Prostitution

“I am opening my eyes to the possibilities that social change might bring. I have an inkling as to the realities of the world, but just as communism has never worked properly, some contend that under the right circumstances it might.”

However, you haven’t exactly given me any clear guidelines onto what “social planning” is. At least with communism, there is a clear “plan” on what to do given the situation (except for consequences foreseeable only in the future). Also the possibilities of social change are there, but to what extent? But I’ll help you out. When my “Evil” Conservative side was still with me, I proposed the “Three Hits Law” (“Three Strikes Law” being taken already :P) where the punishments for engaging in prostitution were so severe, it would cause anybody rethink what they’re doing.

“Also a federal Quebec judge can establish a precident on a case that a British Columbia lower court judge would have to adhere to (or risk the case later being overturned). My source on this is a Queen’s bench judge (second highest court to the appeals court).”

Well you Canadians are interesting types. Usually, LA (or CA for that matter) never adhere’s to any decision by another State Federal Court (lower circuit?), unless it’s a supreme court decision. I such “important” cases such as underaged/child prostitution, the judge (or jury depending on the situation) will declare a miscarriage, appeal the decision, or overturn it (most likely).

I think that Sir Cystic Crypt was on to something when he mentioned ‘social planning’. In order to rid ourselves of prostitution, we must fight prostitution at its roots, in the ghettos and in the schools, instead of wasting precious effort and time to combat its symptons. Rarely does any person I know desire to become a prostitution because of free will but because there is nowhere else to turn. I think it should be our obligation to find some way to provide better opportunities, education, and counseling to those less fortunate then us :(

@TM:

Rarely does any person I know desire to become a prostitution because of free will but because there is nowhere else to turn.

That’s still free-will.

TM Moses VII wrote:
Rarely does any person I know desire to become a prostitution because of free will but because there is nowhere else to turn.

“That’s still free-will.”

Tell me, if I pointed a gun to your head and I told you had the option of becomming my slave or dying, would this be free-will? If I forced you to sign a treaty under duress, would this be free-will? Similarly, if you were on the verge of straving (without any shelter or clothes) and the only option was prostitution, what would you choose?

U bet cus u still have the choice. u can either die, which is a fair option and ends ur misery or u can become someones slave for a good 10 years. u still have a choice and thats freewill

Yep, Ewok is correct. You may not like the situation, and it may not be fair. But you ALWAYS have a choice.

U BET ;)

I think that the “free-will” arguers are really pushing the envelope of credibility and rationalization to tell us that all prostitutes get into the business of their own “free will”. Please tell me that beyond the b.s. that your mind produces in order to reach this argument there is a part of you that really knows better . . . that knows that for many of them this is their last place to turn in order to stay alive/care for their children . . . that knows that many are forced into it by their boyfriends, or the gangs that they are in.
It’s very easy to sit at our computers in the basement of mommy and daddy’s place to say that these “stupid women chose to give their bodies to vile disgusting creatures because they felt like it”.
i agree with TG - when they see only one way to go, it’s bloody hard to go another.

Sure. I’ll give ya that. I’m sure there are many prostitutes who feel they had no-where else to turn except to the streets. Whether they think they have no-where else to go is irrelevent. They still made the choice to sell themselves. You can’t argue this. There’s simply no arguement, because you always have a choice.

The majority of prostitues are, in my opinion, taking the easy way out of a hard situation. Go work at your local McDonald’s if you have to (or whatever other easy jobs there are), but don’t sit here and try to make me sympathize with them. Everybody has problems in life.

Sure. I’ll give ya that. I’m sure there are many prostitutes who feel they had no-where else to turn except to the streets. Whether they think they have no-where else to go is irrelevent. They still made the choice to sell themselves. You can’t argue this. There’s simply no arguement, because you always have a choice.

You are making big and dangerous generalization/simplification. Am i sure this is not always that simple !

How so? By saying that prostitutes made a choice? Why are you so afraid of making people responsible for their actions?

@FinsterniS:

Sure. I’ll give ya that. I’m sure there are many prostitutes who feel they had no-where else to turn except to the streets. Whether they think they have no-where else to go is irrelevent. They still made the choice to sell themselves. You can’t argue this. There’s simply no arguement, because you always have a choice.

You are making big and dangerous generalization/simplification. Am i sure this is not always that simple !

in the words of “The family guy” - Un-freaken’-believable. FinsterniS and i in agreement. I need to reveiw your comments on the “War on drugs” post.

izcoder quoted: How so? By saying that prostitutes made a choice? Why are you so afraid of making people responsible for their actions?

not at all. This, in fact, is a pet peeve of mine - people not taking responsibility for their actions. At the same time, to blame prostitutes for the situation that they are in is more than a little simplistic, and not helpful at all. To arrest them and throw them in jail because of their “choices” is not a useful way of dealing with the problem.

@cystic:

To arrest them and throw them in jail because of their “choices” is not a useful way of dealing with the problem.

Welcome to the justice system in America. We arrest people and throw them in jail every day. Why should prostitutes be any different?

@izcoder:

@cystic:

To arrest them and throw them in jail because of their “choices” is not a useful way of dealing with the problem.

Welcome to the justice system in America. We arrest people and throw them in jail every day. Why should prostitutes be any different?

Well, keep in mind that i am against prostitution.
At the same time doesn’t the bill of rights or some such memo-type deally deal with something like this? I mean, they are “just having sex”, and so they ask for a little bit of money to offset their expenses - clothes, keeping-them-alive materials.
The thing is, many of these other people arrested and thrown into jail need not be either. Jails are full of people who need not/should not be there. They should be used for the violent criminals - keep them off the streets, as well as demonstrate societies repudiation for their crimes, etc. With regards to prostitutes (and marijuana users) there are far more effective (and cost effective) ways of dealing with these people other than keeping them in the system (which is all you’re doing by tossing them in jail). A prostitute (many times) is not like a car jacker, murderer, armed robber, etc. It is usually a person trapped in a cycle (possibly of their own, largely inadvertent) design who can be helped to become a more responsible/productive citizen, rather than a sponge off of the correctionals department budget (i.e. the taxpayers).
Justice is not just punishment, but it is also compassion, mercy, and “doing what’s right” for the people involved.

I’ll agree with you there, our justice system does have way too many people in jail that would be better suited to other types of punishment (or rehabilitation, if you prefer :wink:) What I’m against however, is the legalization of prostitution, and the reprocussions that would come with that.

@izcoder:

I’ll agree with you there, our justice system does have way too many people in jail that would be better suited to other types of punishment (or rehabilitation, if you prefer :wink:) What I’m against however, is the legalization of prostitution, and the reprocussions that would come with that.

me too.

Hmmmm….

so … selling your body is wrong.

But:
selling the power of your muscles is not?
selling the view of your body is not?
selling your mind / ideas is not ?
Is it prostitution to become a movie star ( you effectively sell your private life) … or to become a politician (where you sell your ideals to the industry) ?

Why do you oppose selling sex?

(And for yb and deviant scripter: this is not an attack on america, this is not a justification for underage prostitution)