I've been back-tracking through some of the threads to try and figure out what is going on here. I found the info. about the Nashville clubs and what is happening there (yikes), but I was confused about the "sheltering newbies from the negative side of swinging" and the "risks" involved. Aside from all the common sense stuff I can imagine (i.e. bad choices, disease, rejection, fears, the politics behind closing clubs or limiting them), what negative sides are people talking about? Also...the risks...is there something I'm missing. I don't check the board as often as I probably should, so when interesting and big issues like this come up and lots of people start their own threads about, I sometimes have a difficult time summarizing it or synthesizing it. Could you point me in the right direction? Thanks!

The comment that I quoted actually came from a member of a local Yahoo group. The risk/negatives in relation to the Nashville clubs... is that many clubs are not operating legally, or even if they are legal they put their agenda (making money) above protecting themselves and their members from the potential risk of media/gov. agencies etc coming in/trying to shut them down.

My guess is that they also worry that if newbies get scared that bad things might happen at clubs that they might not show up at their local club (or go with them on their planned trip to the Nashville club)... again it's about their agenda rather than concern for the actual people involved.

Are people afraid of getting in legal trouble for attending these clubs...or having their names published? And what kinds of "bad things" might happen at clubs...are you talking physical safety or identity or legal?

Just wondering. We joined a club in Feb...but it's in Seattle. However, I'm sure we aren't immune to the sort of thing happening in Nashville. Seems everyone wants to check up on everyone else and make sure someone else isn't having more fun than they are.

Geez...if they don't like the swings, they should find another game or get off the playground...no need to give up recess just because one person can't play nice!

There are always risks with clubs. You may want to read through some of the threads in the "Swinging at Clubs" forum, and you'll see posts there even from club owners, explaining some things that they go through. Even if the club is 100% legal and being run correctly, they run the risk of the media trying to get in, or if the local government decides they don't want the club there they will find a reason to cause problems in an effort to shut them down. Clubs have on many occasions been raided (by the law for any number of reasons - real or created) resulting in the patrons names showing up in the newspaper. And this is LEGAL clubs.

Then you go from that to many of the clubs/socials that exist are not being run legally (they have not taken the time to ensure that they are doing what needs to be done to make sure they are legal - you can't just say you are a private membership club, there are actual steps that have to be taken, and information that has to be kept on file). When a club is operating outside of the legal realm then they just open the door for the local law to come after them.

I think if someone makes a conscious effort to hide risks from someone else, it's a red flag situation. First, they have a more complete understanding of the risks to base their decision on and deny others that opportunity. Second, they percieve the risks as "significant", otherwise there would be little need to hide them. Third (and most significant), they've established their own preferences at a higher value than others. It would make me wonder what information they may be hiding from ME (because they think it would likely change my decision).

If I had reliable evidence that an individual was manipulating others by "adjusting" information significant to decision process, I'd be extra careful about trusting them.

Funny, I have yet to get any sort of response from the local social host (or any on the planning committee that I responded to regarding the fact that newbies should be made aware of the risks). We'd been thinking for a while that this particular social wasn't really the best fit for us, and I think this incident was like the final nail in the coffin for that thought.