Is There a Duty to Be "Good Gays"?
The NYPD culminated an extensive undercover sting operation against several major bars and dance clubs in the city last night:
The clubs include View on Eighth Avenue, Club Deep on West 22nd Street, Avalon on West 20th Street, Splash on West 17th Street, and Spirit on West 27th Street.Police said undercover agents bought drugs, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana and ecstasy at several of the clubs. Detectives also said bartenders at the clubs sold alcohol to minors.
For whatever reason — ignorance or apathy, take your pick — the article fails to mention that one of the five clubs, Splash, is the largest full-time gay bar/club in New York City.
This is not the first time Splash had to shut down — back in 1999 one of the bar’s owners died from a GHB overdose. This despite repeated protestations (before and since) that the club was completely drug-free.
And I know at least one underage lad who confirms that it is was indeed relatively easy, at least on some nights, to get into Splash without ID and buy alcohol.
Now put aside for the moment the typical libertarian questions about whether drugs should be illegal (answer: generally no) or whether the drinking age should 21 or 18) (answer: 18). Given that the laws are what they are, and given how fortunate gays are nowadays to live in a time and (if they so choose) a place where there can be huge gay clubs such as Splash, does that not imply a “duty” not to screw it up?
Remember the old saying “A woman has to work twice as hard for half the recognition”? Can gays as a group, struggling to dispel stereotypes and gain respect, afford to be embarrassed by headlines such as this?
With equality of opportunity comes equality of responsibility. Is it too much to ask that the proprietors of gay establishments follow the rules and not ruin it for the rest of us? Can’t the patrons of gay establishments limit themselves to places that have upright reputations?
How long do you think it will be before some representative of the bigot brigade latches onto this incident and spins it into a tirade of “See, all gays are irresponsible, law-breaking, underage-corrupting drug users!”?
I neither know no care how long Splash will be shut down; I haven’t gone there in a long time. But whether this new gap in the gay nightlife scene is filled by other bars and clubs or by a revived Splash, hopefully the owners and customers will, for the sake of the entire gay community, start staying out of the police blotter.
(Via Gothamist. Cross-posted at Spectrum Bloggers.)
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Doesn't your argument imply that I, as a straight person, then have no obligation to be good when I got to a straight club because, well, getting respect has never been a problem?
04 02 06
You are asking the question that all minority groups struggle with. When a bunch of Black people screw up and riot, almost every Black person talks about it because it is an affront to the race. Other group identity politics act in the same way. And since homosexuals have alignments along sexual preference,the question is no less valid. However, I think this post points to the foolishness of group identity politics in many ways.
For example a drug free professional has nothing in common with a raver partier who has no job or anything else UNLESS they are coupled via some group identity politic. Then, should the former support the latter, if the latter is a loser just because they are part of the same goup? NO! Sort of like Cynthia McKinney-many Blacks in high profile positions immediately took a position on her case, without examining her conduct; ALL in the name of melonin. Silliness, and I propose that it is equally silly to make alignments based upon sexual behavior.
I always thought it was minorities (specifically Blacks), who had to work twice as hard for half teh recognition….
04 04 06
Phalanx: In many ways, in professional environments there is a credibility gap that Black professionals oft discuss. I have experienced it myself. However, I am not sure how your statement is relevant. Because just because Blacks have to work hard doesn't mean that we are blameless in silly cases like this! Her conduct was reprehensible. Can't you tell by the wild looking eyes and hair;)? lol.