Freedom or exploitation? Florida lawmaker’s bizarre push to legalize dwarf-tossing
A Florida legislator sparked controversy in 2011 when he filed a bill to legalize dwarf tossing in the state, according to NPR. State Representative Ritch Workman, a Republican from Melbourne, positioned his effort to roll back the prohibition as a matter of personal freedom and economic opportunity, framing the 1989 ban as government overreach. The proposal to bring back the banned activity that became a sensation in bars and taverns before its prohibition had people shaking their heads and wondering why anyone would want to resurrect such a degrading practice.
The freedom argument
Workman told the Palm Beach Post that he was “on a quest to seek and destroy unnecessary burdens on the freedom and liberties of people,” characterizing the ban as Big Brother government. He argued that the prohibition “prevents some dwarfs from getting jobs they would be happy to get,” suggesting that in any economy, preventing people from gainful employment made no sense. Workman, whose occupation was listed as a mortgage broker and who served in the National Guard from 1990 to 2005, admitted to the Post that dwarf tossing was “repulsive and stupid,” even as he advocated for making it legal again.
The 1989 ban
In 1989, the Florida legislature prohibited dwarf tossing following news that David Wilson, a noted participant, had died of alcohol poisoning. The ban reflected growing awareness that the activity, while marketed as entertainment, carried grave consequences for those involved. The prohibition remained in place for over two decades before Workman’s 2011 attempt to overturn it.
Opposition from the community
The Palm Beach Post interviewed two little people who noted the nasty underside to what might strike some as absurd. They explained that the act can bring injuries, potentially resulting in paralysis, as well as a general air of degradation and mockery that reduces human beings to objects of entertainment. Their testimony underscored that the “employment opportunity” argument ignored the physical danger and psychological harm inherent in the activity.
International context
Dwarf-tossing is illegal in many jurisdictions, including France. In 2002, a French little person appealed to the United Nations to overturn his country’s ban, arguing it prevented him from making a living and impinged on his human rights. He lost his case, with international authorities determining that human dignity concerns outweighed individual employment claims.
Conclusion
Workman’s proposal to legalize dwarf tossing framed as a freedom issue demonstrates how libertarian arguments about personal choice can clash with concerns about human dignity, exploitation, and the difference between genuine opportunity and degrading spectacle that reduces vulnerable people to commodities for entertainment.
Related:
- 25 things we all did in the ’90s that would get Gen Z canceled
- 21 things that almost feel illegal to buy in bulk (but aren’t)
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
AlertMe
