Editorial:

Laws should conentrate on safety, not morality

Published Feb. 23, 2007

Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee's Summit, introduced a bill that would, among other things, raise the legal age to 21 for those going to or working at strip clubs. The bill would also make it illegal for strippers to get tips for their work or for any sexually-oriented business to serve alcohol.

This bill represents a vain attempt to legislate morality. It takes an un-realistic stance about an important issue, trying to use laws to stop behaviors that will realistically happen whether the law is in place or not.

Making it illegal for anyone under 21 to participate in most "adult" activities — mainly what most would call "privileges" like going to bars and strips clubs, as opposed to "responsibilities" like voting and serving in the armed forces — is a vain attempt by lawmakers to make what they see as "morality" law and try to appease their puritan mentalities.

There's a reason behind why those who fight wars and vote should be able to drink beer (and now, go to strip clubs) is so old and clichéd. It's because it's an argument that hasn't been countered and a problem that Bartle is about to make worse.

Besides, as with alcohol, if people who really want to hire strippers can't, they'll find a way to do so whether the law allows them to or not.

And no matter who's looking at the strippers, the strippers should be able to get paid if they're stripping. If lawmakers really want to shut down strip clubs, they should go after the business owners. You don't shut down restaurants by making it illegal to serve food.

Finally, moral arguments aside, making the legal age for entry 21, preventing strippers from getting completely nude and making it illegal to serve alcohol in strip clubs all presumably aim toward a common cause — namely, making clubs safer places to work and patronize. But broad, clunky laws won't make strip clubs safer for strippers or patrons. If a patron has a proclivity for violence, it won't really matter how drunk that patron is or if a stripper is only wearing a single strip of clothing. That patron could still assault the stripper. The only thing that's going to make to make strips clubs safe are good bouncers and responsible management.

Bartle should try to legislate safety, not morality.