I am quite certain that this post will get me in hot water.
The debate du jour in Eckington is the proposed relocation of GLBT clubs and strip bars that have been displaced by construction of the new Nationals Baseball stadium, to be relocated and allowed to operate in Ward 5 (specifically Ivy City).
-These were legally operational businesses that were closed and sold due to eminent domain for the stadium.
-The stadium (which I support(ed)) has been subsidized by DC residents and businesses at the cost of nearly $600M
-Creation or in this case, recreation of businesses, improves the tax-base, adds dollars to the economy and in many cases can spur growth.
-People do not want to move on this issue for a couple of reasons: its politically risky for the church-going parishioners of Ward 5 (and PG county for that matter*) and that there is still rampant discrimination toward the GLBT community.
-Provided that the area is zoned to accommodate such businesses, there is no reason for these clubs not to operate.
-Partisan politics shouldn't be at play here either. If you are a Repub, you should see the importance of business in the community and the role of Smith's laissez-faire . If you are a Dem, you need to realize that the GLBT community is struggling to have the personal freedoms that others enjoy with little to no repercussions.
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3 comments:
I fully agree with you and support the re-openings of the clubs. They were forced out of their locations, and several had a stellar record with MPD on how the clubs were run and operated (ie Club 55). DC (and the church-goers) don't seem to have a problem with all of the new clubs opening up along NY Avenue (we have Love/Dream, Mirrors, FUR, and now the new one near Fur) - but of course - they are "straight" bars and pose no "moral" problems for the community. I do agree with one of the speakers last night on the NBC4 report. Why limit it to just Ward 5? If it's good enough for Ward 5, then they should be grandfathered to move into any other ward in the city that has the same zoning (and not worry about the current loophole the city has of restricting them by sub-zone). If this deosn't pass, I hope that oen of the owners takes DC to court - all it would take is one good lawsuit and the city wold have to bend. Those clubs raised thousands of dollars each year for charities in the DC area - charities that benefit both the GLBT and non-GLBT communities. I'm all for allowing them to relocate!
/Rob Amos N Street NW
i think there should be a strip club near the whitehouse.
why force them to a different 'warehouse district'?
i think that the more gay strip clubs in dc, particularly eckington, the better.
Frankly, I'd rather have a GLBT strip club in my neighborhood than a straight one! I am a bit concerned about creating a red-light type district nearby, but I think the strip clubs would be better than many other options for industrially-zoned areas.
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