Local Censorship Issues
The Libertarian Party of Bibb County calls for the immediate repeal of all adult entertainment ordinances in Middle Georgia. Such ordinances are unconstitutional restrictions on the private property rights of business owners, as well as the free-speech rights of entertainers and patrons. Laws which prohibit alcohol in nude dance clubs should be repealed.
Governments claim that such bans are needed to curb crime and protect property values are ludicrious. A 1997 Fulton County study showed nude dance clubs with alcohol had less crime than other nightclubs and no negative effect on property values. The intent of such bans is solely for the intent of restricting free speech rights and running these clubs out of business. Therefore they should be repealed by the legislative branch of government, or struck down by the courts. Attempts by zoning boards to pass zoning laws to make it virtually impossible to locate such establishments in commercial districts should also be recognized as free-speech violations, as well as violations of the property rights of business owners.
Laws which prohibit 18,19,and 20 year old adult citizens from entering establishments which serve alcohol are also restrictions on the free-speech rights of this adult age group and should be repealed by the legislative branch or struck down by the courts on free-speech grounds.
The state law which prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of so-called sex toys should be repealed as a violation of the free-speech rights,as well as the right to privacy of consenting adults. We feel past government raids on establishments such as Colors are prime examples of innappropiate use of governmental force. We also feel past raids on lingerie modeling studios such as Showgirls in Macon, Georgia are violations of free-speech rights of entertainers and patrons. Laws regulating these types of establishments should also be repealed.
Since no individuals right to life, liberty, or property is violated by adult entertainment establishments,we conclude there is no governmental interest served by placing restrictions on such establishments. We find laws regulating such establishments to be examples of improper use of governmental force and violations of the free-speech rights, as well as the private property rights of adult citizens.
