houston notifies strip clubs that they have to close

[AmigaMan]

good riddance.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: mugs
Why are churches in the list of places strip clubs can't be near? The government shouldn't be telling one private organization they can't be near another private organization. Now all the fundies have to do to shut down a strip club is start a church near it.

That struck me as a bit odd, as well.

 

[sandorski]

Why not bar Schools, Churches, or Parks from being built 1500ft from a Strip joint?

 

[StageLeft]

This country's view of sex is becoming more frigid than the nasty gaping frosty hole in [pick your favorite ugly celeb].

 

[Luthien]

The morality police are at it again. Remember it is okay for them to lock up our hookers and stippers but it isnt okay if they lock up fundamentalists demonstrating in the streets telling everyone they are going to burn in hell.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
"It's hard to legislate morality," said Thomas Venza, a manager at Centerfolds Adult Entertainment, in the 6100 block of Richmond. "If you don't agree with it, don't go."

about sums it for me.

QFT

I don't frequent strip clubs, but I am not about banning them either.

I can understand how some places become dens of crime, but here in my county the upscale establishments whether they are bars, niteclubs, or strip clubs have no real criminals loitering around outside. In any lowscale place, whether it's just a 7-11; you are going to have an element of crime around it.

Unfortunately we all cannot pick our neighborhoods, but in the same breath we should not be allowed to mold them to exactly the way we want at the expense of another's wants. (assuming legalaties followed).

 

[BoomerD]

Why they cain't do away with our t*tty-bars! We's TEXANS! We have a constee-tooshunal right to piss away our money on silee-kone enhanced hookers!

Time to start talking about cee-seeding from the Union agin...Remember, TEXAS is NOT a state, we'z a Ree-publik!


I'm not a fan of strip clubs myself, but I think this is a stupid ordinance...as are MOST do-gooder ordinances. Trying to legislate other people's morals never works in the way in which it was intended. Don't like them? Don't go...plain and simple IMO, BUT, this is more about some up-tight housewife trying to keep her hubby from seeing boobs other than hers than protecting the kids...

 

[Gunslinger08]

America is terrified of sexuality sometimes, and other times revels in it. Confuses the hell out of me.

 

[erub]

yet another reason Houston is one of the crappiest big cities in the USA

interesting thing is, the state legislature in Texas wanted to levy a new fee in order to fund crisis centers - well I guess the Houston clubs got out of that:

Link

AUSTIN ? Strip club patrons will have to pay an extra $5 at the door, under a bill that passed the House on Wednesday.

State Rep. Ellen Cohen, a freshman Democrat and president of the Houston Area Women's Center, sponsored the measure, which would provide $18 million for sexual-assault programs by tacking a $5 state fee on admissions to sexually oriented businesses that provide live entertainment.

"I am simply thrilled that this bill will help provide much-needed services for sexual assault survivors," Cohen said. "To me, this victory was in honor of the over 1.9 million sexual assault survivors in Texas today and in memory of those who did not survive."

Gov. Rick Perry proposed a similar "sin tax" in 2004 as a way to cut property taxes and increase public school funding. It was ridiculed as "tassels for tots" and went nowhere.

Strip club owners and managers said their clients are being unfairly targeted and balked at the suggestion that people who frequent adult entertainment establishments commit sexual assaults.

Cohen countered that money generated by sexually oriented businesses should pay for sexually oriented crimes.

There is no easy way to determine how many strip clubs there are in Texas. There are 151 known sexually oriented businesses in the state that serve alcohol, according to the comptroller's office.

The bill passed with a vote of 110-28, with no serious debate.

It was the first bill Cohen has passed this session, and she received the typical hazing freshman members endure the first time one of their bills comes to the floor for a vote.

Houston Democrat Harold Dutton asked: "Have you been to any of these sexually oriented businesses?"

"No, have you?" Cohen retorted. Dutton promptly walked away from the microphone.

Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, is sponsoring similar legislation in the Senate. His bill also would require sexually oriented businesses to pay an annual $5,000 registration fee.

"There's broad-based support for it in the Senate," West said. "It will be interesting to hear the argument against it. I would think that a fee charged to see women exhibit their bodies would be welcomed by those that frequent those establishments. A portion of the money they spend would go to worthwhile cause."

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Icanoutsmokeany1
Did anybody think of how this is going to affect the economy in Houston?

I am not even joking.

We are the energy capital of the country. This will not hurt the economy. I don't agree with it, but it won't hurt the economy.

You gotta love the hypocracy of the dems down here. This was there doing.