Posted on 01/11/2006 5:10:12 PM PST by elkfersupper
More than 100 strippers are expected to descend on the New Jersey State House Thursday to agitate and undulate for the instant repeal of the ban on smoking in bars that’s on track to become law by this evening.
Organized by two radio rabble-rousers and the owner of the Illusions go-go bar in Florence, the entertainers are aiming their protest at the incoming class of state lawmakers, not the legislators poised to pass the extended smoking ban today.
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Acting Gov. Richard Codey last week said he’ll sign the new law right away, saving Gov.-Elect Jon Corzine a political headache and meaning Thursday’s protest of dancers and barmaids will occur after the law is already on the books.
But Craig Carton and Ray Rossi, the radio hosts cued by a report in The Trentonian on the concerns of dancers at Illusions, think they can convince the new legislature to quickly repeal of the new ban.
The idea, said Carton, is "let them see as soon as it becomes law just how offensive it is to everyone in New Jersey.’’ He said the protest "is about small business rights being taken away’’ and cried hypocrisy like those quoted in The Trentonian article.
Growing and smoking tobacco is legal, Carton noted, "and bar owners know their clientele enjoys smoking. But now they’re not going to be able to let people do something that’s legal in their business.’’
Illusions proprietor Eleanore Travia, whose testimony before as Assembly public health committee last week got polite nods from the lawmakers, has been arguing that the new ban incorporates a double standard into state law.
It applies to all restaurants, bars and entertainment forums, except those in the casinos of Atlantic City.
"This is ridiculous! For you to enjoy a cocktail and a cigarette together in a public place, you’ll have to go to Atlantic City and put a quarter in a slot machine,’’ Travia complained.
She said the casinos "paid big money to be eliminated from that bill. They paid off, to get casinos off of that bill."
Travia and her dancers told The Trentonian their entertainment business should have the same rights as the casinos.
After their story came out in The Trentonian, the afternoon drive-time commentators of radio station 101.5 brought the fray to the Jersey airwaves.
By Friday, with help from Travia, as many as 400 strippers and dancers had called the station to express interest in the march on Trenton, Carton said.
One of the first members of the legislature the dancers will get a chance to convince to repeal will be Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg, a sponsor of the extended smoking ban. Carton said she promised to face the protesters from the State House steps.
Day after they're elected?
One name is Carton as in Carton of Cigarettes and the other guy is Rossi as in "Martinin and Rossi". Kind of fits.
The strippers may have been 20 years over the hill, but I bet they still look 10 times better than Rosie O'Donnell.
Private property rights and the rights of small businesses are private property and small business rights regardless of the business.
All hail to people looking out for their livelihoods.
I can only imagine the comments I'm going to see once I start reading this thread, but it definitely deserved a ping as far as I'm concerned, thanks, FRiend.
Not going to touch this with a pole.
i suppose the next step would be to threaten the NJ politicians with being bumped and grinded off
It is pretty obvious that the Casinos paid off the Jersy politicians
Morons never do. Nor do rabid smoker-haters.
The only pictures of the opposition to this bill were the pictures the proponents wished you to see.......which includes all of the left wing MSM. I've have attended lenty of hearings about these types of legislation in many states.......most opposition are just regular every day folks, including the owners of the establishments.
All of the proponents shown by the MSM look just like the vast majority of opposition.......the difference is that there are few of those kind of proponents compared to opponents. The proponents that don't get shown by the MSM are the ones in the $1,000 suits getting paid MAJOR bucks to get these things passed.
You're baaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!
Yep. LOL.
It is a pay off from both ends. The grant monies that come from the Cigarette Restitution Fund and the revenues from the Casinoes. The powers that be don't lose.
I've got a link somewhere..........I plan to listen to this, because the station is going to carry stuff live from this tomorrow.
You gotta love Jersey!
Yeah, right here: http://www.nj1015.com
I have it memorized and bookmarked. That is the only place I can find out about school closings.
I don't mind listening to Jim Gearhart in the morning; but, Craig Carton reminds me of an obnoxious boyfriend from eons ago. He is pretty stereotypical locker room humor too.
So don't expect much more than a publicity stunt for tomorrow. Codey bought Carton with a donation to his nonprofit.
Yup - that's the link :)
But thanks for all the other info.
Publicity stunt or not........good for them for at least making the attempt.
How that doesn't violate the 14th Amendment is beyond me.
I was going to write something to clarify how NJ has some rather (ahem) liberal laws about such places, but I might get into trouble here. Suffice to say that whenever any of my friends got the bright idea that we should all go to such a place, it was always on NJ's side of the river.
Horse and pony show. :(
Thanks for the ping!
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