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Democracy in Peril

By Steve Sebelius

WHO CARES?: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has taken a hard stance against the producers of the "Hunting for Bambi" video series, which purport to show teams of men armed with paintball guns hunting naked women in the wilds of Nevada. The proprietor, Michael Burdick, was cited for allegedly doing business without a license. "We have jail space and judges who take this type of conduct seriously in the city of Las Vegas," says Goodman.

But why?

Whether "Hunting for Bambi" is real or not--and the Review-Journal has reported the whole thing is a sham--isn't it a matter of choice? As long as women are not coerced into performing, this should be a perfectly legal act, the way lap dancing or prostitution should be legal. The practices may be offensive to some, including feminists, but to be truly pro-choice is to embrace a position that people are the ultimate arbiters of the use of their bodies. So the outcry over "Hunting for Bambi" is so much hype as far as we're concerned.

So cite Burdick for operating a business without a license--if true, it's a legitimate, if minor, offense. But who cares if Burdick claims the videos are real or not? Even if they are, there's no crime. You can't say young ladies can use their bodies to titillate customers with lap dances on the one hand and then say they can't perform as paintball targets on the other.

NEW JOB: Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald has been appointed to the board of directors of Station Casinos, the locals gambling giant that operates casinos within the city's borders and manages an Indian casino in Auburn, Calif. "We are very excited that Lynette has chosen to join our board. She brings with her a wealth of leadership experience and marketing expertise," says Frank Fertitta, chairman and CEO of Station. "Her keen understanding of local government will also help us as we continue to expand our Native American gaming franchise outside the Las Vegas area."

Well, let's hope she's not too much help. The Thunder Valley Casino (owned by the United Auburn Indian Community) outside Sacramento, Calif., directly competes with casinos in Reno. And Indian casinos in Southern California, some with ties to other Las Vegas gambling companies, are thought to threaten the fortunes of downtown Las Vegas gambling halls. Here in Las Vegas, Station owns the Palace Station, Sante Fe Station, Texas Station, Fiesta Rancho, Fiesta Henderson, Boulder Station, Sunset Station and a portion of the Green Valley Ranch Station and the Palms, among others.

Boggs McDonald, who owns her own public relations and marketing consulting company, was the Republican candidate for Congress against Rep. Shelley Berkley in 2002. She was appointed to the City Council in 1999, and was re-elected in 2001.

Steve Sebelius writes a daily e-mail newsletter, the E-Briefing, from which "Democracy in Peril" is excerpted. Reach him at 383-0283 or by e-mail at ssebelius@reviewjournal.com. To subscribe to the E-Briefing at a Mercury reader special price of $20 per year, go to www.lasvegasmercury.com/ebriefing.