Pinal County prohibition on outdoor dancing is as ridiculous as it is out of date
Pinal County must be sponsoring its own rendition of the 1984 movie “Footloose,” with the county zoning department filling the role of the uptight and repressive minister played by actor John Lithgow. “These dances and this kind of music can be destructive...”
That’s the only way we can explain Tuesday’s ridiculous order from a county hearing officer for the San Tan Flat restaurant south of Queen Creek to pay a $5,000 fine because some people jump up and sway their hips while enjoying food, drinks and music under the Arizona night sky... County officials say San Tan Flat was transformed into an illegal house of boogie when some customers started to feel the rhythm anyway. Outdoor dance halls are banned in Pinal County, after all....
What’s next, county planners writing out dancing tickets at the upcoming Country Thunder music concert? Dance police roaming backyards to put a stop to any dos-ados at graduation parties and wedding receptions?... somebody should check to see if Kevin Bacon is ready to break out his rebellious footloose shoes again. “There was a time for this law, but not anymore. This is our time to dance.”
Source: East Valley Tribune, January 19, 2007
The elected and appointed government officials in Pinal County, and the State of Arizona, as agents 'of the people, by the people, for the people' have an absolute obligation to protect the rights of 'all of its citizens', setting aside prejudice, special interests, and all other distractions that might interfere with protection of freedom and the fair application of justice, not just for Mr. Bell, but for all of its citizens. Mr. Bell has rights, and so far, the scale for the rights proposition has leaned heavily in Mr. Bell's favor, entirely at the expense of the rights of his neighbors. Mr. Bell is not entitled to the unencumbered use of our neighborhood properties, to use as he currently chooses to, constructively seizing them from us for his own enjoyment and enrichment, and the County through its actions or inaction, cannot surrender our properties to Mr. Bell or allow to continue, Mr. Bell's nightly trespass. That would effectively constitute an unlawful application of eminent domain, the taking of our properties, and handing them over to Mr. Bell, having denied our neighborhood property owners their due legal recourse, compensation and treatment under the law. The County is obliged to restore the "balance" Judge O'Neil referred to in court.
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