At least in Salem, Oregon:
Judge ruled that Lap Dances are protected by Cosnstitution, yet in Lake County, IL two (AWFUL)strip clubs; BABES and DANCERS were closed last week. Perennially, these two clubs were set up to rip off armed services personnel stationed in the area.
But it is OK for the President to get BJ's in the oval office.
Why don't we just all cut our DICKS and TITS off and make these poor pathetic "righteous" decency for citizens GROUPIES happy? Fucking NO GOOD sonsabitches anyway! I've had it up to -----HERE----- with these suckass fucking dickless and titless people who want to ruin MY fun and YOUR fun!!!!!
Stripping is protected by the Bill of Rights; more specifically the 2nd amendment, which is the right to bare arms. Yes, everyone can bare their arms, and tits and asses, etc...
Casualguy, this is an example of the conflict between micro-effects and macro-effects. Individuals often want to do things that they perceive to be of benefit or to bring pleasure to themselves (micro-effect.) One of the main roles of governments, on the other hand, is to outlaw things that they perceive to be bad for society as a whole if large numbers of people do it. That's the justification for speed limits and drug laws for example.
Yeah, speed limits when a road is almost empty is just a revenue source for the police. Slowing someone down in that instance serves no purpose except to pocket money for the police. Too bad the US doesn't have Autobahn type roads set up here as there are in Europe. I guess in some respects the US is a backwards nation. Some people act like tits and the human body are something to be ashamed of and not even allowed to be shown at the beach or in private clubs. Maybe if enough people restrict an overbearing government, we won't be so backwards in this country.
I like Doug's response:
Stripping is protected by the Bill of Rights
Why don't we contact our senators and congressperson (politically being correct), and have them make amendments to the Bill of Rights?
A) All women can bare their tits and asses at any given time, at any given place B) All men can bear their dicks and tongues at specific times in strip clubs C) All Americans can use their choice of weapons and shoot any person attempting to limit our freedom of having and attending strip clubs
I think Book Guy, FONDL and I have to turn this thread into yet another extended discussion of government power, religion and conservatives versus liberals, complete with excessively long philosophicaly rambling posts that nobody else reads and that effectivey kill the thread.
AN, I would never do that. But if I were going to I'd start by commenting on Casualguy's remarks about speed limits. As he should know, speed limits are safety laws put in place to protect others from self-centered idiots who value their own pleasure more highly than the safety of othersand drive at unsafe speeds. If police really wanted to use them as revenue sources they'd give out 10 tiems as many tickets as they do now. And frankly I wish they would. Most of our 40,000 annual highway deaths result from driving too fast. IMO that number could easily be halved by observing speed limits.
And I might also point out to Bones that you don't have to be "rightous" to be concerned about the negative impacts that individuals pursuing their own happiness (micro effect) is having on society as a whole (macro effect.)
But I'd never do any of that.
AN : I'm up for it if you are. :P
No, now, seriously ... government over-extending its reach is probably something the three of us can agree on. DON'T DO IT! :)
The thing I don't get (again) is why "free speech" is lap dancing. I agree with having free speech in the USA. Yes! to the First Amendment. And I agree with having lap dance access, too. I just don't see the relation between the two ...
Lucky for me, some judges and state constitutions DO ...
BG, I think the rationale is that the free speech provision has been interpreted to include any form of artistic performance, which of course is what a lap dance is. At least a good one is. Maybe we should call these ladies nude performance artists instead of strippers. Except then they'd probably raise prices.
Actually I find it interesting that the first amendment now applies to pornography and lap dancing, but apparently not to political speech, like campaign ads withing 60 days of an election.
I guess the Founding Fathers never foresaw lapdances and the right to observe pretty tits. However they did include the right to pursue happiness or something close. It would be nice if the government didn't bother with what two consenting adults are doing.