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RLE at Stonxy BR1OOK Vol. XIX No. 18 "There's a child molester named Woody on the loose." August 5, 1998 YovX 'RLE AT STONxY BR1OOK Now, ISSTES ~ 13 - - cr -~~-~e lc~-- n~ --- ~r -- W~el·.s.~n~Psr~ares~O·lble~raR~r~·~-~b 't- -I -- IJnD, iA MESSAE T RYOIJ By Jen Hobin tells us is that some people in positions of power time at a peep show for a quarter a pop. And just think this will happen. like richer people tend to buy more expensive You knew it had to happen. After taking Again in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana sneakers, they also opt for more expensive enter- down John Gotti, and evicting Dinkins from Gracie surveys were conducted of real estate appraisers tainment-even in the sexual arena-so cheap shows Mansion, Giuliani has set his sights on the ultimate regarding the impact of the sex shops on property just may not be their thing. On the same note per- evil plaguing New York City. His aim: To preserve values. A majority of the appraisers "responded haps entrepreneurs open sex shops in poor (and the "quality and character" of fair Gotham, uphold that such a use located within one block of such a consequently more crime ridden) neighborhoods family values and maybe, just maybe, save your residential neighborhood would have a negative because they will face less opposition from resi- soul. His means (at least in part): Destruction of the effect on the value of residential and commercial dents there as opposed to wealthier neighbor- sex shop industry. properties." This is not a study of the secondary hoods. After all, the wealthy (or even relatively so) In 1995 the City Planning Commission impacts of the sex shop industry, this is an opinion generally have more time on their hands to battle approved amendments to the city's zoning regula- poll. If the opinions of the appraisers are based on the moral evildoers tb n the poor people. tions that would prohibit the operation of adult a study, this should be noted. After all I could claim It you think it is bad that Giuliani doesn't establishments within 500 feet of residential areas. all the half-witted shit I want and wrap it up in care about the quality of the data he is citing to, in Instead, adult establishments, defined as those that official sounding terms, but that still does not effect, ruin the businesses and livelihood of his devote more than 40 percent of their stock to adult mean it is true. However even if we were to constituents, you are sure to be inflamed at the fact books, movies, or performances can now only assume that porn shops do have a negative impact that he doesn't really need data at all. He is happy operate in designated manufacturing and commer- on property values, so what. Is this a cause to vio- to amend legislation based on people's perception cial districts. The new regulations will affect all but late the rights of small business owners? If a sig- that the sex shop industry is harming them. a handful of the city's estimated 144 sex shops, as nificant amount of black people move into a given According to the summary, "In some cases, partic- currently more than 75 percent of these establish- area property values will decrease. Does this mean ularly in study areas with only one adult enter- ments are located in zoning districts that permit we should further amend zoning regulations so tainment establishment, the DCP survey did not residences. that African Americans can live only in commercial yield conclusive evidence of a direct relationship According to Giuliani and his band of and manufacturing districts, so that the morally between the adult use and the urban ills affecting data manipulating morality mongers, other juris- righteous white folk don't have their delicate sen- the community...Other cities that have conducted dictions that have studied the effects of the adult sibilities offended? I certainly hope not. similar studies that have acknowledged this same entertainment industry have found negative sec- It is tempting to believe the so-called data difficulty." Despite the lack of evidence City offi- ondary impacts on the surround- on the relationship between crime and cials say that the negative impact perceived by the ing community. The purported the establishment of sex shops, but do population warrants the conclusion that the over- negative impacts include lower not be so easily fooled. Think back to all effect on the surrounding properties is consid- housing and property values, your research methodology class--just ered to be negative. higher turnover rates in commer- because an area with sex shops has a In a press release Giuliani has said as he cial and residential areas adjacent greater crime rate than areas without has said many times, "sex shops destroy neighbor- to such establishments, increased sex shops does not mean that sex shops hoods...Our adult-use zoning regulations not only crime (including sex crimes) and cause crime or attract a criminal ele- mean that valuable commercial areas like Times the ill-defined neighborhood ment. For example, a study in Whittier Square will be cleaned up but that sex shops will deterioration. A closer look at the California showed a 102 percent no longer be allowed to destroy the quality of life executive summary of the adult increase in 38 types of criminal activity in residential neighborhoods." Giuliani has failed entertainment study conducted over two time periods in an area con- to directly operationally define "quality of life". by the city of New York, the taining adult businesses. This was com- While he implies that quality of life is a function of source of these claims, reveals that pared to a mere 8 percent increase in the property values and crime rates, he has failed to i-Lh - trAa rlni l r r ftIL na1 Ri LIA tic sc 1AT rlwhol In PhConi Arizona show that the sex shop industry is harmful on that nllgijs adre nii acaro cu1 as ixudUUY y , liani _ , . ... , . .. would have us believe. RdG areas with sex shops had six times the level. If he intends "quality of life" to mean moral The executive summary cites a study in amount of crime compared to areas without sex quality, then I am forced to ask whose life he is bet- the Town of Islip (right next door) to show just shops. Giuliani obviously cites these studies as evi- tering? Surely not the individual whose only how evil sex shops can be. The only information dence that sex shops are bad, but obviously source of income comes from dancing naked. given is that the town "prohibited adult uses from Giuliani is not too bright. Certainly not his or her children. locating in downtown commercial areas because While it may indeed be the case that sex However, rather than trying to allay the they would produce a "dead zone" that shoppers shops increase crime, the executive summary does fears of the people by stating that there is no evi- would avoid. Other government efforts to revital- not provide very compelling evidence that this is dence that adult establishments will have harmful ize or stabilize these areas and attract private so. Perhaps the missing link is poverty. Poverty effects on their communities, Giuliani feeds these investment would be impacted negatively." Note stricken areas tend to have higher crime rates than fears by storming into sex shops, no doubt with the use of'the word "would". This "study" did not more affluent areas. Perhaps poor people tend to weapons raised, yelling "Police! Nobody move." successfully demonstrate that adult entertainment frequent sex shops more. After all even the poorest Welcome to New York. Enjoy your stay in the "cap- produces a dead zone. In fact all this statement person could beg enough money to have quite a ital of the world." THE STONY BROOK PRESS PAGE 2 I sc ~II~ Ik--~ -·- I ·FI -----~I~ --- P 16-s~e ~~L~cC L ~rC ~ -4 ~----r~- I sl IL L~s~b Il pc I-·s~L~ tar. r~ L · IL. Ls ISSVES Ti eR Bear by Chris Sorochin and road rage are now elements of the urban land- ing on every corner of the building. On the outside scape and so are surveillance cameras. And the was a hand-painted mural, common to many Irish "He who rides the tiger can never new yuppie class is whining into their cell phones pubs, but this one featured a sour-faced policeman dismount." -Chinese Proverb that they want lower taxes. This time I didn't see peering through the window as the sun rises, one sign offering a discount to the unemployed. beholding a riot of spilled pints and unconscious Once upon a time, economists rhap- The Yanks Are Comin' customers. Over here, such a celebration would be sodized over the "Asian Tigers": South Korea, I knew trouble was brewing when I saw an excuse for an escalation of the tender ministra- Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. These countries, the middle-aged quartet of our obvious country- tions of the State Liquor Authority. following in the footsteps of Japan, achieved rapid folk saunter into the pub. They were loud and clue- Other people told me that Ireland flirted growth and seemingly overnight development. less and sporting Kelly green sweatshirts pro- with "zero tolerance" policing for a while, but it Conservatives expounded endlessly on how these claiming the wannabe glories of the St. Paddy's was laughed out of existence by the people, and governments did whatever necessary to be "busi- Day Homophobe March.
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