Tuesday - August 14, 2007

Either Ban It or Don't: Ridiculous Rule on Strippers

Obviously, with the word virtuous in our blog's name, you might think we would support the current law in Ohio, that would criminalize any touching between strippers and their patrons.

Going to strip clubs is a vice.  It isn't a great behavior to engage in.  But here at The Virtuous Republic, we can't stand the hypocrisy of a government that on one hand allows these clubs to operate, happily collects the tax revenue they generate, but on the other hand, that same government declares these strip clubs immoral and passes onerous laws to harass them.

Which is it, are strip clubs dangerous to our society's morals or not?  The only thing the "no touch" law will do, is make criminals out of strippers and patrons who might accidently touch in passing.  And don't tell this author, that some overzealous undercover cop (who has been watching naked women for hours), won't cite people for bumping elbows.  They will and that makes criminals of people for innocuous actions while visiting a business that is legal in Ohio.

So we pose this question, if strip clubs are so dangerous to our state's moral foundation, then why not just outlaw them?  Then again, the state of Ohio is willing to pass stringent laws against tobacco and alcohol, the state portrays them as dangerous, but yet that same state is unwilling to ban them because they produce revenue.

If strip clubs are dangerous, simply ban them outright---that is something we could support.  If they are legal businesses, then allow then to function freely.  Either have the courage of your convictions and ban strip clubs, but don't pass laws that will criminalize actions that are not criminal in any way, shape, or form.  Doing so only trivializes respect for the law.

But since Ohio politicians aren't courageous enough to ban strip clubs outright, it puts this blog in the unusual position of actually supporting the strippers who have gathered enough signatures to challenge the "no touch" law in November.

Dancers for Democracy has enough petition signatures to at least temporarily block enforcement of an anti-adult business law scheduled to take effect Sept. 4, said Sandy Theis, the group's spokeswoman.

The group has collected 248,673 signatures as of Monday, which is slightly more than the required 241,366 valid voter signatures. They plan to continue collecting signatures for several weeks since often a high percentage of petition signatures are ruled invalid.

If 241,366 signatures are deemed valid by the county boards of elections, voters will be asked Nov. 6 whether to repeal the law.

"The people of Ohio should have the right to vote on this,'' said Bianca Tate, a dancer at Larry Flynt's Hustler Club in Cleveland. "The other side is trying to keep this off of the ballot. If this is such a great law, why are they so afraid to put it before the people?''

The law would force strip clubs, adult bookstores, peep shows and other adult entertainment venues to close between midnight and 6 a.m. Those with liquor licenses could stay open until last call, but nudity would be banned after midnight. Partial nudity would be allowed, but dancers would have to conform to the existing state law by wearing at least G-strings and pasties. It also institutes a no-touch rule between patrons and nude or partially nude dancers.

Trackposted to Planck's Constant, The Amboy Times, Faultline USA, Conservative Thoughts, and Nuke's News & Views, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Author: The Machiavellian
Technorati Tags: Strippers Ohio Referendum
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