It's an overnight sensation, tourism in the Bay State has quintupled overt the past two days. State officials are at a loss to explain it. Well, maybe not so much at a loss to explain it as possibly too embarrassed to try to do so. The reason seems clear, as clear as the upskirt shots allegedly taken by Michael Robinson. (While the above was written with satirical intent - and the bit about tourism is totally bogus - the essence of what I just could have come true had MA state legislators not acted quickly.)
Robinson was reportedly arrested in August 2010, "...by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police for allegedly using his cellphone to take pictures up women's skirts." On Wednesday, the MA Supreme Court ruled that Robinson had not violated the law by taking upskirt photos (pervs around the world may well have been rushing to MA over that ruling). The ruling was made because the peeping Tom law that was used to prosecute him is not applicable to victims wearing clothing.
"Justice Margot Botsford wrote that a female passenger wearing a skirt or dress is “not a person who is ‘partially nude,’” referring to so-called Peeping Tom laws protecting people from being photographed or recorded when nude or partially nude." (source)
So, Tourism in MA will not likely get a boost though, at least not from pervs. The quick acting state legislation passed a law, yesterday, specifically banning the taking of upskirt photos. Truth be told though, how quick they were is debatable. Washington state reportedly changed its laws about 10 years ago to prevent a similar loophole and other states like NY have had laws on the books specifically targeting upskirt photography. (source)
All I can comment about it is that Jay G no longer needs to worry about MA pervs and their prying eyes and camera lenses should he visit MA while kilted.
All the best,
Glenn B
Robinson was reportedly arrested in August 2010, "...by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police for allegedly using his cellphone to take pictures up women's skirts." On Wednesday, the MA Supreme Court ruled that Robinson had not violated the law by taking upskirt photos (pervs around the world may well have been rushing to MA over that ruling). The ruling was made because the peeping Tom law that was used to prosecute him is not applicable to victims wearing clothing.
"Justice Margot Botsford wrote that a female passenger wearing a skirt or dress is “not a person who is ‘partially nude,’” referring to so-called Peeping Tom laws protecting people from being photographed or recorded when nude or partially nude." (source)
So, Tourism in MA will not likely get a boost though, at least not from pervs. The quick acting state legislation passed a law, yesterday, specifically banning the taking of upskirt photos. Truth be told though, how quick they were is debatable. Washington state reportedly changed its laws about 10 years ago to prevent a similar loophole and other states like NY have had laws on the books specifically targeting upskirt photography. (source)
All I can comment about it is that Jay G no longer needs to worry about MA pervs and their prying eyes and camera lenses should he visit MA while kilted.
All the best,
Glenn B
