1. Rose group says it caused its own trouble
2. Kenner sex fetish gathering hits kink
3. Fetish event organizers cancel event following Congemi request
4. Fetish Convention Won't Happen In Kenner
5. Fetishists called, but rooms were tied up
6. When Evil Becomes Good
7. Littleton case may decide fate of adult-store licensing
1. Rose group says it caused its own trouble
2. Kenner sex fetish gathering hits kink
3. Fetish event organizers cancel event following Congemi request
4. Fetish Convention Won't Happen In Kenner
5. Fetishists called, but rooms were tied up
6. When Evil Becomes Good
7. Littleton case may decide fate of adult-store licensing
Rose group says it caused its own trouble
By Nancy Powell
Ocean City Today
October. 10, 2003
For people who prefer thorns to petals and those who favor freedom of expression and the right to assemble, the cancellation of the Black Rose pansexual event in Ocean City was dismaying. To those who thought the event would tarnish the resort's family image and entice others into an alternative sexual lifestyle, the cancellation was a victory.
The very popularity of the BDSM lifestyle led to the ending of what organizers called an educational and social event. So many people wanted to attend that even a large hotel could not hold them all and rooms were booked in other places.
The law forbids public nudity in places with a liquor license. Not that Black Rose planned to do that, but some of its attendees might have, and that would have put the Princess Royale's liquor license in jeopardy.
Some Black Rose members said the organization's staff was incompetent and did the fetish community a great disservice by not discovering the local laws could cause problems. "They set up the fundies to win," wrote one on the Internet referring to the local Common Cause Coalition, which tried to pressure the hotel into canceling the event and wanted government leaders to speak out against it.
"The Princess Royale does not condone, support or encourage activities such as those practiced by some members of Black Rose," wrote Jon Tremellen, general manager of the Princess Royale, in a press release. "We do, however, support the rights and freedoms of all Americans.
One vocal Black Rose opponent, Jim McGinnis, asked the mayor and council on Monday to take a stand and "deplore their presence" because their activities were against the norm. McGinnis said the group planned to have workshops and "classes on how not to hurt yourselves. Is this what we want in Ocean City?" he asked. [cont.]
To read this article, go to:
http://www.oceancity.md/octoday/headline.cfm?PubID=1837
To respond, write to: editor@octnews.com
Kenner sex fetish gathering hits kink: Organizer blames unconsenting chief
By Stephanie Doster
Times-Picayune
October 11, 2003
The organizer of a sexual fetish convention in Kenner canceled it Friday after learning of Police Chief Nick Congemi's efforts to whip up local opposition. Fearing the event would "seriously jeopardize the family atmosphere" in Kenner, Congemi mailed letters urging 15 motels to decline any requests to host the event, dubbed "Fetish in the Fall." The conference, which was to feature seminars and demonstrations of bondage and other types of sexual expression, would have been held Nov. 20-23, police said.
Fetish in the Fall organizer Bob Hannaford accused Congemi of harassing people who differ from the chief in their sexual orientation. The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, a Maryland organization that says it represents about 10,000 people, also criticized Congemi.
Congemi called the event "borderline illegal" and "demeaning to women."
"When you talk about bondage, whips, leather and other forms of sadistic behavior and alternative sexual behavior, vampire bites, flogging and ways to use electricity, it takes a very close investigation to determine if these things are really legal," Congemi said. "I said he could do whatever he chooses but we would investigate it very thoroughly."
"I don't see where anyone has the right to harass us or threaten us, especially when they won't even give you a reason," Hannaford said. "He has targeted us because he doesn't believe in the sexual orientation of the attendees."
Susan Wright, a spokesperson for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, called Congemi's move "persecution," and said Kenner will miss out on thousands of dollars in tourist revenue. [cont.]
To read this article go to:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1065851865229310.xml
To respond, go to:
http://www.nola.com/contactus/ and cc:
sdoster@timespicayune.com
Fetish event organizers cancel event following Congemi request
October 10, 2003
WWLTV.com
The organizers of a fetish convention scheduled for late November have canceled the event after Kenner police Chief Nick Congemi asked local hotels not to host it.
Hannaford also said Kenner Police never informed his group that they had any "questions or concerns about this event."
In his letter to the hotel managers, Congemi said, "allowing the event to take place would seriously jeopardize the family atmosphere for which Kenner is noted." [cont.]
To read this article, go to:
http://www.wwltv.com/local/WWL101003Fetishevent.a3cf5af.html
To respond, write to: sbreland@wwltv.com
Fetish Convention Won't Happen In Kenner: Congemi Urges Hotels To Turn Away Group
October 10, 2003
WDSU-TV
A group has canceled its convention after the Kenner police chief urged local hotels to turn away those associated with "Fetish in the Fall."
In a letter sent to hotel managers, Chief Nick Congemi said the conference would consist of seminars and demonstrations in bondage, whips, leather, and other forms of sadism, masochism, and "alternative" sexual behavior. He said the convention would jeopardize the city's family atmosphere.
In a statement, the group decried Congemi's action. "We never expected that the Kenner Police Department would interfere with our business practices or discriminate based solely on our attendees' sexual preference," the statement said. "This event was to be a private conference on private property. …It is too bad that personal beliefs and politics will result in the loss of an event that would have contributed a significant economic impact to the city of Kenner." [cont.]
To read this article, go to:
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/news/2545954/detail.html
To respond, write to:
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/wdsu-tv/1711407/detail.html
Fetishists called, but rooms were tied up
By James Gill
Times-Picayune
October 15, 2003
Perhaps I have led a sheltered life, but I didn't even know that "training sessions" are available to "leaders of the sadomasochism leather fetish community."
Fetishists are just plain folks — "doctors, lawyers, bus drivers and parents" — who just happen to get their kicks through, say, pain or bondage, according to Wright. There are evidently plenty of them out there; some 1,500 were expected to descend on Kenner, injecting many simoleons into the municipal coffers.
Organizers not only informed Kenner cops of their plans a few weeks ago but asked if any of them might be available to work details when the fetishists came to town. Now the Fetish in the Fall website complains that the Police Department "was not willing to open up any dialog with us" and claims that "hundreds" of similar events are taking place all around the country. If that is true, the S&M community must be much larger than anyone can have suspected.
Kenner, in fact, is hardly the first city to give fetishists the cold shoulder. Only last week outraged burghers forced Black Rose to abandon plans for a gathering in Ocean City, Md. Wright is always being wheeled out to take up the cudgels for fellow sadomasochists here or a dominatrix there. Fetishists, not being exactly the suburban ideal, must be used to the bum's rush by now. [cont.]
To read this article, go to:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/106619558387101.xml
To respond, go to: http://www.nola.com/contactus/ and cc:
jgill@timespicayune.com.
When Evil Becomes Good
By Doug Patton
American Daily
October 15, 2003
As a Christian writer, I find myself torn between scripture's admonition to remain focused on the good and noble aspects of life and its warnings about society revering evil as good while reviling good as evil.
To most Americans, this seems too bizarre to even take seriously. How many sick people of this ilk can there possibly be? More than we care to believe, apparently. Last year, Ramada Inns in Michigan and Illinois hosted sadomasochistic conventions. One, called "Vicious Valentine," held at the O'Hare Ramada in Chicago, is said to have broken numerous state laws.
At the Howard Johnson St. Louis Airport hotel, S & M enthusiasts participated in an orgy called "Beat Me in St. Louis IV."
Vomited yet? There's more, much more, but I will spare you the details. This is the whirlwind we are reaping from our "tolerance" of "alternate lifestyles."
Where will Americans draw the line? At pedophilia? At incest? At bestiality? At necrophilia? Homosexuals complain bitterly of "discrimination" and "bigotry" when these questions are raised, yet they are at the center of this movement to call good "evil" and evil "good." [cont.]
To read this article, go to: http://www.americandaily.com/item/3093
To respond, write to: editor@americandaily.com
Littleton case may decide fate of adult-store licensing
By George Merritt
Denver Post
October 15, 2003
The U.S. Supreme Court will use a dispute between the city and an adult business to decide whether businesses can remain open while they appeal a city's denial of their license.
The court's decision will settle a 13-year debate among federal courts over the appeals process for businesses seeking adult licenses. It could affect city ordinances all over the country and possibly make adult licensing "very difficult," according to one expert.
Attorneys for Christal's will argue that without a guaranteed quick decision, cities could ignore a case to keep an unwanted business away. "You shut down the business pending the appeal," said Arthur M. Schwartz, an attorney for Christal's. "It amounts to prior restraint."
The city has refused to grant the store a sales-tax license. Last year, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a state Supreme Court decision, saying the licensing procedures outlined by the city are unconstitutional. [cont.]
To read this article, go to:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E53%7E1698610,00.html
To respond, write to: openforum@denverpost.com and cc: gmerritt@denverpost.com
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