Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Kansas City, is declaring war on adult businesses in Missouri. In his latest report, Bartle says this will be a priority for him during the 2010 legislative session:
It’s almost impossible not to notice the proliferation of adult businesses across Missouri. Just along I-70 alone, a multitude of smut shops exist in plain view of anyone driving along the highway. These purveyors of pornography —who care only for lining their pockets—have no regard for the negative consequences they bring to the surrounding communities.
One of my top priorities for the upcoming legislative session is to clean up our state’s image and make Missouri an even better place to raise a family. One way we’ll accomplish this is by imposing some common-sense regulations on the operation of these establishments.
These businesses have many negative effects. They hurt local property values, as well as our image as a family-friendly vacation destination. With tourism being such a huge industry for our state (estimates are that travel accounted for more than $12 billion for Missouri’s economy in 2008 and helped employ 300,000 people), we cannot afford for our reputation as a great place for families to be tarnished as visitors drive along our roads and see largely unregulated smut shops at nearly every exit. It is time these businesses be reined in with proper restrictions on their operations.
The negative consequences from adult businesses existing in our communities are not imaginary. Too often they also offer an environment for serious crime. For example, last year, a man—a former girls’ softball coach—was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison after he took his 14-year-old step-daughter across state lines—from Kansas to Missouri—to a sexual establishment to engage in prostitution. The abuse lasted for three years.
The negative effects of adult businesses include personal and property crimes, prostitution and sexual exploitation. Because lawmakers are interested in protecting
Missourians from these very things, I have filed Senate Bill 586, which would restrict the time, place and manner in which these establishments can operate. For too long, sexually oriented businesses have sprung up with very little oversight. It is time that the Legislature move forward to clean up these establishments and give law enforcement and health officials the necessary tools they need to protect the public from their detrimental influences.
If you don't like these establishments, don't visit them. As far as the man who pimped out his 14yo stepdaughter, I don't think porn shops or strip clubs are to blame. He is a creep and would of been breaking the law regardless of the existence of sexually-oriented businesses. He probably could of done the same thing at a truck stop. Protecting free speech is about protecting the speech you don't agree with, not just the speech you do agree with. Not everyone thinks porn or strip clubs is bad, stop trying to force your values on everyone else. I totally agree that it should be limited to adults and kept out of residential neighborhoods, however. Sexually-oriented businesses may not be what you want the state to be known for but I think they serve a purpose in society.
ReplyDeleteFree speech, along with every other right, comes with some responsibilities and no time can we use our rights to the detriment of others. That's civilization.
ReplyDeleteWhile it hasn't been proven (to my satisfaction) these businesses are detrimental, that is why we have legislatures. They are charged with making these determinations. If they make the wrong determination then we get to vote them out...however, if they make the right determination...everyone wins.
I do, however, find it strange (and maybe a little hypocritical)that a republican is talking about regulating business. Aren't they the party of pro-business with little government interference?
Ah well, maybe I'm just cynical.
These places don't have any more involvement than any other random address in crimes. The vast majority of their clientele are closeted homosexual men who engage in acts with each other. I always enjoy these "arguments" that they make against the billboards...yet they are hardly ever accurate.
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