this doesnt look like cf until the end (in bold)

Texas dancers stripped of $5 for rape victims
By Philip Sherwell in New York
Last Updated: 12:46am GMT 31/12/2007


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=FSHXA21D5AOURQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/12/30/wtexas130.xml


Customers at strip clubs in Texas are facing a controversial $5-a-head "pole tax" which is intended to pay for sex crime prevention programmes and rape crisis centres.

The surcharge, backed by women's rights campaigners, comes into effect on Tuesday and is expected to raise an estimated $40 million (£20 million) each year from those paying for lapdancers and pole dancers.


Texan strip clubs have traditionally allowed young women to pay their way through college


But it has already sparked a revolt among club owners and dancers, who claim the new charge will drive away customers and that it also violates their constitutional rights to freedom of expression.

The tax is seen as a government attack on the Lone Star state's old free-wheeling cowboy spirit and has aroused fierce opposition. Texan strip clubs have traditionally allowed young women to pay their way through college, or act as a step on the lowest rung of the showbusiness ladder.

The most famous alumnus of the bump and grind industry was the late Anna Nicole Smith, the voluptuous former Playboy centrefold who married an octogenarian oil billionaire after dancing topless for him at a Houston strip club.

At Players, a small topless bar next to a busy interstate highway on the edge of Amarillo, customers pay a $4 cover. Chandra Brown, who runs the club, said that the new charge would force patrons away.

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"They won't pay it. They won't come in. They can't afford it," she said.

The Texas Entertainment Association, which represents the industry, is suing to block the new tax at a hearing on January 22.

It says the levy infringes the constitution's First Amendment, which protects freedom of expression, and is discriminatory as it selectively targets their businesses.

Owners and dancers also resent the implied link between their industry and sex crimes.

Meanwhile, some legal experts fear that it sets a dangerous precedent and could, for example, expose abortion clinics in Bible Belt states to punitive taxes.

Texas's 151 strip joints range from "gentlemen's clubs" for rich businessmen for whom $5 is nothing, to dimly-lit dive bars.

Most are, however, located on city outskirts where they are often awkward neighbours with mega-churches, another Texan institution.

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

Most women do not strip to pay their way through college. What a myth! Sure there are some but that is not the norm. I doubt most grads will want that on their resume and would paper shred their pasts if they do that...

Anna Nicole did not do well for herself despite the stripping and bagging that billionaire. She was miserable and looked where it ended her.

Many women who will strip on the side will end up giving up their "regular" job as the taking it off brings in more $$$$. Most do not save their earnings and have very little once they are too old to do this line of work. It is their choice, though.

Funny how strip clubs thrive in Bible Belt states...

Funny how strip clubs thrive in Bible Belt states... lurk

Doesn't surprise me in the least. Sexual hypocrisy is as American as apple pie. Especially for those Southern fundies. :spin

but did you see the bit about abortion clinics

Meanwhile, some legal experts fear that it sets a dangerous precedent and could, for example, expose abortion clinics in Bible Belt states to punitive taxes.

Abortion clinics are hit with everything as a way for right-wing X-tians to put them out of business.

Extra taxes in the US are the least of an abortion clinic's worries. Most clinics have closed due to plain harassment by the bible thumpers, fear by the doctors of getting assassinated/bombed or being legislated out of existence. Very few medical schools even teach the procedure any more.

It's just another example of people trying to end something that other people might enjoy via the back door route of over taxation. One day we'll see someone trying to tax non-procreative sexual activity.

"It truly is the one commonality that every designation of humans you can think of has, there's at least one asshole."
--Me

exactly feh, its another weapon those idiots ae trying, eventually due to harrassment and extra taxation and .. they will be shut even though it was legal to have one.. there wont be a place you can go to have one.. it gets round the whole legal and illegal route

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

Feh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Extra taxes in the US are the least of an abortion
> clinic's worries. Most clinics have closed due to
> plain harassment by the bible thumpers, fear by
> the doctors of getting assassinated/bombed or
> being legislated out of existence. Very few
> medical schools even teach the procedure any
> more.

They are trying to kill abortion any way they can. If they remove doctors who do it, it's probably the most effective way to do it. Oh well, many will be going to Canada then.

>
> It's just another example of people trying to end
> something that other people might enjoy via the
> back door route of over taxation. One day we'll
> see someone trying to tax non-procreative sexual
> activity.

Sounds very real to me. Only the hypocritical married bible thumping politicians will be able to have sex with a young mistress. Bill Clinton, for example, is from Arkansas. As bible of a state as it gets. He messed around and so did many other "righteous" men. Now, for us, it's a different story. We are not allowed and WILL face consequences.

I just hope that vasectomy and tubals will not go away.

Techie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Sounds very real to me. Only the hypocritical
> married bible thumping politicians will be able to
> have sex with a young mistress. Bill Clinton, for
> example, is from Arkansas. As bible of a state as
> it gets. He messed around and so did many other
> "righteous" men. Now, for us, it's a different
> story. We are not allowed and WILL face
> consequences.

How about the righteous Christian man from Louisiana who was in a D.C. madam's black book? Of course, he goes on with how sorry he is with his fucking god forgiving his ass. His wife is standing by him. Bible Thumper Wifey has no other options. She would be ostracized if she left the Almighty Male. And, these women have been taught since childhood how it is okay for men to have those urges while a female better never enjoy sex...even with their husbands. If the wife of a Christian man fooled around, the public would tell the guy to dump the "cunt". Senator Clinton only stayed with Bill for her political career.
>
> I just hope that vasectomy and tubals will not go
> away.

People need to get sterilized if they want to remain childfree. Abortion may not always be around. Don't take anything for granted.

A little political humor here.

Q: What does Sen. David Vitter wear, boxers or briefs?
A: Depends.

Okay, whack me for that one! I'm glad that I am nearing the end of my fertile years. It looks like the ultra-religious nuts are trying to take away all women's right to control their own bodies. They're trying to turn back the clock, and we can't let that happen.

CJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A little political humor here.
>
> Q: What does Sen. David Vitter wear, boxers or
> briefs?
> A: Depends.
>
> Okay, whack me for that one! I'm glad that
> I am nearing the end of my fertile years. It
> looks like the ultra-religious nuts are trying to
> take away all women's right to control their own
> bodies. They're trying to turn back the clock,
> and we can't let that happen.

Ultra-religious nuts will begin to issue chastity belts to women who are past their fertile years. Don't ya know, that sex is only for procreation? If you cannot get pregnant, you must wear that belt!