Soldotna City Council says OK to lewd, lascivious shows for kids at public parks

85
2105

After delaying a decision for months, the Soldotna City Council, on a vote of 4-2, decided last week to not to ban lewd and lascivious performances for children at the city’s public parks.

Changes to city ordinances had been offered by concerned parents to prevent another incident like the one last summer in a park, where Anchorage-based drag queen performers pranced, twerked, and gyrated in front of children in what many considered a highly sexualized event.

The public expressed outrage that the group had been able to get a city permit for the show at Soldotna Creek Park. It was part of a Pride Day event that included other participatory activities “to advance the central Kenai Peninsula’s Queer Community.”

Last Wednesday, with a room packed with Soldotna residents, the council decided it’s not its role to say what is acceptable to do in front of children in a public park. There are already laws on the books that prohibit sex or sexual simulation, but the City Council was not willing to take the next step and ban burlesque dancing or strip teasing in front of children or in areas where children are expected to be, such as in parks.

Voting no were Councilmembers Jordan Chilson, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Dan Nelson, and Chera Wackler. Councilmembers Lisa Parker and Dave Carey voted in favor. They appeared to worry about the message that a restriction on lewd behavior would send to the LGBTQ community, and perhaps make LGBTQ people feel unwelcome in the city.

Farnsworth-Hutchings was joined by Chilson, Dan Nelson and Chera Wackler in voting no; Lisa Parker and Dave Carey voted in favor.

For now, drag performances of nearly any level of debauchery targeting children are legal and protected in Soldotna, as is just about any form of “lewdness or lascivious behavior.”

In Tennessee, a state law has passed prohibiting these “adult cabaret performances” targeting minors. The ban includes topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers and sexualized performances by male or female impersonators.

85 COMMENTS

  1. I didn’t know this was ok other than in Anchorage. Conservatives are moving to the peninsula to avoid this very type of culture. Rethink that move maybe?

  2. People need to quit shying away on speaking for what is right. I recommend that IF there is another show that people come out in force to stand against the show. In other areas of the country parents show up to drag queen story hour at libraries taking all the seats and sitting with bibles. If we all show up in silent protest to these shows taking all the seats and not allowing their deviant ways to be showcased to children hopefully they will stop!

    • I believe “shying away” includes hiding behind fake names like most on these comment boards do. Until we muster the courage to speak openly then, as you point out, the problem…. is us.

      Is “Concerned Alaskan” your real name?

        • First off, show me an example of conservatives protesting while wearing masks. It doesn’t happen.
          And second, can’t you and I agree that if your going to shake your junk in front of a crowd, that crowd should not contain children? I’m adult enough to understand that even though I do not like drag shows, others will still patronize them. But why is it a problem to keep the shows inside where random people, including children, will not be exposed if they happen to be in the area (the article is addressing public parks). How will anyone’s rights be infringed by requiring the show to be indoors?

          • Paul you have not seen the pictures from their protesting around the US? Google Patriot Front

          • Those are not conservatives! Maureen. I am a conservative. Do YOU think I advocate a ‘white only’ country? Have I ever wrote anything here that makes you think I support such a thing? I know you and I rarely agree with political points of view, but do you think I am a physical danger to you?
            You equating me to a group like that is the same as if I claimed you were associated with Bill Ayers. You may be liberal but I doubt you’ve set bombs to kill cops. See the difference?

      • Wayne who cares about names!! I’m not risking my personal life by giving out my real name on a comment section. Hey if you wanna offer yourself up to the scum trolls getting ahold of you to challenge your comment then be my guest! I’m not being part of that. Most don’t!

        • The argument above was about people “shying away” from speaking against the evil lies. I’m just saying, I believe correctly, that using fake names is a way of shying away. No one signed the Declaration of Independence with a fake name and they had more to lose than we do on this comment section.

          • You are correct that (as far as we know) “John Hancock” was his real name. That being said, it needs to be pointed out that many of our founding fathers used pseudonyms in their writings. The most famous is “Publius” (Hamilton, Madison and Jay) as the authors of the Federalist papers. Removing a personality from the statement, lets you focus on the message not the writer. The example to use, is anything Donald Trump uttered could be factually and indisputably correct, yet a segment of the population dismissed it simply because it came from his lips.

      • This is a tiresome and juvenile game you insist on playing. Why not follow it with “I know you are, but what am I?”

        How about you lead by example for a change and post proof you are who you say you are?

        Are the Silence Dogood letters any less valuable to American history because Franklin used an alias? What about Deep Throat in bringing down a corrupt president?

      • Why do you care about this Wayne?
        Why do you insist people commenting give there name & therefore their address to their political & cultural enemies?
        So they can be targeted by unhinged liberals or red-necks?

        • George you want to start discussions and be part of them… you just don’t want to be held accountable if someone disagrees. You’re a total pussy. Wayne for president

      • Is Wayne Coogan your real name?
        How would anyone know.
        Perhaps Concerned Alaskan has a reason for not sharing his/her real name. Perhaps, like me, he received harassing phone calls from an individual from Girdwood after having a letter to the editor published in the ADN. If I were a leftist, I would be more than happy to post the information (name, address, phone number) of the person who left threatening voicemails, but I let the police take care of it.
        .
        There is a reason I do not use my real name on sites that get intolerant, childish leftists posting on it. Too much chance for on-line action to turn into actual real world violence.

    • Silent? Bull.
      .
      Ever heard a Marshall amp stack in full bloom playing “Onward Christian Soldiers”?
      .
      Whatever happened to Psalm 98, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord”?
      .
      Soldotna pastors too busy with more important things like Getting Money to lead their flocks in joyous, loud protest?
      .
      Afraid the perverts might get mad at us, afraid the Peoples Constabulary might make us be quiet on pain of losing our stuff?
      .
      No right or wrong answer… just asking.

      • Possibly without intending to, you’ve touched on the rot deep in the Body of Christ.

        Too much Joel Osteen, Starbucks, and social preening. Nowhere near enough actual doing the work God charged us to do.

        Small wonder belief in traditional church is so low.

    • It’s no worse than the music the kids listen to now. Damn the words they use in rap is pretty bad. Then you have the commercials on tv.. guys kissing each other and girls getting married. Drag show is probably not something to be to concerned about.

      • This is nothing more than an excuse for lazy parenting. It’s not that hard to set age limits and restrictions on electronic devices when kids are mature enough to have them. You can block websites, install apps on your phone to track your child’s phone, and set some age appropriate, common sense rules. If the rules are broken, the phone is gone. And what kind of music and movies do you allow your kids access to? Who’s in charge here? Beyond that scapegoating, there’s no comparison to the park situation where young children witnessed a dude twerking in a skirt and g string. SMH

      • Respectfully Loren, I disagree.
        Parents and society at large are supposed to model and instruct polite and acceptable behavior to children, who have no parameters for what is okay and what is not, due to their lack of life experience. Drag shows make a mockery of women, showing them as sexualized, cartoonish objects. What message are we sending little girls? That it is okay to dress in slutty and skimpy outfits, yet demanding to be respected?? And what message do little boys get? That men are supposed to make fun of women by wearing wigs and bras?
        My objection is not with drag shows per se, but with the location, which infringes on parents ability to enjoy a taxpayer paid venue without having their children exposed to subjects they are not ready for.

      • Oh, so it is happening elsewhere, no biggie?
        Sorry, but that is a submoronic justification. I guess that would make it OK to shoplift because you saw someone shoplift last week.

  3. What I find equally repulsive as the inaction of the Soldotna City Council to protect youth in our community, is that the LGBTQ advocates fought this every step of the way. Why was this never inappropriate to them? Instead of apologizing and saying it’ll never happen again, they dug their heels in and said it was discriminatory. What person in their right mind would want their children subjected to this, or kids innocently playing in the adjoining playground? Advocating for scantily dressed men dressed as a caricature of women, provocatively dancing for children, IS NOT helping their cause! Soldotna, please turn out to vote, this is an embarrassment.

  4. Fire them. Now. They chose NOT to protect the innocent from sexual deviants and pedos. This is unacceptable from any leader.

    • Caterina, please adjust your thinking. The councilmembers are not the leaders but rather the servants. The leaders are the voters. It is the voters who are choosing not to protect children. Your culture is degrading as it is deceived by the father of all lies.

      • Wayne the council does NOT reflect the vote of the people or the people would have descended on the building in force! They voted this behind closed doors… So Caterina is correct. They all need to be FIRED!

        • Daisy, you’re expressing inverted logic. The reason the voters did not “descend on the building in force” is because they approve of the council’s actions.

        • Do so in the next election, or force a recall. The left successfully counts on the laziness of conservatives to talk much band do little.

      • The Anchorage Assembly has a rich and colorful history of ignoring the wishes of the population. What makes you think the Soldotna is not doing the same?

  5. Nothing more than predators grooming children. If you bring your underage children to one of these events, you’re gonna have a nice surprise waiting for you as your children age. Trust me, you’re not gonna like it.

    • My kids went to church & never saw anything like this.
      One is transgender (told us when he was in HS)
      It happens. One is conservative. One still go’s to church, but is liberal.
      We’re all different, but all God’s children.
      Personally, since this is Pride nonsense, it doesn’t bother me much.
      We stay away from pride events, just like we stay away from “rap” events & liberal protests
      I WOULD vote against those 4 libs in Soldotna though, but at least 2 of my kids would vote for them.
      Times are changing rapidly (for the worst ….imo)

  6. These effers on the Soldotna City Council don’t have enough brains or common sense to protect children. How many groomers and pedophiles sit on this wacko council?

  7. I cannot believe that people have their children in such a harmful environment in the first place. If the city of Soldotna is so afraid that they will make someone feel uncomfortable or not wanted in a certain situation, they should be thinking about what they are allowing to happen in their city to their children. AWFUL! I am so opposed to this, I can’t tell you how opposed. If I had my child in a park where this was happening, it would take me seconds to disappear and I would be complaining loudly to my city administrators. Talk about offensive!

  8. The question is not “Should drag queens be allowed to perform for children?”
    The REAL question should be “Why do drag queens want to perform for children?” Answer that question, and you will understand why this is not acceptable.

  9. We should not celebrate mental illness.
    It’s apparent to anyone with a firing synapses that there is a reason they are doing this.
    Desensitize and groom.

  10. This LGBTQ crap is confusing young children at an accelerated rate. The last thing they need to try and figure out is whether they are a boy or a girl. These insane adults who encourage this abhorrent nonsense, or public officials who look the other way, should be tried for crimes against children.

    • There is an extreme mental disorder taking place with LGBTQs. High confusion, exacerbated by identity uncoupling. The fact that some government officials actually encourage the behavior, by not placing restrictions on public displays, is evidence that they either think it’s humorous, or they want to participate in the behavior. Academics have let this one out of the bag. It’s not tolerance that they are striving for. They actually want to advance the confusion and the broad spectrum mental illnesses that accompany it. Societal chaos is their objective because they don’t have a moral compass in which to follow. This country is in deepening turmoil.
      Very sad!

  11. Fortunately Linda F-H lost the borough mayor race.

    The city council is seriously infected with liberals. All the folks that will avoid Soldotna voting with their wallets are right. BUT let them know that and why.

  12. Here’s a test the people of Soldotna can try. Attempt to hold a mass evangelical revival, all the way down to snake handling and public baptisms.
    Maybe casting out demons.

    Will the same 4 who want to protect the Alphabet gang act to protect evangelicals?

  13. These Council members who voted this in are equally perverted and disgusting. yes all of them! The all should register as sex offenders, and Anyone who participates or attends these events is a pedophile and perverted predator, this would be a good time time to video these events and create flyers so the normal public can watch out for all these sick and disgusting Child abusers. label all these freaks for what they really are, and do it loudly and proudly !

  14. It seems this event was publicized as a way to “advance the queer community”. What parent in their right mind would take their children to such an event?!
    I think I’d rather see them take the children BOWLING…..anywhere but THERE!

    • ‘https://www.facebook.com/events/amf-bowling-co/ndrag-lanes-bowling-with-the-drag-queens/2877319985813716/

      Maybe stay home Lucille.

  15. Just going to say it, if that’s what the alphabet community wants to bring, then yes, they are very unwelcome in any community. Period, no exceptions.

  16. When I was a little kid if I would have seen that I would have thought it was very naughty and I would expect that person to get a very big spanking immediately.

  17. “Obscenity and Pornography – As enacted, creates an offense for a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult. – Amends T(ennessee)CA Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 14.”
    .
    The perverted child groomers, child-molester wannabes some might argue, who infest Soldotna’s government are not okay with a law like this.
    .
    The filth who infest the city council just showed they’re far more worried about making LGBTQ exhibitionists feel unwelcome in the city than they ever will be about protecting minor children from the mind-shattering effects of this mental illness.
    .
    In other words, Soldotna government officials proved to their constituents that child safety’s not an official priority, unless of course there’s money to be made from it.
    .
    To Governor Dunleavy, we respectfully request you resolve this problem by sponsoring a bill modeled on the Tennessee Obscenity and Pornography Act.

  18. March 28, 2023
    Soldotna Mayor and Council,

    Why are you not taking decisive measures to ensure that public decency standards are enforced and not egregiously violated as they shamefully were during the 2022 Pride in the Park event? Those exercising public authority must acknowledge that the Judeo-Christian ethic is the very foundation of western law and has served western civilization and this nation so very well, cultivating order, goodwill, and prosperity where formerly there was but ceaseless chaos, warfare, and want.

    Between now and the June 2023 Pride in the Park event I hope the local citizenry can impress upon you that they will not tolerate another debacle such as what occurred in 2022. If you do not put a stop to activities and behaviors that offend public decency, be it through ordinance, strict permit stipulations, or other administrative acts, then it is quite reasonable that the same outraged and aggrieved citizenry will.

    The municipality of Soldotna has every right and obligation to maintain and enforce community decency standards – which the Supreme Court of our country has repeatedly affirmed. Ergo, what is permissible in San Francisco, Anchorage, or even Homer is not necessarily permissible in Soldotna.

    Though sexualized performances may be considered a protected form of free speech, it is still speech that can and should be regulated. Just as erotic dancing may be permitted by law, such businesses or events are still commonly prohibited from operating in areas and times where and when families and youth are present, they cannot be held in open air venues but only in closed buildings with restricted access, and under no circumstances can anyone under 18 attend such performances. Several states have recently passed legislation strictly regulating drag queen events in these same ways.

    Drag queen performances are by their very nature sexualized performances. On that point alone they should be prohibited in public parks or any public setting. And the fact that these sexualized performances are most often directed toward our youth is beyond obscene. The blatant and reprehensible goals of these performances are to normalize sexual deviancy and to corrupt our youth.

    Drag queen performances and other sexualized performances must be strictly regulated, if not strictly forbidden, through municipal code so as not to violate public decency standards again. Hopefully, the town fathers of Soldotna will have the good sense to do such in a deliberate and timely way.

    But if town fathers are timid or indifferent and do nothing or little to prevent lewd and offensive behavior at future Soldotna Pride In the Park events, most especially those performances directed at our youth, they should not be surprised if a peaceful assembly of resolute Christian men directly takes it upon themselves to do what the mayor and council failed to do – put a complete stop to obscene behavior in our public places and protect the innocence of our youth.

    So if you continue to choose not to intervene and put a stop to this moral outrage in the heart of our community then I assure you, duty-bound Christian men will.

    I exhort you all to act decisively to MAINTAIN and ENFORCE the highest standard of public decency and thereby preserve the public peace.

    Respectfully,
    Toby Burke

  19. Ready for this Soldotna?
    .
    ‘www.foxnews.com/politics/drag-queen-straddles-girl-north-carolina-public-school-video-shows

  20. I’ve noticed that it’s mostly women bringing children to these shows. Mostly unattractive women, not saying that to be mean but look at the crowd. So is it really something they want to expose their kids to or is it just them, the Moms, wanting a little excitement? Don’t want to go to a strip club like an adult instead use your child as your ticket. It would be much better for Adults to put on their big kid panties, hire a babysitter and go to all the strip clubs they want to without dragging their children along. Sad bunch of “ adults” using their children like this.

  21. Well, we wouldn’t want to offend the alphabet people, even if those alphabet people break the law. After all, they do have more rights than the rest of us who pay for the parks and upkeep, who pay for our children’s upbringing, who pay for their various ill-gotten venereal diseases they get from misusing their God-given parts on one another, and who end up having to support these perverts because…. I don’t know why.

    No, we don’t want to offend them. But we do want them to go away until they can behave like civilized persons in reasonable society. I don’t see any heterosexuals putting on strip shows for kids, do I? No. Because we have limits. No limits? Then stay the hell away from me and my kids.

    • You mean the Trump show that’s dragged on by Democrats or the one by the demented old guy and cackling rooster in office?
      People with TDS, vaccine mandates, masking, alphabet dysphoria need to move on or get some help.
      No matter how you look at it, there are no “special” groups in America. You are either American or not! no color, sex, status or finances determine that!

  22. The basic question is: what kind of person WANTS to do lewd things in front of a child? Sounds like pedophilia grooming of kids to me. Children deserve to be children; being an adult is hard and the human brain doesn’t mature until 27— wonder why we have so many seriously screwed up kids now? Leave them alone to be happy, loved children who don’t have to deal with an adult world.

  23. I sent two emails to the council when this first happened and received no response. Well…here you go. If you have a minute, maybe express your frustration.

    ‘https://www.soldotna.org/government/mayor-council

    [email protected]

  24. I honestly wonder if the council is afraid of violence if they actually enforced the law.

    The left has a long history of violence to get what it wants. The right has a long history of capitulation to try avoiding it.

  25. Lol, no that’s not at all the situation , MA, the real truth is some how did the people of Soldotna elect several severely mentally Ill people to run their City, and now that it’s also been revealed by this decision they made it now shows how they are 100% supportive of pedophilla and the sexual and mental abuse of Children. The Key now is how to fix the situation!

  26. It’s fascinating how every “underdog” cause the left champions always goes from “we just want to be allowed to be us” to “do what we say or face consequences”.

  27. The Council people are severely mentally ill, why not say it for what the truth is. Why pretend these people are not sick. There is no gray area here for the sane people observing this!

  28. I wonder if lib politicians on the Kenai are the result of ex-government liberals from ANC retiring there?
    Since ANC is now 85% liberal (School Board + Assembly) & being ruined socially, the natural reaction for well off, educated, liberals is to move to a safer/better place and bring their voting habits w/ them; thus ruining their new home also.

  29. I spent 20 years fishing in Alaska. I love the place I cannot believe that this stuff is infecting Alaska.
    The offending of children’s minds and hearts should be the most terrifying thing you can think of. The Lord says it’s better for a millstone to be hung about your neck and the be cast into the depths of the sea than to offend his precious child. The wrath of God in the fires of hell burn forever. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
    Grace and peace in Christ to all those who love his appearing. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

  30. Does Soldotna have any strip clubs?
    Should a resolution removing age restrictions for entry to the strip clubs be introduced? After all, if it is OK to watch grown men wearing lingerie dancing provocatively, why not grown women wearing lingerie (or less) doing the same thing?

  31. This BS should be banned on the borough government level if we can’t wake up the city to do a job to protect our kids, shame on them and God help their souls and our grandchildren✍?⏳?

    • Unfortunately, the Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly is just as liberal and or weak-kneed as the Soldotna City council. It would probably be even harder to get the assembly to intervene than even the city council. In the end, if anything is to change it is going to take outraged citizens going to The Pride In the Park event themselves to let the offenders of public decency know that their abominable behavior is unwelcome and will not be tolerated. Citizens must do themselves what their elected officials failed to do – put a stop to the outrage. If we let them know their activities are unwelcome and will be relentlessly opposed at every turn, sooner or later they will fold their tents and look for another place where they are not so vigorously opposed.

      People get out of your easy chairs and take the bull by the horns. Attend city council meetings a let them know you demand the Drag Queens be banned. Attend and picket in front of the Pride In the Park event (June 3) and let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the sexualized performances are not welcome in our community. YOU HAVE TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING YOURSELF – if meaningful change is to be made!

  32. The four sick pups!!! Who voted down the need to suppress the sick souls who put on this program need to be removed from office as soon as possible, as they have identified as the woke community in this city. Now we know who they are and what’s causing the sick affect throughout this country✍?
    Find a way to vote them out as soon as possible or the sickness will spread like wild fire??

Comments are closed.