Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Social Dancing Banned In New York
ClickonDetroit ^ | February 22, 2007 | AP

Posted on 02/23/2007 4:18:57 AM PST by ShadowDancer

Social Dancing Banned In New York

Appeals Court Rules Ban Is Constitutional

POSTED: 9:22 pm EST February 22, 2007

NEW YORK -- Should you find yourself in a bar in New York City, and the music playing makes you want to get up and dance, please resist the urge.

A state court on Thursday upheld the city's Prohibition-era law that bans social dancing in bars, restaurants and certain clubs.

Those who like to get up and boogie sued, arguing the law illegally infringes on their right of free expression. The city's Cabaret Law, which was enacted 80 years ago, bans social dancing in all but specially licensed venues.

The Gotham West Coast Swing Club and several people filed a lawsuit complaining that because the Cabaret Law barred them from dancing with other people, it illegally infringed on their right of free expression.

The appeals court disagreed, saying recreational dancing is not a form of expression protected by the federal or state constitutions.

Plaintiffs lawyer Norman Siegel said he was "very disappointed" by the decision and is considering an appeal.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: elainebennis; lawmakingfordummies; nannygohome
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last
Where's Kevin Bacon when you need him?
1 posted on 02/23/2007 4:19:00 AM PST by ShadowDancer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

Stupid law but also stupid to use the courts rather than the legislature to change it.


2 posted on 02/23/2007 4:27:08 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Prevent Glo-Ball Warming ... turn out the sun when not in use)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer
Kevin Bacon, Gotham needs your help!

Sounds like the court can't pull their respected head out of their collective A$$es.

NY need a new law.

What a stupid opinion.

3 posted on 02/23/2007 4:27:25 AM PST by jws3sticks (Hillary can take a very long walk on a very short pier, anytime, and the sooner the better!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

This has little if no impact on me.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), my movements to music on a have rarely been described as "dancing". :o)


4 posted on 02/23/2007 4:27:58 AM PST by Rhetorical pi2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

ping


5 posted on 02/23/2007 4:28:57 AM PST by wintertime
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer
"Those who like to get up and boogie sued, arguing the law illegally infringes on their right of free expression."

Odd way to tackle this one. I would have thought leaving the choice up to the bars to decide if dancing will be allowed would be the common sense argument. Then again, I'm a conservative not a liberal nanny stater.
6 posted on 02/23/2007 4:37:40 AM PST by tfecw (It's for the children)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer; MotleyGirl70; Larry Lucido; Mr. Brightside; Rb ver. 2.0

Some "Social Dancing" should be banned everywhere.

7 posted on 02/23/2007 4:39:03 AM PST by Cagey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

Question: Why are New Yorkers barred from having sex while standing up?

Answer: Because it might lead to dancing.


8 posted on 02/23/2007 4:41:22 AM PST by Daveinyork
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

This fight has been going on for years. The big dance clubs like the law. The little bars hate it.


9 posted on 02/23/2007 4:42:33 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cagey

Sweet Fancy Moses!!


10 posted on 02/23/2007 4:46:21 AM PST by babble-on
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

This is the type of law that needs to be eradicated from the books. America still has old, stupid, and outdated laws on its books that go back over a hundred years that, at the time might have made sense but, today are just stupid.

I have said this before that, if all the laws in America were actively and equally enforced, we would be the least free and most oppressed and repressed people on the planet.

"Lawmakers" have run amok and its time for them to adjourn until a major crisis actually arises that needs their help.


11 posted on 02/23/2007 4:47:34 AM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cagey; ShadowDancer; MotleyGirl70; Mr. Brightside; Rb ver. 2.0

Dancing is prohibited in my house.

Unless it involves a pole.


12 posted on 02/23/2007 4:49:01 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Duncan Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Cagey

Elaine is easy.


13 posted on 02/23/2007 4:49:38 AM PST by Rb ver. 2.0 (A Muslim soldier can never be loyal to a non-Muslim commander.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

Giuliani resurrected the prohibition era Cabaret Laws. Look it up.


14 posted on 02/23/2007 4:50:40 AM PST by Spiff (Rudy Giuliani Quote (NY Post, 1996) "Most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

hasn't NYC been pretty much taken over by muslims since 9/11?


15 posted on 02/23/2007 4:53:24 AM PST by sure_fine ( • not one to over kill the thought process™ •)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Spiff

It was part of the "quality of life" campaign to crack down on noise etc.


16 posted on 02/23/2007 4:53:52 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Spiff; Cagey

And yet Cagey is still one of his staunchest supporters.


17 posted on 02/23/2007 4:54:06 AM PST by ShadowDancer (Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Larry Lucido
"Dancing is prohibited in my house. Unless it involves a pole."

Does that happen before or after the airing of grievances?

18 posted on 02/23/2007 4:58:09 AM PST by Rb ver. 2.0 (A Muslim soldier can never be loyal to a non-Muslim commander.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: DustyMoment

While they are at that, perhaps they could do away with some of the brand-spanking new stupid and useless laws as well...


19 posted on 02/23/2007 4:59:41 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (Never let it be said that there are things we would never let be said.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ShadowDancer

So dancing naked in strip clubs for dollar tips is legally protected free speech in NY but two people in a bar wanting to dance to the juke box are committing a crime?


20 posted on 02/23/2007 5:00:27 AM PST by rockprof
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson