Gay single male relocating to Jacksonville? (Miami, Orlando: house, neighborhood, high school)

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Why not? If this is not a good time for parents to ask themselves these questions now - after some of their kids - or their friends' kids have been slaughtered - then when? Or should these parents keep doing "business as usual"?

My husband and I travel a fair amount. We pay attention to what is happening in places where we travel. We have a checklist of the types of places we avoid. Due to terrorism and other problems. Including everyday criminal events. When people do things these days - they have to be alert and aware. Just my opinion. YMMV. Robyn

Your sneering holier-than-thou attitude is sickening. To lay blame - which is exactly what you are doing here, whether you admit it or not - for some parents who dropped off their ADULT child to go dancing at a nightclub with friends.......a gay nightclub no less, which are probably the friendliest places on Earth if you've ever been to one........is really appalling, even for you. As has been said it's an 18+ club and the adults were 18 years old.

You also insinuate that somehow they should have known that a club like this was a prime target for terrorism. Like you and your ever-traveling husband (yawn) who make your lists of potentially threatening places. Did you have "Gay Nightclubs" on your list of suspected terror targets, Robyn....hmmm?

You're so off base here, even for you, Robyn.

What did you allow with your children when they were 18? Oh, that's right....sorry. The world has a funny way of working now doesn't it?

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Don't think you understood my question.

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Anyway - I am far from an advocate of helicopter parenting. But dropping your underage kids off at bars like this is a stretch for me. Would you drop your kids off at the Ritz at 11 pm on a Saturday night? I wouldn't even drop myself off there. Robyn

I think we have a major generation gap issue here. I have never been what you would call the partying type, but I wouldnt think twice about going to a place like the Ritz at 11p or even dropping my kids off there when they get that old (assuming they are more like me and don't have substance abuse issues, etc) Of course I'm saying an establishment like that because I don't think the Ritz is 18+, and I also don't like that place as their management has had many documented racist tendencies over the years.

Secondly, you are also dismissing the notion that this club, being one of the early LGBT clubs, is a pillar in the community and served as a safe haven for LGBT folks. It was hardly a demonic place where scary s*** goes down but a fun and safe environment for people to relax and not worry about judgment. Heck, some straight men (and women although straight women go to gay bars frequently) would go there to dance and have fun...that night was Latin dance night for example. I think your image of what these establishments are like is a bit removed from reality.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Why not?

Probably because this is a thread about someone wanting to relocate to Jacksonville, not about the massacre in Orlando.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

I think we have a major generation gap issue here. I have never been what you would call the partying type, but I wouldnt think twice about going to a place like the Ritz at 11p or even dropping my kids off there when they get that old (assuming they are more like me and don't have substance abuse issues, etc) Of course I'm saying an establishment like that because I don't think the Ritz is 18+, and I also don't like that place as their management has had many documented racist tendencies over the years.

Secondly, you are also dismissing the notion that this club, being one of the early LGBT clubs, is a pillar in the community and served as a safe haven for LGBT folks. It was hardly a demonic place where scary s*** goes down but a fun and safe environment for people to relax and not worry about judgment. Heck, some straight men (and women although straight women go to gay bars frequently) would go there to dance and have fun...that night was Latin dance night for example. I think your image of what these establishments are like is a bit removed from reality.

Could be a major generation gap issue. But I think not.

Well let's say the Ritz is an 18+ club (don't know) - you wouldn't have an issue dropping off < 21 year old kids there at 11 pm on a Saturday night? Or even 21 year old kids for that matter. If you're still driving your kids around when they're 21 - they are perhaps not ready for "prime time". Note that when I was 18 - 18 was legal drinking age in most parts. But I went to drinking places myself - my parents didn't drive me to those places. The thing I have a hard time wrapping my head around isn't that 18 year olds are going to these places - just that their parents are dropping them off there - like they would to the local playground.

FWIW - I've been to a lot of gay bars. In Miami. With gay friends. Probably many more times than anyone here who isn't gay (have you or Florida2014 ever been to a gay bar?). They are usually pretty gritty and sexual (although sometimes fun too). Not an appropriate place for kids IMO. You can try to paint them with any kind of rainbow you want to paint them with - but most people - except for non-gay visitors like me - go to those places to hook up with other gay people and have sexual encounters. They are also places where a whole lot of drinking goes on (and - in the 80's and 90's - when I went to these places - lots of drugs too). Very definitely "adult entertainment". Can't criticize an adult for indulging in adult entertainment. But a parent dropping kids off at a place like this? Totally different thing. Robyn

[Florida2014]

I wouldn't expect a senior citizen with no children to understand anything to do with raising children, nor to understand gay culture in any way, shape or form. Your views as usual are dismissed.

[projectmaximus]

Yeah there is a definite gap of some sort. If you'd rather not label it generational that's fine with you. A LOT of things I don't understand about your entire posts...I really wonder about your background that has shaped such a perspective.

And for the record (well I suppose you already knew about my musical background) at one time I would say half of my friends and colleagues were gay. Yes I have been to gay establishments many, many times.

[BabyBoomers2]

I have to agree with Robyn55, but then again, I'm a Senior Citizen as well. I have often said that our, the Baby Boomer Generation, prospective of things today can be very different than folks who are much younger than we are.

I worked, for a short time, for a Lesbian couple about 25 years ago. They were very nice, but I just couldn't stay working for them. Pretty surprising to me, was when they told me they completely understood why I couldn't stay.

Back in the early 70's, when I was stationed in San Diego (Navy), I just happen to go into a Gay bar. At that time, I didn't even know what a "Gay" person was. Well, after one minute of being in the bar, I noticed some things that pretty shocked me and I made a quick exit. I asked myself, "what the heck did I just see?". After talking to a couple of sailor friends about what I had did, and then laughing their butts off at me, I found out what the whole thing was about.

Actually, I will never expect the younger Generation to ever understand "Baby Boomers" or older! Just like it can be hard for us to understand their reasoning or whatever.

[marylandmom2011]

Hey seniors,
wrong thread!

[Florida2014]

You all understand an 18 year old is an adult, right? Can vote and serve in the military, so we are not talking about children here. Just thought I would mention that again.....for the third time.

LoveBoating - were you wearing your sailor outfit? If so you'd like have fit right in.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

Yeah there is a definite gap of some sort. If you'd rather not label it generational that's fine with you. A LOT of things I don't understand about your entire posts...I really wonder about your background that has shaped such a perspective.

And for the record (well I suppose you already knew about my musical background) at one time I would say half of my friends and colleagues were gay. Yes I have been to gay establishments many, many times.

So what did you observe? Did you think these places were appropriate for young people?

Note that 18 is kind of in the middle these days. When I was 18 - 18 was legal for everything. Today - 21 is the drinking age. And - increasingly - the age at which one can buy cigarettes too. Although it is voting age - the age at which one can serve in the military - or similar.

FWIW - most of the gay guys I knew (didn't know any women) were in the arts and design areas. Although some were lawyers - doctors and like. Most were about my age - and most are dead now. Most got AIDs before there was any medical stuff to deal with it (the 80's were very sad). OTOH - some gay guys we knew - like one of my husband's running friends - came to other bad ends:

Behind Dr. Brandt's Death | Vanity Fair

I will admit that - like Loveboating - I had no idea what "gay" was at some point in my life. But that was in the 60's and early 70's (and earlier) - not the late 70's and 80's.

One problem I have with younger people these days is sexual promiscuity and STDs. I have to say - our generation had it easy. Because - although we were far from celibate - the worst you could wind up with then for the most part was an unwanted pregnancy (which you could terminate) or a disease easily cured by a strong dose of antibiotics. The AIDs epidemic was a big wake up call IMO. And there's a lot more going on now:

https://www.cdc.gov/std/

Have to say I've been been astounded by recent studies showing you're at risk of getting oral cancers from oral sex:

Unprotected oral sex 'has become the leading cause of mouth cancer' - Mirror Online

Glad I grew up when I did - and there was less to worry about . Younger people might be surprised to find out about the lifestyles of many people my age when we were younger. Although you can perhaps get a glimpse of it when it comes to Hep C statistics (and all the controversy about the cost of the new Hep C drugs). Robyn