days, would it impress a potential boss to see your bare chest?

    I also laughed at the article when you said you had to find out how Portland marchers handled cameras! How funny! If you don't want pictures of your breasts being taken, emailed, printed, texted and so on DON'T EXPOSE THEM! I assume no one under 18 will be marching, (I pray!) so if anyone with a good lens wants to make some money selling pictures of YOUR bare breasts anywhere they can! People can do lots of crazy things with pictures these days... that's a risk that can be avoided (not to mention other risks) by staying appropriately covered.

  5. These women are pathetic. You gotta love these "equal rights" women, fighting for a just cause. What a load of horse plop. These women love equal rights, as long as it fits their way of thinking. I know women who get mean when hubby spent more money on a fishing trip than she did on her trip." I'ts not fair"!! Hubby bought something without "consulting" mommy. "Thats not right"! WAAA WAAA. But hey....wait till the roof leaks in the middle of a storm, "hunny, get up there, its "mans work". Or maybe the air conditioner is broke, the furnace is acting up, the neighbors dog used your doormat for a toilet, the wind blew a big tree over in the yard, the car needs to be fixed, etc,etc,etc.Where are these woman then? While there are some women that handle these things with ease, a lot will not. Hell, a lot of "modern women" I know dont even like to cook or clean......its "beneath them."...."I have a full time job, and make as much money as you do cook or lets go out to eat, I 'm tired".I never had a woman open the car door for me, send me flowers at work,drive my truck to the gas station and fill it up for me so I dont have to, hold the umbrella over me so I dont get wet walking from the truck she didnt fill up into the restaurant cause she aint cookin tonite. I feel so slighted!! Equal rights , what a joke......these women are starved for attention and dont have anything better to do..You women who want to march with this genius, good luck,....I hope there are 100 people there taking video and pics and sending them all over the net, which is probably what Simoneau wants. However, a few years down the road, will probably wish you had not participated. This Simoneau woman is just going to cause alot of taxpayers dollars to be wasted with police. And every town will have to waste time and money passing ordinances prohibiting this idiotic behavior, so mommy and dad dont have to worry about coming out of hannafords grocery shopping and explaining to little Bobby or little Suzy what those women are doing over there without any shirts on.Whats this about girls being brought up hating their bodies? I have 2 girls and they dont hate their bodies. The only women I know who hate their bodies are the ones who wish they were men. Funny thing though, they want to be men, but the ones I know that actually feel this way, actually hate men! Go figure that one out. Good thing most women are happy just being a women and most men are happy just being men.

  6. This will be huge for downtown businesses! But, if topless woman are legal, why isn't the Bulldog showing the goods?? Would sway my vote; no need for ugly breasts on Main Str!!!

  7. I so agree with Wiltonman. I graduated from UMF and I am ashamed to admit that to anyone- have been for awhile. The UMF culture is so far removed from reality. The topless marchers will make total fools of themselves and it will all be preserved on the internet for anyone who wants to look back and see what these ladies did in college. No class, no morals, no modesty, no consideration for anyone else who finds this offensive, and no thought to the consequences of their actions. I do a lot of shopping in downtown Farmington, and if I have to think about dealing with this latest UMF-embarrassment, then I'll shop elsewhere. But perhaps we should thanks these ladies for bringing this to our attention, because now we can work hard to help pass a law forbidding women going topless in Maine.

  8. @Fellow Student
    You are absolutely right. These could be the same people boo whooing because someone plastered their picture all over the web. Once it's in cyber space, it is lost forever. I would call this self exploitation.

    It is true, there is no law banning such behavior . I am proud of my body but you are not going to see me marching because I have morals. My mother taught me a little vanity.

  9. to all of the morally outraged bible thumpers out there, how about if we leave YOUR so-called god out of it. YOUR superstitious beliefs have NO PLACE in governance of ALL of the fine folks in our nation. home of the free, land of the brave, remember that? separation of church and state as a founding tenet of our nation, remember that?
    to me, your "savior" is YOUR crutch. don't try to force others to walk with those crutches.

    with love, Zaphod

  10. i live right in town and well i know my kids will be inside that day..... society has turned the female breasts into a sexual body part and has been that way for years you can't just change societies outlook on something like flaunting that in public that easily. what ever happened to modesty? and why may i ask do we have to hide our kids to protect them from being subjected to this kind of display? yeah i breastfed til my kids were one... my 10 and 9 year olds don't need to see a bunch of other womans.. think of others not just yourselves.. but hey why would my opinion count its not against the law... eye roll

  11. Wow Lots to discuss I'll start with these three:
    1. If Andrea Simoneau and other woman in this country feel oppressed I would like them to talk to other woman around the world. Can you imagine being a woman, in lets say Saudi Arabia were woman can't vote, leave their homes without a covering their face, they can't leave town without a male relative, they can't drive a car. Now imagine being face to face with this woman (her face may be bruised 'cause her husband beats her and there is no law protecting her) and advise her that you an educated woman ( where it is very difficult for women in Saudi Arabia to get a higher education) are protesting (again a right she doesn't have) because you can't go topless?? Please tell me how you can sleep at night? Why not utilize this free time to assist women around the world who don't even have half the rights you do?
    2. To Zaphod I remember the home of the free and the land of the brave. The home of the free to disagree with you, the free to believe in God and the land of the brave enough to admit it. Zaphod you seem to be for freedom for people to bear chest, but attack peoples freedom to religion. The concept covered by Separation of church and state is that the State can not interfere with an individuals religious beliefs it DOES not state that one cannot use their God given moral compass to make decisions or form their opinions.
    3. What is next " its not fair that guys get to grow chest hair and I don't?" Come on there are plenty of its not fair... arguments that could be brought up, maybe instead of focusing on the negatives women could focus on the positive. One that comes to mind is the bond that a mother and her children share. I have three wonderful children and I love them very much but my wife had 9 months longer with each and has that special bond that no man will ever enjoy.

  12. OK Zaphod, leave God out of it? I think you were sleeping during history lessons in school (or possibly smoking a bong in the bathroom). Home of the free? Who makes a man free? Abe Lincoln? U.S. Congress? Professors? You? Why did we fight the Civil War? Who came up with the concept that all men were created equal? Where did the North get the idea that enslaving the black man was wrong? Where did they get the idea that a Black man, sorry, African man was a man and not some animal to be worked, beaten, and killed at the whim of his owner. God's Word, the Bible, is what lays down these laws. They have been our FOUNDATION for thousands of years. Nothing weird about it. If you want to the leave the Bible out of it, then if someone wants to kill you, let them. If we have absolved all other moral absolutes because they are too old fashioned, then let's have at it and have a grand ol' time. The Bible is where we got our moral absolutes from, NOT darwin, marxist thumping professors. But I like how you folks use the Bible when it suits your purpose and then cast it off as superstitious when it doesn't. Go to the college and stand inside, grab a Bible and start to pray. You will be thrown out. Grab a koran and they'll find a prayer rug and room for you. Convenient. PS: Women have been dressing their tops for thousands of years.I have studied alot of history. Never read about anyone that hated their body so that was why they covered up. They didn't come up with off the wall ideas like this until they went for higher education. Higher education?

  13. I myself have seen many men topless and lots of them have larger breasts than me. Now then, should they be allowed to run around topless? I, personally, have mowed my own lawn topless, after (of course) calling the PD and informing them of my intentions and they stayed right away and said "there is no law against it". If folks do not like it, turn the cheek, there may be a male across the street with bigger bossoms......

  14. Oh wow. Some of these objections are absolutely brilliant!

    RoryWalker, Zaphod never attacked your freedom to religion, unless your religion dictates forcing that religion down throat of every infidel. And your "argument" involving Saudi women is specious; if there's a problem at home, the fact that there are worse problems somewhere else doesn't mean that problems here should be ignored.

    WiltonMan, *not* sleeping through history class obviously didn't do you any good at all. You seem to think the North was some sort of monolithic body of like-minded abolitionists, which it of course wasn't. Abolitionist groups made up a tiny percent of the population, and most Northerners didn't care one way or the other about slavery. Meanwhile, those evil Southerners were praying to the same god - your god, I believe - in whose bible slavery is not condemned, but rather treated as normal. And no, I really couldn't care less what's in the bible, but if you're going to fall back on it every time you find yourself cornered in an argument, the least you could do is be consistent. To paraphrase, "I like how you folks use the bible when it suits your purpose, and then conveniently forget the dozens of passages that contradict almost every proposition you use it to support." It seems like you've got a lot of issues to deal with, though, the least of which is biblical scholarship.

    By the way, what exactly is "marxist thumping"? Just curious.

    So this argument was originally about the morality/appropriateness of women going topless in public. My two cents? If seeing breasts traumatizes you that much, get into psychotherapy. Who cares *why* there's no law against it? There isn't. And if the knuckle-draggers and flat-earthers can get the votes together to get one passed, then they'll do it, just like they did with prohibiting marriage equality, and all the non-knuckle-draggers will have to roll their eyes and wait for evolution to take care of the rest.

  15. Why is a parade needed? If it is not against the law to go topless, just do it! Do you need a parade? Most men are not parading around just because they can go topless. What else is this for if not just for attention? There are other ways of spreading the word that it is not illegal for women to go topless without a parade. Gee will this put the topless bars out of business? The poor economy! You probably should take a top with you when you go shopping because there are already many signs in businesses already stating "Shirt and Shoes Required"!

  16. unemployment at 10% and growing,
    Congress is ignoring the Constitution and mandating we enter into contracts with a third party,
    Obama has expanded the wire taping program, he running two wars, expanded one of them,
    he is about to try to put another radical on the supreme court,
    we have a national dept growing faster then ever before,
    real personal income for Americans has fallen by 3.2% since Obama became president,
    In 2010, Washington will spend a record $31,406 per household.
    In 2010, Washington will collect $18,276 per household in taxes.
    The $13,130 difference between spending and revenue is our budget deficit per household ... on top of all prior government debt.
    Since 2008, government spending has increased by $5,000 per household. That's in just two years!!!! (anybody listening)
    Over the last decade, government spending has increased $10,000 per household.

    But Breasts are the issue that more people have an opinion on more then anything else!

  17. I see her Facebook site is up, and right away I am deeply offended by this statement: Men are also welcome to show their support, IF AND ONLY IF they are NOT showing up to gawk. Please, if you just are going to show up to gawk, spare us.

    For her information, men are not the only ones who might be guilty of "gawking", gay women are too! Second, if she is going to do something like this to proclaim her "rights", last I checked it's also a right to gawk at a spectacle and she's got no business trying to be heavyhanded with others' rights. I would love to see her modify that sentence to at least include women and children. Otherwise she comes off like a man-hating boob.

  18. Another thing that really upsets me is that this topless march in Farmington was started by a college student and will most likely have mostly college students as participants, who are not from Farmington. The majority of us who are opposed to this- this is our home! This is where we live and raise our families. These college students should go home and go topless there, where their families can see up front and personal how their college money is being spent, and they can show how proud they are of their daughters...

  19. As a junior at the University of Maine at Farmington, I am utterly embarrassed by this. What is the point? Fighting for something that's not illegal? This just seems like a few people are looking for some attention; a minute portion of naive students who haven't yet realized that college reality isn't the same as what's going on the real world. If I was a business owner in the downtown area, I would do everything possible to ensure this doesn't happen. Judging by many responses I've already read from a variety of sources, many people are simply going to vacate going downtown so they don't have be subjected to this ridiculousness.
    This just makes UMF and the town look bad. I was embarrassed by the flag debacle last year, now this? It seems like much of the attention UMF is getting stems from radical projects or protests that hinder the image of this school that I'm proud to be attending, and disgraces a town I've grown to enjoy. However, sadly, I'm quickly losing faith here.

  20. Go see this womans facebook site. It pretty much says it all. Anyone who follows this nutcase is pretty desperate for a friend. What a treat the families of farmington have coming. My guess the "unevolved "gawkers that come to watch will yawn and walk away. No fame for this poor , wanna be "equal rights" hero.

  21. Dear ETA
    The fact that you see women running around topless and people not agreeing with it as a "problem" is sad. I would like to know why you think my point on Saudi women is specious? My point on Saudi women was a very valid one. The fact that there are women around the world with no rights or very few rights is that while women here are worried about such a ridiculous "problem" compared to others in the world. It's like telling a homeless person "My six bedroom house just isn't enough I 'need' a pool."
    No one is "shoving" religion down anyone's throat just because someone sights a religious belief doesn't mean that they are demanding you agree, they are just stating a view point.

  22. If you look at this girl's facebook page, you'll see she is studying to be a high school teacher. Wonderful. Another reason to homeschool kids. Let's just hope that any school system she applies to will do an internet search, see this shameful behavior, and not hire her. She may be oh-so-enlightened, but after dealing with schoolboards and parents for over 30 years, I can tell you that most schoolboard members and parents don't share her views. Let's hope the consequences of her actions will keep her out of the classroom.

  23. This is so Juvenille. I have a GREAT idea for you girls involved in this!!!!!!

    A) Move to Africa or some other Country and live in the Jungle where this the culture norm

    B) Get a Harley and travel the US, attending every bike rally, ending with the big blowout...called Sturgis

    C)Move to New Orleans, Louisiana and practice year round for the festivities that take place during Mardi Gras.

    Maybe if you do a 5k RUN to raise awareness, you yourselves will understand just one of the many reasons women wear a bra....

    My Breasts fed my babies, yes, but to me they are very sexual. And while you girls are at it why don't you cut a big circle out of the butt of your pants and walk around with your butts exposed too! I'm Laughing all the way from Mississippi!!!!!

  24. Dear RW

    I already explained why your argument is specious. Sadly, your attempt to justify it was even more specious, and your analogy was very poorly conceived.

    While we're playing the analogy game, here's one that better reflects your argument:
    "My house has termites. The house down the street has termites, bad plumbing, faulty wiring and is haunted. Therefore, it is immoral and silly of me to consider addressing the termite infestation in my own home."

    Regardless of what you or I think, the people planning to participate in this protest consider patriarchal double standards to be a "problem." That they choose to protest it in a legal manner is their business.

    Regarding your second objection, you were defending comments in which the authors attempted to use their direct line to God (that only they and those who agree with them have) as a source for dictating how people should be allowed to protest. That is not merely "stating a view point."

  25. All this is going to do is cause the entire male population to come out on Main Street with camera flashes similar to kickoff at the Super Bowl. In other countries breasts may not be considered sexual, but this is America with a porn industry ruling over the internet, Playboy magazine, and any other good looking girl in a bikini looking hot because of her rack! The only good thing that is going to happen is that a lot of girls pictures are going up on facebook and on camera phones. Good luck to you girls getting public jobs in the future, maybe you can luck out and get into S.I swim suite issue or Playboy cover girl.

    The point behind the march is a good one, but there are many different ways of getting a point across. This is only for attention, nothing more will come out of it. The law says you have freedom of assembly and they can do this...but...there is also freedom of speech and there are going to be a lot of things said at them so they should not get mad if people say anything to them.

    P.S. I'm starting the over-under on pictures taken at 1000.

  26. Another thing I forgot to add........I fail to see the point for equality 1) Maine law says women can be topless as they please. 2) Women can go around with no shirt on and not have people get's called a BRA!!!

  27. I went to UMF. Knowing the kind of women at UMF who would do this topless makes me think these pictures won't be getting much attention online.

  28. ETA,
    There is not law against it...yet. And evolution will take care of things, you are right. Since we "knuckle draggers" have been around for so long, we must have the superior genes, so the modern abberations will disappear. Actually what usually takes care of things like this is that college students graduate, leave their college culture, and enter the real world.

  29. Just so that downtown businesses know, as long as this is going on, I won't be in town to shop. I try to do as much as I can at the small shops and stores, but I'd rather be in WalMart where there's a shirt and shoes rule than have to subject myself and especially my kids to this garbage.

  30. It should be interesting to see. The Mosquitoes are just starting to really get agressive. I hope it's a little bit overcast that day.

  31. Too bad all these people didn't care as much about what Obama is doing to our country as they do about a couple boobs!!! This is a "flash in the pan"; get over it. This chick probably wouldn't even have followed through anyway. Now she is obligated with all this attention!!!!

  32. Blame the college "change the world" students who think social progress can be made like this.

    News flash, it's ALREADY legal to do what you're doing. Why are you even protesting anything?

  33. i'm so proud of my small-minded hometown and its self-righteous puritan prudes. doesn't jesus look embarrassed and revolted on the icons where his shameless mother offers him some sustenance? onward christian soldiers, stomp out boobies in every bastion of society!

  34. To all the farmington Puritans and religious freaks- It's probably nothing compared to the porn you look at on your computer every day. Will Martin isn't even bright enough to use a real insult against Andrea! ETA doesn't even understand the term knuckle dragger.

    I'm of two minds about this- one half of me is completely behind the girls running the march and their message. The other thinks my tits belong with victoria's secret, and not with Meeting house park. By freaking out about people looking at you while you protest against a taboo- you're sexualizing yourself. I think I'd have more respect for everyone involved if they weren't as concerned by gawkers. Once men in the area hear about this, they will FLOCK. It's what men do. It's how they operate. I may be a twenty one year old girl who goes to UMF, but I do actually know something.

  35. As these topless demonstrations happen, the crowds and intrigue will be less and less.
    Imagine the news on the day when women got the right to cast their first vote! How wrong was that inequity and how long did it persist? Some girl looking for attention, sure rattled a cage back then. Look at the issue of Gay weddings aka "unions"... the first ones were shocking, unthinkable, and now no one hardly covers them now. Same here with the topless issue. Women should have the right to go topless if men can.
    Although it will take some getting used to, eventually it will be meaningless. I starts with these baby steps, and this woman is a forerunner, and follows the adage "Well behaved women don't make history".

  36. Embarrassed,
    I was talking about society evolving.
    But while we're talking about it, your genes aren't superior. Just like homines erectus and neanderthalis, the "real world" will someday be graced by your disappearance.
    Until then, I hope you'll continue to celebrate your manifold reasons for embarrassment.

  37. If boobs are your biggest problem, you are a lucky person. School budgets are getting slashed left and right, yet there are no comments under that article. Let's worry about things that actually matter.

  38. I can tell that many of you commenters would not survive the summer in Germany or Austria !

    But you can't cry "think of the children" when you're there, because the entire family is naked !

  39. Wow! 83 people talking. No matter where you stand, controversy brings people
    out of the woodwork. Jeeze....I wish the people in Farmington would get this riled
    up about Town Meeting!

  40. The organizer has listened to good advice and amended her statement to read: Men are also welcome to show their support. Supporters are welcome IF AND ONLY IF they are NOT showing up to leer and catcall and be inappropriate (this goes for both sexes.)
    She also added: We would also like to encourage all those who have survived breast cancer and nursing moms to come out and march, as all women are beautiful and should feel the sun on their backs and breasts as well!

    Good that she is listening :-)

    I hope she and others understand that one person's inappropriate comment is another's free speech. We ALL have rights, those that are watching and those that march.

  41. I can tell that many of us commenters could care less about spending the summer in Germany or Austria! But we can cry "think of the children" when we are here, because the entire family is clothed!

  42. Dang! This whole thing was just a push to draw attention from the guys who want to protect the flag. It worked. And it really exposes two forces that seem to be very important in controlling how people gain power over other people and become the rich guys; some sort of theology, and brainless patriotism. They sort of merge, and sex is a major tool for both; nothing better to give one a better "handle" on another person. Christopher Hitchins (I think that's the correct spelling of his name) said it well; "Religion poisons everything". Gods and guns (violence) seem to go together, always have. Maybe we should get guys (especially the meaty ones) to hang out their butt cracks and join the bare-breasted women. Then, all could paint "Praise Jesus for his blessings!" on their fleshy orbs, and stick little U.S. flags in their cleavages and cracks. That would make it all good, make Steve Whittier happy, guarantee some national media coverage, and perhaps bring on the rupture, er, I mean rapture. If you don't want to see any of it, just don't go or don't peeky-weeky. And as for the children, they can handle it far better than their parents if left to natural, not theologically-polluted, responses. Unfortunately that means you've got to get to them early because Santa Clause is just Jesus in a fat suit. I'd rather protect children from those priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes; and perhaps a "reverend" or recruiting sargent now and then. Ta ta, all y'all.

  43. People can leer all they want.Take all the pics and vids they want. If this self proclaimed, "gender equity" juggernaut is excercising her right to make a fool out of herself on public property,then anyone can oogle,all they want, as long as she is not harrassed.She does'nt own the sidewalk anymore than any other person walking around. I read the things she had on her facebook account. This women uses crude, nasty,vulger language like it's some kind of cool badge of honor.She wants to be a teacher, good luck with that. Whats she gonna teach, how to communicate using only 4 letter words?Most of the teachers I know are smart,well spoken, and professional. It will be funny, but also sad to see this kid and maybe others, make what will probably be the worst decision they have ever made.But hey, we all have to lie in the beds we make. It could turn out to be great! However,she will get little pity from most if this "march" turns into a trainwreck .And you can bet if this does'nt turn out quite the way she wanted, all the women who said "you go girl"! will be no where to be found. Much like the guy in that George Thorogood song who needs support,....a place to stay ,so he asks his buddy for help..... when his bud comes back from asking his wife he says... "ahhhh ....I dont know man......ahhhh......she kinda funny" ahhh. ....... ...... yeah...........................everybodys funny................................................................................

  44. It amazes me that all those who seem to be supporting this also seem to think that those of us who oppose because we are God fearing, Bible believing Christians are shoving our beliefs down your throats. WOW....take a good look at the situation. Who is shoving their views down who's throats. You are violating us in a way that we can not avoid. You can choose to believe any way you want, but because there are now women out there on days that are not announced, I can not prepare myself to avoid seeing this trash....and yes that is what it is...trash. I can avoid going to a bar, going to a porn movie etc because those are controlled places, but going out in public is different. We ALL need to consider the rights and beliefs of everyone and not do things to openly offend others in PUBLIC. Let these women go to the bars that pay them to take off their tops or they can prance around their homes topless if they want......The student who started all of this surely can not show up to her classes topless for a very good reason ~~ it offends some people. By the way, male students can't go shirtless in class either !

  45. It will be interesting to note how many highschool boys are absent from school that day.
    Also, I expect to see more "shirts and shoes required" signs on stores and restaurants.

    God is good, loving, and righteous all the time. He does judge sin. I thank Him.

  46. I fully support this event, though I'd never be brave enough to be one of those marchers, mainly for the hostility displayed by some of the people on this page. I was tormented when I was younger for being far more developed breast-wise than anyone else in my class. My breasts have always been a target for insult and harassment and I am trilled that I've finally met people who fight for their right to be who they are and not be forced into the porn standard of beauty that so many women are compared to.
    Freedom of speech, no matter the venue, is valued in America, and the human body, no matter it's shape or size is not shameful, it is not repulsive, and while porn is generally considered a bad thing, sometimes women are held to that standard of unrealistic and false beauty. This concept is not only hurting adult women, but also hurting young girls who see that men are attracted to perfection and believe they have to do all they can to achieve that perfect, whether it's starvation, popping pills, drinking or taking nude photos of themselves.

    I think it would be amazing to get breast cancer survivors involved along with nursing mothers and as far as 'harming children', please ask yourselves how you came to think of being nude as shameful. I used to bathe with my sisters. I used to change with my door open. I used to walk around my house in my underwear. Always in my house but always comfortable with who I was. This all changed when I started being teased by my family and harassed by my classmates for having a large cup size. The verbal and sometimes physical abuse was so bad that I still have issues changing in front of my best friends. At sleepovers, I would go into a bathroom to change, and even during plays or drama practices I would hide behind band equipment while everyone else was perfectly comfortable with themselves.

    For me, while I might not be there walking on the street, this march is a huge step towards getting rid of negative body image and I think everyone should respect it. If you disagree, fine, but do not claim that these women are seeking attention for being shameful or foolish. They are doing what every women has ever wanted - walking outside without feeling the need to look perfect or hide their body and they have more courage to do what they are doing than anyone who sits back and insults them.

    And, just for the sake of argument, and because I am proud to be a UMF student, the 'disgracing of the flags', which weren't even recognized by US law as real flags was over a year ago. By now, people should realize that Farmington fully supports students expressing their beliefs no matter what they are, and that is why I love it here in Maine, and that is why I recommend this college to anyone out of state who isn't afraid of people expressing their different views and opinions. I apologize if anyone feels steamrolled by this comment - that's not what I intended to do, and I feel the need to apologize, why I'm not sure. And for the grammar or spelling mistakes in here, I do fully apologize for those, because a) there is no excuse and b) sometimes when you get frustrated, you type too fast and submit too hard to spell check first.

  47. Andrea, you are a courageous woman. Be prepared for hecklers and other supporters in the crowd of spectators. The event is likely to draw a number of news agencies and will reach national and international attention. I do not support or condemn this cause. But I will add, now that some of the bulldoggers have come out of the woodwork to offer opinions while people exercise their rights, continue to do so with the more critical issues.
    jonboy, How does it feel to be the bulldog bully?
    Seek to escape from your realm of discontent and show a little benevolence. (quit hiding behind inre.)

  48. Many of the above comments accusing Andrea of numerous horrible things are based on little to no facts. These are also based on shoddy information coming merely from a Facebook page. This is a polemic and highly emotional issue for both sides, but I again encourage those that are accusing Andrea and associated people of terrible things to reconsider and get to know the real people, not the online personas.

  49. Farmington has no claim to being in the real world. It's a small town in western maine of white conservative christians.

  50. Jamie Cummings from Mississippi - Hate to sound rude, but... actually, I don't feel like I'm being rude at all. I'm being bluntly honest and yes, judgmental of how you see other cultures. Please, do the world a favor and take an African Politics class. Take an African Cultures class. Take any class on United States culture or go see these places you are judging. Once you have lived in that culture and know the people, then you can make all the insulting comments you want. Afterwards, it's my guess that you won't make them at all.

    And all the people insulting how Andrea presents herself on her facebook page, please observe how others also present themselves. Observe how anyone presents him or herself on any social networking site. And realize that if all you do is insult someone's beliefs or call it garbage, or toss scripture at it, or act in hostile ways, no one will take you seriously. Adults aren't supposed to use insults and mud slinging to gain respect.