HomeMy WebLinkAboutA005 - Email correspondence dated December 15, 2014 Page 1 of 1
municipal code section 17.31
Matt Heerema
to:
bobanncamp, gloriabetcherwardl, GartinForAmes, pforazem, nelson.ames, mg, amber.corrieri, lvilla,
dvoss
12/15/2014 12:44 PM
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Dear Mayor Campbell and City Council Members.
It has come to my attention that tomorrow evening you plan to vote on repealing City
Ordinance (municipal code section 17.31) called the "Lap Dance" ordinance.
As far as I understand, section 17.31 currently ALLOWS 'lap dances' within 'adult
entertainment business' and provides guidelines, in part, for the protection, health and safety
of all involved in the "lap dance".
I understand also that a repealing of this ordinance would loosen restrictions on "lap dances". I
strongly oppose this move. There are several reasons for this opposition.
This is not a simple matter of civil liberties, nor a strict, capitalistic decision on the basis of the
women involved in "lap dances", but there is often much coercion and abuse involved in such
cases, even to the point of a slavery type arrangement and sex trafficking.
I understand, (at least at some level) the pressure and difficulty of controlling this type
of "behavior" via city ordinance, but the move your are considering would remove what little
safety there is currently in place for the women involved in this situation.
In fact I'd advise the city council to consider a ban on ALL "adult entertainment" type
businesses for reasons of the economic and social impact such establishments have on
neighborhoods and communities where they exist. I am certain you have done your homework
on this case, but I wanted to draw your attention to two studies I have found helpful in this
area.
http://www.ccv.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/TX El Paso.pdf - See pages 17 and 18
http://www.law.fsu.edu/journals/landuse/Vo1122/Tucker.pdf- see pages 412 and 413
I am grateful for the council's service to our community, and sympathetic to the position you are in in
this case. I submit the request to not repeal this ordinance, and to investigate the banning of all "adult
entertainment businesses" from Ames in the future, with respect and deference. This is not about
the "freedom" to use personal property as one sees fit, but about the health and safety of women in our
community, and the economic and social blight these type of institutions are to any human community.
Sincerely,
Matt Heerema
1323 Wisconsin Circle
Ames, IA 50014
515-708-4282
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