In regards to the previous comments concerning this issue...yes, nearly nude photos at the local A&F;definitely does not deserve to be on top of the list of the nation’s priorities. However, the argument itself constitutes a valuable example of the government’s unconstitutional restriction on an important fundamental right every U.S. Citizen holds- the freedom of expression protected by the First Amendment. The government is in court almost daily fighting newspapers and other publications over whether or not they have the right to show photographs of soldiers coming home from war in caskets, photos of riots, and the like for fear of “irreparable harm to the nation.” Luckily for us, the government really has no power to enjoin these publications or impose prior restraint because as U.S. citizens our speech and expression is protected (even if that expression is just for the purposes of selling sex and low-rise jeans). From this perspective, we must respect the fact that whether it is in the public’s best interest or not, everyone has the right to display photographs that may offend people. America was founded upon the premise of free speech and expression, and what kind of tyrannical nation would we be if we restricted every form of art, music, speech or action that “offended someone.” And let’s face it, prevailing community standards are exactly what these photos depict. Try telling teenagers walking down the street that they have to change their clothes because it’s just offensive to the public. We can all thank TMZ and OK Magazine for allowing those images to prevail, but in the meantime, people have to understand that shooting the local government down for trying to revoke the rights guaranteed to all citizens is one small, but important battle in the endless war over free speech.

If this was in a mall, I am guessing there is a Victoria Secret with just-as-revealing ads with women in them, no?

We need more of this type of action in regards to the immoral expressionism so prevalent in today’s America . I say crack down on the masses , before this decadence spins further out of control .
Look where we are headed . We have a colored man trying to become president . We have a woman trying to become president . We have wet backs all over the place . Enough is enough already . The next thing you know we will have a Jew running for president . Has anyone ever heard of healthy boundaries ?
Now about this A &F;advertising SCANDAL - why don’t we skin these models alive and teach them a good lesson - you can bet after being skinned alive , they will use better judgement in choosing future modeling jobs !!
So enough about that . How is Dennis Kucinich doing in the polls ? And what about Oprah saving one - one voter - how did that huge story turn out . And Scott Ritter on pulling out of Iraq - Where did that piece go ? Truthdig is nothing but an ultraleft tabloid - nothing more - a tabloid posing as meaningful(less) blog . Ann Coulter is meaningful ? Newsworthy?
Truthdig is just another diversion for Americans who only want to spout off and solve nothing .
That Commie Gabir guy is one of the worst ! Bad Gabir!!!

Do you suppose they could also be convinced to cart away Bush and Cheney as obscene?

Calling that photo obscene is ridiculous.  Young people see much worse on TV every day.  To cite a manager on obscenity charges for this-- that’s the true obscenity.  The people who reported this should be ashamed of their actions.  I guess they personally were just too turned on by the photo.

The only thing obscene about Abercrombe & Fitch are their prices. We do have a two tiered society. One tier scrimps, saves and shops at WalWart for watered down versions of formerly fine products. (Hey, who doesn’t need a five gallon jar of pickles for their bomb shelter?) The other tier shops at places such as Abercrombe & Fitch for well made items at insane prices. (When did new clothes with holes and wear spots equate to hip fashion?) But it could be worse, at least we have a choice.

By doing what they did, Abercrombie, assisted by the police in Virginia Beach, get ad play they could never have imagined without this ploy.

An aside here, I used to buy my guns over-the-counter at the Abercrombie in Manhattan… sure has changed…

While I fully agree with most of what posters have said, I feel this type of “spread” (pardon the pun) will become more prevelant as advertisers see their ads on the internet (unpaid) as above.

Getting MORE for their dollar is what they do.

It the ad about the clothes or about the bodies. What does obscene mean? Look it up. It will say in one of the definitions “abhorrent to morality or virtue.” When people think its okay to force a minority opinion on others then that is a problem.  I don’t want to see a man buttocks or a woman’s breast when I am going to the beach to spend some time with the family. I guess I should just stay at home. Is that what I need to do? Or does someone else want to tell my children it is just a butt so no big deal. What about the obsession on the physical body? That is another topic that we could discuss for a long time. When we let things like this “slide” by then we’re opening the door for problems. This ad isn’t expression. Abercrombie and Fitch is pushing the limits too far.