Cheerleaders 1, Al Edwards 0

Former Westlake High cheerleader Margeaux Goodfleisch, 18, deserved great props yesterday for her classily reserved testimony, I'm told by those who attended the hearing regarding Al Edwards' no-sexy cheerleaders bill. Afterward, one legislator told her she'd given the best testimony he'd heard all session, an ACLU lege team member reported. The Statesman's Jason Embry was impressed enough to devote this much-deserved blog post to her testimony. Here's the money quote:

“It could be someone’s opinion that any time a group of young, attractive girls dance, it’s sexually suggestive."

I'm pretty much in that camp, personally. I just don't favor banning the practice. I got to meet Margeux and her two-toned hairdo briefly before showtime yesterday, and she seemed together and prepared. Sounds like she knocked their socks off. Only the Eagle Forum, a religious right group affiliated with Phyllis Schlafly, supported the bill, and their main question was whether it would include dramatic performances? Yes, Edwards said, to their satisfaction. Great -- why don't we just ban free expression entirely until Edwards gets around to issuing a checklist of do's and don'ts for dance and theater?

Embry said there was loose talk of a "softer version" of the bill, but it sounds to me like it's not going anywhere fast. Good job, Margeaux, Pam and Tracey!