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Published On: Fri, Oct 7th, 2011

Florida lawmaker proposes to bring back ‘dwarf tossing’ (VIDEO)

A Florida lawmaker filed House Bill 4063 on Monday, and if it passes then dwarf tossing may no longer be illegal in bars around Florida.

Rep. Ritch Workman of Melbourne is attempting to repeal a bill dating back to 1989 which banned ‘dwarf tossing’ around the state.

Workman claims doesn’t have a vendetta against little people, instead, he wants to get little people back to work, according to Floridacurrent.com.

“To me it’s an archaic kind of Big Brother law that says, ‘We don’t like that activity,’ ” Workman said. “Well, there is nothing immoral or illegal about that activity. All we really did by passing that law was take away some employment from some little people.”

A spokesperson for LPA, Inc, the national support organization for individuals with dwarfism and their families, feels, “dwarf-tossing is a demoralizing activity that treats the person with dwarfism as a mere object.”

The “sport” of dwarf tossing became popular back in the 1980’s at bars around Florida and was banned due to the safety concerns for dwarfs.

The original bill, Florida Statue 561.665, gives the state the ability to fine up to $1,000 or suspend the alcohol license for anyone who violates the law.

A lawsuit, filed by attorney Michael A.Steinberg claims his client, David Flood, known to Tampa radio listeners as Dave the Dwarf is being treated differently as a result of the law. Stenberg stated in the suit, “the law is unconstitutional because it treats dwarfs differently than others.”

Steinberg also claims that in Florida it is perfectly legal to toss taller people.

“The person with dwarfism is equipped with a harness around his torso and is spun around and eventually thrown by another person onto mattresses placed on the ground. The person who throws the dwarf the greatest distance wins the contest,” according to LPA, Inc.

“In general, if HB 4063 does threaten to undo the protection afforded people of short stature against dwarf tossing, we are concerned, and we would be against the legislation,” Gary Arnold, president of Little People of America told Florida Current. “The ban on dwarf tossing protects the entire dwarf community.”

Ironically, October has been deemed National Dwarfism Awareness Month.

Workman represents District 30 including the cit of Melbourne.

 

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- Stories transferred over from The Desk of Brian where the original author was not determined and the content is still of interest of Dispatch readers.

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