Is There a Duty to Be "Good Gays"?
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The NYPD culminated an extensive undercover sting operation against several major bars and dance clubs in the city last night:
This is not the first time Splash had to shut down -- back in 1999 one of the bar's owners died from a GHB overdose. This despite repeated protestations (before and since) that the club was completely drug-free.
And I know at least one underage lad who confirms that itis was indeed relatively easy, at least on some nights, to get into Splash without ID and buy alcohol.
Now put aside for the moment the typical libertarian questions about whether drugs should be illegal (answer: generally no) or whether the drinking age should 21 or 18) (answer: 18). Given that the laws are what they are, and given how fortunate gays are nowadays to live in a time and (if they so choose) a place where there can be huge gay clubs such as Splash, does that not imply a "duty" not to screw it up?
Remember the old saying "A woman has to work twice as hard for half the recognition"? Can gays as a group, struggling to dispel stereotypes and gain respect, afford to be embarrassed by headlines such as this?
With equality of opportunity comes equality of responsibility. Is it too much to ask that the proprietors of gay establishments follow the rules and not ruin it for the rest of us? Can't the patrons of gay establishments limit themselves to places that have upright reputations?
How long do you think it will be before some representative of the bigot brigade latches onto this incident and spins it into a tirade of "See, all gays are irresponsible, law-breaking, underage-corrupting drug users!"?
I neither know no care how long Splash will be shut down; I haven't gone there in a long time. But whether this new gap in the gay nightlife scene is filled by other bars and clubs or by a revived Splash, hopefully the owners and customers will, for the sake of the entire gay community, start staying out of the police blotter.
(Via Gothamist. Cross-posted at Spectrum Bloggers.)
The clubs include View on Eighth Avenue, Club Deep on West 22nd Street, Avalon on West 20th Street, Splash on West 17th Street, and Spirit on West 27th Street.For whatever reason -- ignorance or apathy, take your pick -- the article fails to mention that one of the five clubs, Splash, is the largest full-time gay bar/club in New York City.
Police said undercover agents bought drugs, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana and ecstasy at several of the clubs. Detectives also said bartenders at the clubs sold alcohol to minors.
This is not the first time Splash had to shut down -- back in 1999 one of the bar's owners died from a GHB overdose. This despite repeated protestations (before and since) that the club was completely drug-free.
And I know at least one underage lad who confirms that it
Now put aside for the moment the typical libertarian questions about whether drugs should be illegal (answer: generally no) or whether the drinking age should 21 or 18) (answer: 18). Given that the laws are what they are, and given how fortunate gays are nowadays to live in a time and (if they so choose) a place where there can be huge gay clubs such as Splash, does that not imply a "duty" not to screw it up?
Remember the old saying "A woman has to work twice as hard for half the recognition"? Can gays as a group, struggling to dispel stereotypes and gain respect, afford to be embarrassed by headlines such as this?
With equality of opportunity comes equality of responsibility. Is it too much to ask that the proprietors of gay establishments follow the rules and not ruin it for the rest of us? Can't the patrons of gay establishments limit themselves to places that have upright reputations?
How long do you think it will be before some representative of the bigot brigade latches onto this incident and spins it into a tirade of "See, all gays are irresponsible, law-breaking, underage-corrupting drug users!"?
I neither know no care how long Splash will be shut down; I haven't gone there in a long time. But whether this new gap in the gay nightlife scene is filled by other bars and clubs or by a revived Splash, hopefully the owners and customers will, for the sake of the entire gay community, start staying out of the police blotter.
(Via Gothamist. Cross-posted at Spectrum Bloggers.)
Posted by Kip on
2 April 2006
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