Restaurant dancers stopped in Florida

deanna · 07-23-2008, 04:07 PM

I couldn't believe this when I saw it. A city near(?) Jacksonville, Florida, pressured a restaurant owner to stop having belly dance performers because it is considered "exotic" dancing and the restaurant serves alcohol, a combination that is banned by city ordinances. Apparently, the people who complained didn't even see a show; they just saw an advertisement for the show.

City officials seem to be backing off now that people are asking questions, but it's chilling that it even got that far.

Does anybody live in this area? Do you know anything more about it?

The news article is here.
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Babylonia · 07-23-2008, 06:11 PM

Considering it's Northern Florida which is in the Deep South this doesn't surprise me at all.

Zorba · 07-23-2008, 06:27 PM

Consider the source. My wife's family moved to Florida 3 years ago, I can't stand the place...

deanna · 07-23-2008, 08:39 PM

That's interesting, I didn't realize it was so bad there.
Sad...

masrawy · 07-23-2008, 09:16 PM

Yep .. the next thing you know, they will question people who like middle eastern food.

Brea · 07-23-2008, 10:44 PM

I think people often forget Florida is part of the Deep South too! I sure did. Even Key West has a sort of tail end of that at some times, which is odd for such a freewheeling place.

I think that is very sad, that they would try to do something like that. Ah, the misinformed general public.

Babylonia · 07-24-2008, 01:16 AM

I'm from South Florida and my mom and friend both moved to North FL and believe me it's a whole different world up there.

Example: DH and I went to the gas station to rent videos on a visit up there. We were the only white customers in there, didn't think anything of it. After we returned with our videos we were informed that we had gone to the black gas station and that white people used such and such-WTF?

Brea · 07-24-2008, 01:45 AM

Babylonia- yeah. I can't believe some of the craziness...I always thought that kind of thing was soooo outdated. I'm sorry to see it happen whenever I do.

I think the reason you sometimes see it (as I did) in South Florida perhaps comes from migration within the state?

Babylonia · 07-24-2008, 04:24 PM

Brea, I don't think that Florida being a transient state is the problem in Northern Florida. Their problem is ignorance and ignorance breeds fear. Not everyone is like that but isn't it always the vocal minority that is outraged and causing problems?

Transplants are the "problem" down here and everyone is from somewhere else so no one has roots or that connection to the community or even their own neighborhood.

Brea · 07-24-2008, 08:20 PM

Babylonia- that too. I was watching a show that dealt with racism and I asked my boyfriend, "Why? I don't get it". He said 'Why would we, we didn't grow up around it'. Of course there's all kinds of racism but it still mystifies me why anyone would think things like that.

07-23-2008, 04:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
deanna Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11	Restaurant dancers stopped in Florida I couldn't believe this when I saw it. A city near(?) Jacksonville, Florida, pressured a restaurant owner to stop having belly dance performers because it is considered "exotic" dancing and the restaurant serves alcohol, a combination that is banned by city ordinances. Apparently, the people who complained didn't even see a show; they just saw an advertisement for the show. City officials seem to be backing off now that people are asking questions, but it's chilling that it even got that far. Does anybody live in this area? Do you know anything more about it? The news article is here. __________________ __________________ http://ScribblingGypsy.blogspot.com

07-23-2008, 06:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Zorba Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 740	Consider the source. My wife's family moved to Florida 3 years ago, I can't stand the place... __________________ -Zorba "The Veiled Male" http://www.doubleveil.net

07-23-2008, 08:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
deanna Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11	That's interesting, I didn't realize it was so bad there. Sad... __________________ http://ScribblingGypsy.blogspot.com

07-23-2008, 09:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
masrawy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA/Egypt Posts: 200	Yep Yep .. the next thing you know, they will question people who like middle eastern food. __________________ "Be beautiful , the universe will turn beautiful in your eyes!"

07-23-2008, 10:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Brea V.I.P. Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,283	I think people often forget Florida is part of the Deep South too! I sure did. Even Key West has a sort of tail end of that at some times, which is odd for such a freewheeling place. I think that is very sad, that they would try to do something like that. Ah, the misinformed general public. __________________ www.breamorgiane.com

07-23-2008, 06:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Babylonia Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 384	Considering it's Northern Florida which is in the Deep South this doesn't surprise me at all.

07-24-2008, 01:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
Babylonia Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 384	I'm from South Florida and my mom and friend both moved to North FL and believe me it's a whole different world up there. Example: DH and I went to the gas station to rent videos on a visit up there. We were the only white customers in there, didn't think anything of it. After we returned with our videos we were informed that we had gone to the black gas station and that white people used such and such-WTF?

07-24-2008, 01:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
Brea V.I.P. Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,283	Babylonia- yeah. I can't believe some of the craziness...I always thought that kind of thing was soooo outdated. I'm sorry to see it happen whenever I do. I think the reason you sometimes see it (as I did) in South Florida perhaps comes from migration within the state? __________________ www.breamorgiane.com

07-24-2008, 04:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
Babylonia Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 384	Brea, I don't think that Florida being a transient state is the problem in Northern Florida. Their problem is ignorance and ignorance breeds fear. Not everyone is like that but isn't it always the vocal minority that is outraged and causing problems? Transplants are the "problem" down here and everyone is from somewhere else so no one has roots or that connection to the community or even their own neighborhood.

07-24-2008, 08:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
Brea V.I.P. Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,283	Babylonia- that too. I was watching a show that dealt with racism and I asked my boyfriend, "Why? I don't get it". He said 'Why would we, we didn't grow up around it'. Of course there's all kinds of racism but it still mystifies me why anyone would think things like that. __________________ www.breamorgiane.com