Revision of Gentlemen's Club laws

This is to the Toledo, Ohio City Counsel concerning laws that have been recently imposed on Gentlemans Clubs.

Having just returned from Platinum Showgirls, a Gentlemens Club in Toledo, Ohio, me and two of my friends were discussing recent laws that have been imposed to protect exotic dancers that work in the said establishments. I found out about these recent laws by word of mouth from an announcer and also an internet source. These are a few of the laws that went into effect as of I believe August 1, 2003.

1. If dancers are to touch patrons with sexual body parts (i.e. breasts, vagina, buttocks), these said parts must be clothed.
2. Dancers cannot take tips from the hand of a patron while topless or bottomless.
3. Dancers cannot use previously stated body parts to take tips from patrons.
4. During private dances, if a dancer is going to take off any article of their clothing, they must be at least two feet away from the patron.
5. Patrons cannot touch dancers during private dances.
6. Number One also applies to private dances.
7. Dancers cannot touch sexual parts (penis, buttocks) of the patron.

I know there are a few more minor laws, but those are the major ones. The thing that really bothers me about some on these laws is that it almost makes it more worth it to spend one dollar and get a quick personal dance instead of twenty to get a private dance. Considering the point of the concept of a private dance, anything that the dancer may want to do to the patron (or vice versa, obviously up to a certain point) should be allowed. Now I am quite aware that most reading this may be thinking that this petition is product of a testosterone driven eighteen year old, but I assure you, it is not. Personally, I can live with the laws when it comes to the matter of what dancers and patrons can and cannot do. But the reason I am writing this petition is that I believe how much touching can go on should be the choice of the dancer or even the club at which she is employed. I talked with one of the announcers at Platinum about this particular issue, and he told me that ever since those laws were imposed, Platinum has lost a lot of business and money. Also, considering that I am sure the two other major clubs in the area (Dйjа Vu and Scarletts) are losing business as well, it is safe to assume that the whole general area is probably losing business since not as many people would travel to the area. Many people are going to Michigan where no such laws are in place and that will harm our local economy. While the idea of these clubs losing money may make some who are overdriven with morals (or other personal reasons) happy, that does not make it right. No matter what the type, people go into business to make money, and if needless laws prevent you from doing that, what is the point? It is practically the same thing as telling a video games store that they cannot sell M Rated games, or telling a convenience store that they cannot sell cigarettes and alcohol. Just because some people do not agree with it, you should not tell them that they cannot do it. Also, you will never see a local government ban the sale of those M Rated games or the sale of tobacco/alcohol. Now, if I havent proved my point enough, I will restate the basic issue: you should not tell clubs and exotic dancers how they can touch/take tips/et cetera. If a guy wants to touch a dancer, and she doesnt want him to, that is what security is for. So let them do their jobs. Also, let dancers do their jobs, which is to please a paying customer. But if they are told by the government that they CANNOT touch a patron, that makes it a lot harder. So to the Toledo City Counsel, please upon receiving these petitions, consider revising the laws against Gentlemans Clubs. Not only are you causing them to lose money, but you are also basically ruining the whole point of going to such establishments. And considering nobody wants to lose revenue and business because of pointless laws, all you are doing is hurting, not helping.