-Caveat Lector- >From http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/news/nation/4518099.htm
Posted on Thu, Nov. 14, 2002 Bin Laden statue earns fine City says it's a sign; owners say it's expression By DAWN BRYANT The (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Sun News A statue of a bent-over Osama bin Laden getting a "lesson from America" started as a patriotic gesture at the Hurl Rock Motel on Ocean Boulevard. But the likeness has created a buzz among tourists and city zoning regulators, with the year-long battle over whether it's a sign ordinance violation or a constitutionally protected political statement to be settled by a jury. "I want my day in court," said Sue McPhail, the hotel's owner. "I don't feel I should be fined for expressing my political beliefs. It's so silly." To city leaders, the papier-mache bin Laden with a missile aimed at his rear end isn't a show of patriotism but a three-dimensional sign that violates city rules. City officials have repeatedly asked McPhail to remove the 6-foot-tall statue, and she has complied, although bin Laden occasionally sneaks out of storage during special events, such as the Fourth of July and biker rallies. City leaders simply want the bin Laden out of sight. Even though it doesn't directly advertise the motel, it attracts attention, making it a sign in the city's eyes. If convicted of violating the city's sign ordinance, the hotel's owners could face a fine of up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail. A trial date hasn't been set. "The ordinance is pretty straightforward," said city spokesman Mark Kruea. "I think that is what [the bin Laden's] intent is - to attract attention." It has done that. Tourists have stopped by the hotel and snapped photos posing with bin Laden. After the McPhails moved the statue into storage, tourists walked in asking where it was. But the owners say their business hasn't benefited from the display, with none of those passersby booking a room. "It just mushroomed," McPhail said. "It just became a really important symbol." The McPhails bought bin Laden for $50 last year, about a month and a half after the terrorist attacks. The statue is the creation of Glen Davis, who makes a papier-mache accessory every year for Halloween. Past works have included Saddam Hussein and one featuring Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. With the terrorist attacks on the country's mind last year, Davis wanted to show his patriotism and support for America's pursuit of the Al Qaeda leader. He dressed as a firefighter and pushed the bin Laden around on Halloween, winning $1,300 in costume contests. Davis said he is sad his creation can't be displayed. "It's ridiculous. It's their right," Davis said. This isn't the first patriotic gesture along the Grand Strand to challenge the rules. Earlier this year, a North Myrtle Beach man defied his homeowners association by flying an American flag at his home. The dispute caught the attention of the state's General Assembly, which this summer passed a law making it illegal for leases or rental contracts to ban U.S. flag flying. A homeowners association can't forbid it, either. The bin Laden statue has sparked similar response locally. Jerry Spearman, a friend of the McPhails, called City Hall to argue against the city's crackdown. Spearman, general manager of Heron Point Golf Club, said he wouldn't display the bin Laden at his business, but supports other people's right to do so. "Is it tasteful? No. Is it funny? Yeah. By any stretch of the imagination I don't think she is doing anything wrong, no matter what you think of [the statue]," Spearman said. "The only people it seemed to have offended was the people in charge of zoning." Workers at the Mystic Sea Motor Inn, across the street from Hurl Rock, aren't bothered by the statue and haven't received complaints from customers. Reservationist and golf director Eric Andrews thinks the Hurl Rock should be able to display the statue. "It makes me laugh every time I see it," he said. Hurl Rock Motel fined The complaint | City leaders say a papier-mache Osama bin Laden with a missile aimed at his rear end displayed at the Hurl Rock Motel isn't a sign of patriotism but one that violates city rules. The result | A verbal warning in mid-September, a written warning Oct. 4 and a ticket Oct. 7 with a $459 fine. Contact DAWN BRYANT at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 626-0296. © 2001 miami and wire service sources. 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