Thanks to a case of bronchitis I can't seem to shake, I'm still knocking around awake, and tripped over a link-less headline at Drudge that says that the leaders of D.C.'s gay community are going to work together to defeat the effort to build a baseball stadium in Washington, D.C. for the Montreal Expos.
What's the problem? For that, you need to check out the pages of the Washington Blade, which reported over a week ago that the plans to build the stadium would require the demolition of a number of gay dance clubs and other businesses in the area. On Friday, the Blade reported on the growing concern in the gay community, as the current set of D.C. zoning laws would make it virtually impossible for these businesses to relocate anywhere else in the city.
Other things to keep in mind: DC councilman David Catania (I-At-Large) is the leader of the opposition to public financing for the stadium. The other openly gay member of the City Council is Jim Graham (D-Ward One), who has said he remains undecided.
Is it enough to stop the stadium? Who knows? But expect things to get pretty dicey in the coming weeks, as Mayor Anthony Williams tries to balance baseball with an effort to please a number of very different constituencies. There's a real potential here for things to get very embarassing for the Mayor.
EARLY MORNING UPDATE: Here's the story Drudge was probably tipped on, in today's Washington Times.
To be fair, these are not gay “dance” clubs. Well, perhaps Nation might be, but a number of these “clubs” are gay strip bars. I work at lovely Ft. McNair and pass by them on my way home everyday. The area is quite seedy and industrial. This is not to “damn” the clubs, but I don’t think many people hang out on S. Capitol St. for fun late evenings unless they are hanging out at one of the strip bars.
That may or may not change public perception. If they were straight strip bars, would that change things? ie-would straight politicians hold the line on a new stadium because perhaps their constituents like to head over to the ole nudie bar? Doubtful.
It’s easy to make this a gay “rights” issue, but perhaps it should be a more of a “strip” club issue not a “gay” issue. Good luck on that in this city, I suppose.
Feel better, Eric.
No, but the politicians might hold things up because THEY are going to the strip clubs.