Gay sex flap roils Hamptons beach

New York Daily News ^ | 7/13/2003 | DEBBIE TUMA and DON SINGLETON

[07055]

For decades, Two Mile Hollow Beach existed as East Hampton's tony gay beach, without serious complaint.

Then came private detectives with video cameras, and nudity and sex acts in the dunes were private no more.

The videos sparked a reaction that exploded in an angry hearing in an East End firehouse yesterday morning, with gays protesting the intrusion on their no-tan-line turf.

As the mayor, police chief and other elected and appointed officials sat on the dais, 150 angry locals, most of them gay, blew off steam about the private eyes who have been playing Candid Camera in the underbrush.

The event was organized by Tom Kirdahy, co-chairman of the East End Gay Organization, who said he called the hearing because of his members' concerns that the cameras are evidence of homophobia.

Many of the complaints were focused on Ron Baron, a representative of the Further Lane Association, which serves the mansion-studded area where such famous Hamptons residents as Billy Joel and Jerry Seinfeld have lived.

"On June 4, the Further Lane Association hired a security company to video the beach for possible prosecution of crimes," said Police Chief Gerard Larsen. "On June 11, the security company turned over to police tapes of public sex, urination and probable drug activity."

The tapes led to the arrests of five men, two for public lewdness and three for public urination.

Based on the tapes, and on reports of increased teenage drinking, Larsen said he has ordered nightly patrols of all beaches in the village. "With increased uniformed police, I don't think there will be too many problems," he said.

"We've had several formal complaints regarding the Two Mile Hollow issue, and we're looking into possible bias incidents," said Dafna Priel, a member of the Anti-Bias Task Force of East Hampton.

Fearing violence

"Is kissing illegal?" one audience member asked, noting that former village administrations ignored kissing and more intimate sexual activities between consenting adults in the dark at the beach.

"Videotaping in a concerted, organized way is harassment," said Scott Bennett, who said he uses the beach. "I get up in the morning and all I want to do is use my beach, and I see guards glaring and staring at me with video cameras. It sickens me. I'm afraid we're going to have real violence and maybe a riot if the police don't protect us."

It's not illegal to take videotapes on the beach, Larsen said. "But you have the right to say you don't want to be on camera, and if they persist, then it could be considered harassment."

"People are afraid of being arrested," said Richard Cabot, another Two Mile Hollow Beach regular. "If it's a straight white couple having sex on the beach, I think nothing would happen."

"If I receive complaints about any people having sex in the open, they will be arrested," Larsen responded. "One complaint is all it takes."

Originally published on July 13, 2003

[realpatriot]

What is it with this particular perversion that they believe the world revolves around that perversion? Really, I don't see any distiction from say, bestiality.

[Support Free Republic]

.REMEMBER

CAN PREVENT

FUNDRAISERS

.

PLEASE SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC Donate Here By Secure ServerOr mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com

STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD-
It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[csvset]

Hey, the public boffers can get arrested and fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court. I'm sure they'll rule that public buggery is a-okay.

[cmsgop]

Howard Stern was talking about this. Something about declining property values.

[mewzilla]

...and nudity and sex acts in the dunes were private no more.

Um, how was this kind of behavior in that location ever considered private in the first place?!

[oceanview]

and that's exactly what would happen. this texas sodomy law was nuts, and look where it got us, arresting those two guys in Texas is the key event that will lead to full blown gay marriage in the US, sanctioned by state and federal courts. Was it worth it? Is it worth it to go after these guys in the dunes? Just leave them alone. They will win any legal case they decide to pursue on this, especially in NY, especially in the Hamptons.

Declining property values in the Hamptons? Anyone familiar with the area knows that is not possible.

[pogo101]

Has nothing, in principle, to do with sexual orientation: People should not conduct loin-locking in public places; they have no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in such places; and they rightfully can be cited for infractions or misdemeanors, if they engage in such.

Maybe someone could produce a video: "Seen 'COPS'? Seen 'Girls Gone Wild'? Now see 'Hampton Boys Gone Wild'!"

[Endeavor]

This is nuts. Keep your sex acts behind your own walls. I wouldn't want to see this nor would I want kids to see it - gay or straight. A beach is for sunning, fishing off or swimming, not for having sex and doing drugs.

[oceanview]

the issue is selective enforcement. the straights are doing these things too, are the videos only being done at the gay beach?

[Paleo Conservative]

are the videos only being done at the gay beach?

Probably not, but they probably aren't being made by the police either.

[07055]

A related story: Prosecutor says that public sex is private:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/943025/posts

[longtermmemmory]

(s) next the city will want to outlaw homosexuals from having sex in public rest rooms. (/s)

when in doubt scream phobia.

homosexual activists are nothing but a continuation of hitler's nazis.

[Endeavor]

I don't think it is selective enforcement. I think it's a matter of having reports of illegal behavior going on at this beach and the cops following up.

When I lived in MPLS-St. Paul, there was as trip of beach in St. Paul, known as the gay beach. The police pretty much let people do whatever there and they did. It was appalling particularly because it was part of a park. Bad behavior is bad behavior, period. If I was a cop, I'd be following up on leads, too. Whether it is going on at straight beaches, makes the gay public sex no less wrong.

[joesnuffy]

Demanding the legal protection for performing perverse acts in public from who???

The majority votes electors who make laws?...elected/hired law enforcement and judges are supposed to also reflect the will of the people by enforcing the laws the electorate pass..the will of the people is supposed to be moderated by the internal law God gave man (conscience)

The laws congress pass also have limits and are not to infringe over the borders/parameters set forth by the Constitution....(thats been broken)

In other words the people have spoken and demanded that congress pass laws against sodomy...from their good conscience...

only to have 1.5% of the population demand the people respect their "right" (which they do NOT have) to perform perverse acts in public.....and have their "public privacy" protected...

Yet NO One else has this right....

Then Judges....of the SCOTUS no less... use their good office to overturn the will of the people
the will of the state
and the constitution
to make 1.5% of the population
who are in violation of the law anyway...happy...

And this is encouraged by a so called conservative govt.?

[John Jorsett]

But you have the right to say you don't want to be on camera, and if they persist, then it could be considered harassment."

Wow. So can I tell my bank branch that I'm tired of their harrassing video surveillance of me? And will the cops shut off those harrassing traffic cameras that watch my every move? Cool.

[dennisw]

oy!

[Tall_Texan]

"I get up in the morning and all I want to do is use my beach,"

Shaddup, beach!

[Tall_Texan]

Maybe someone could produce a video: "Seen 'COPS'? Seen 'Girls Gone Wild'? Now see 'Hampton Boys Gone Wild'!"

"Gays Gone Wild"

Show us your....uh, um, on second thought, don't...

[Criminal Number 18F]

I don't see any distiction from say, bestiality.

Well, the people who do sheep and goats have the decency to do it alone, and not be quite in your face with it.

These guys(?) at the meeting seem to argue that they have a right to get it on on the public beach, and that anyone that disagrees is just one of them bad evil homophobes. Uh-huh.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F