UD‘s buddy Jon sends her this ‘thesdan dispatch:
[Bethesda resident] Paul Pickthorne [hosts bondage and discipline parties] … in the castlelike, 3,600-square-foot McMansion he rents… The cost: $20 for a basic ticket, $50 for VIP treatment.
… [His neighbors] convened a meeting in someone’s living room last week, then fired off indignant e-mails to county council member Roger Berliner (D), whose district includes their Merrimack Park subdivision.
“I share your sense of outrage that a sex club is operating in your lovely neighborhood,” Berliner wrote back. “I want you to know that my office has been advised that our County has moved aggressively to put an end to this blight on your community.”
The county moved all right. Pickthorne got a written warning from a zoning inspector Monday. But hold on. Suppose Pickthorne stops charging admission, as he says he might? Suppose he complies with the inspector and hosts all future BDSM gatherings as strictly noncommercial functions in accordance with Section 59-C-1.31? What then?
“Well,” says Berliner on the phone, hesitating. “Certainly one has to respect everyone’s constitutional rights.”
In other words, if no money changes hands, and the kinky people don’t cause a noise or traffic nuisance, the First Amendment would ring clear: Party on!…
February 4th, 2010 at 11:11PM
The obscene McMansions of ‘Thesda
Are the places to which flock the best o’
DC’s S & M mavens
To quench all their cravins
Only if it’s a no-charge fiesta.
February 4th, 2010 at 11:24PM
If spanking a bad girl’s your fun,
Or caning your slaves one-by-one,
We neighbors don’t mind,
As we’re all quite refined.
But park in the street and you’re done.
February 5th, 2010 at 4:22AM
What exactly is included in the ‘vip Treatment’? …
February 5th, 2010 at 8:43AM
I would think that driving and parking in Bethesda would provide enough suffering for even the most dedicated masochist.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:50AM
david: Funny!
February 5th, 2010 at 12:53PM
Oh please. We all know that these “discipline” parties just find everyone sitting ’round a fire, reading Foucault. What’s the big deal?
February 5th, 2010 at 1:35PM
Nicely done again Dave Stone. Quit the day job. Go with limericks full time!
February 5th, 2010 at 2:34PM
The ‘burbs are not so kinky–
It’s a question of class, don’t you see
In B-town you’ll thrive
As long as you drive
A BDSM SUV.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:39PM
A BDSM SUV — pretty brilliant, MattF.
And Dave – you are on the world’s longest limerick roll.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:50PM
“…unusually high percentage of lawyers. I don’t know why…”
February 5th, 2010 at 3:16PM
Bound By Precedent — the steamy new film from Vivid.