Posted on 01/13/2006 5:28:46 AM PST by Cagey
TRENTON, N.J. - With curious officeworkers gawking and strip-bar standards playing in the background, several hundred people joined a handful of exotic dancers in front of the Statehouse on Thursday to rally against New Jersey‘s new indoor smoking ban.
"It‘s going to murder our business," said Dominique Hernandez, 24, who dances at a lounge in Florence. "A lot of people want to get off of work, have a drink and a smoke and watch some pretty girls. There‘s nothing wrong with that."
"I‘m just passing by on the way to the office," was the refrain from many men, and some women, in the crowd.
"I‘ve been a smoker since I was 13 and it‘s really against our rights," said Allan Brophy, 24, of Union. "Pretty soon they‘re going to be outlawing it in our houses."
The rally, trumpeted by two radio shock jocks, featured signs that read "Defy Anti-Smoking Nazis" and "Tobacco Control Is Out of Control." In the background, a loudspeaker blared typical strip bar tunes such as "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and "Girls, Girls, Girls."
The ban, which affects bars and restaurants — but not gambling areas of casinos — is to be signed into law Sunday by Gov. Richard J. Codey.
Alan Blumenfeld, owner of a Mount Holly club described as a "gentlemen‘s day care center," said the smoking ban will drive away customers, who he said will cross the Delaware River to Philadelphia, where there are no such bans.
The raucous crowd often interrupted the speakers — who included club owners and the radio hosts — with shouts of "Codey Don‘t Sign" and expletives proclaiming their dislike for the ban.
Codey, who was holding an unrelated news conference inside the Statehouse while the rally was taking place, joked that he would make his event quick so reporters could go outside. But, he said, the protest wouldn‘t change his vow to sign the legislation.
Carton and co-host Ray Rossi have garnered headlines in the past. Last year, they made disparaging comments about Codey‘s wife, who has talked publicly of her struggle with postpartum depression.
Before the rally, the radio hosts said they decided to team up with strippers to spotlight the issue because strip clubs would be the first businesses to be hurt under the anti-smoking legislation.
And, said Carton, "Strippers get people‘s attention."
Thursday‘s rally took take place one week into the winter ratings period for radio stations.
Exotic dancer Natalia Mirasecka of Bordentown, N.J. yells while holding up a protest sign as she and a group of exotic dancers, many from area go-go bars, joined in a demonstration Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006, outside the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton, N.J., against New Jersey's ban on indoor smoking in public places that will be signed into law on by Gov. Richard J. Codey Sunday
If I were a stripper, I wouldn't want people smoking around me.
"It‘s going to murder our business,"
Well I don't know about that.
Back in the day (god I feel old) I avoided going to the clubs because my wife would know where I had been due to the smoke that permeated my clothes.
A smoking stripper thread?
It must be Friday.
TGIF
PUFF!!!!!!!!!
(on or off the list, ping me or freepmail me)
Tony S is not happy.
This about sums it up... How much of a spread is there between tax revenues of a gambling joint and a local bar??
LOL!!!!!!
Even less after this takes effect and the local bars start going out of business.
Horrors! Being forced to choose which addiction to indulge is SO cruel!
But I guess the strippers can't use that argument....
The Casinos have NJ pols in their pockets and this legislation only amplifies that fact.
-Eric
Sounds like a good niche market for some strip club owners to go non-smoking. Of course, that is an idea based on freedom and capitalism, things the anti-smoking nazis wouldn't understand.
That's probably not a true story. Back in the "old days" everybody smoked everywhere. You must have been suspect by your wife if she thought that the odor of cigarette smoke meant you were going to strip joints.
Actually, the answer for patrons of strip clubs is to switch to smoking pot. No one seems to object to that.
Thread from yesterday:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1556358/posts
Strippers to protest at State House (Smoking Ban in NJ)
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