Dave's Letter to the Az Republic which SUPPORTS

Dave's Letter to the Az Republic which SUPPORTS
The New Laws Making Swing Clubs Illegal
LIBERATED CHRISTIANS
PO Box 55045 Phoenix, AZ 85078-5045 Voice Mail: 602-955-0711
Promoting Positive Christian Intimacy & Sexuality

Sent To: The Arizona Republic Editorial Board which APPROVES of the proposed laws.

September 12, 1998

Re: "A decent proposal" REGARDING SWING CLUBS

I am co-founder of Liberated Christians, which promotes loving intimacy and caring sexuality among Christian "swingers" and polyamous couples. I also speak at many national swing conventions exposing the traditional Christian teachings regarding sexuality, which have no biblical basis. I have enclosed some of our intro materials. Our web site at http://www.libchrist.com gets 300-500 visitors a day and we have over 3000 subscribers to our Internet newsletter. I also led a Phoenix couples group where over 350 people attended workshops on loving intimacy, honest communications, bible studies, intimacy, massage workshops, as well as parties during a three-year period. Liberated Christian is a non-profit organization. For workshops and parties we charge a fee of $10-25 to offset expenses for food or beverages and snacks.

I was appalled at the new City of Phoenix proposal to make all swing clubs (they call them sex clubs) illegal based on a hundred plus page "Sex clubs Factual Record" that was nothing more than about a commercial swing club that was in violation of a zoning requirement since it was too close to a residential area.

Based on the zoning issue, the city has a proposed ordinance that would seem to outlaw our existence as well as the many similar clubs where sexual options exist for consenting adults in the privacy of a private club or in a person's home.

With no data to support their position, the ordinance uses as an excuse that we are a "disorderly house", a "public nuisance", and an operation that "contributes to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases." This is appalling.

No one pays to have sex. These are consenting adults who have the option if they choose to share sexually with other consenting adults in a private club. But it appears simply charging an entrance few (even to cover costs) that if persons "may view" a sex act the fact an entrance fee is charged, that is "consideration to view a sex act." That of course is designed to make illegal all the legitimate swing clubs where no one "pays to view" but simply an entry fee is charged.

Regarding STD's I contend that adults knowledgeable and experienced regarding their sexuality, especially couples, have a very low STD risk compared to most any other form of sexual liaison, such as cheating relationships or the bar scene. HIV is totally a non-issue. There has never been an HIV case related to swinging and there are many reasons why there probably never will. See separate enclosed reports on those issues.

The only conclusion I can reach is that the City of Phoenix is so obsessed over promoting a repressive view of sexuality they have gone to new lows in excuses to get rid of a chosen form of expression that so many thousands of consenting adults enjoy participating in worldwide.

Robert McGinley founder of the National Association of swing says:

"If passed, the new rules would deal a deathblow to swing clubs in Phoenix…Whatever the actions of the swing clubs, Phoenix City Council, "neighborhood leaders," or the "sex industry," this city battle is representative of the sex hysteria that has obsessed America. When, oh when, will we grow up!"

When such proposals come up in other cities they have always been defeated on constitutional grounds. All the city is going to do is show how obsessed they are in preventing citizens to enjoy sexual expression and waste legal fees trying to support such a ill-fated and just plain stupid ordinance.

Sincerely,

Dave, cofounder Liberated Christians