John Adams said: ""Panhandling" or "Plying One's Trade"?
Panhandle:
verb (used without object),pan·han·dled,pan·han·dling.
to accost passers-by on the street and beg from them.
Ply One's Trade:
formal
: to do one's particular kind of work
Is it relevant whether/not anyone agrees/disagrees with his politics, or approves/disapproves of how he chooses to make $150,000/year? Only in regards to forming moral judgements/opinions.
The officer saysthat The Naked Cowboy was panhandling. There areunknown facts (unknown by me, at least) regarding Daytona's legal definition of "panhandling" that raise doubt.
Superficially, it appears that the Cowboy was plying his trade. He was wearing his trademarked work uniform, including his guitar. It *seems* more likely that he was arrested for working at his job; a job he is famous (infamous?) for legally performing."
A dictionary definition is not equal to a legal definition. There are laws (whether generic or specific) that regulate businesses and individuals who are "Plying their trade." I guarantee none of those costumed creeps are not "plying a trade," otherwise they'd be able to legally charge money, instead of demanding legally optional tips.
But that is neither here nor there. He's out in the open in a public place and therefore cannot enforce any privacy rights to his image. And while panhandling is Constitutionally protected under Supreme Court precedent, aggressive panhandling is not. In Daytona, the statute forbids "repetitive requests for donations of money despite refusals, the use of abusive or profane language, unwanted physical contact, and the intentional, or as incident to the aggressive panhandling and begging, blocking of pedestrian and vehicular traffic." I'm sure at least two of those apply to the Naked Cowboy, since I've seen him engage in some of this type of behavior repeatedly in Times Square.