The May 26th 1998
ABC Special with John Stossel
Was GREAT Regarding sexwork issues!
The program was about consenting adults in private places. But Police are
raiding, invading, arresting and jailing for crimes that don't hurt anyone.
It's Uncle Sam or the religious right playing parent, telling you what is
right and wrong, what your morals should be. Is that really what America is
about?
Shows the politician who fights to keep gay sex a crime, while he is breaking
the adultery laws himself.
This was a provocative hour meant to challenge some of the laws that try
and control victimless behavior.
Peter McWilliams author of "Ain't Nobody's Business If you Do - The Absurdity
of Consensual Crimes in Our Free Country"; (Free at
www.consenting.org) says "Civilized
society is, you do what you want. I do what I want. I will not harm you or your
property. You don't harm me or my property." The government does not need to
come and tell adults, "There, little children. We'll take care of you. Just
do what we say."
The silliness of the conservative Christian position on sex was shown by
Mitchell Kaye, Georgia State Representative who said. "Through some of these
acts, you can't propagate the species. They're not morally correct. They say
you can't legalize morality, but that's what we do as a legislature every single
day - setting curfews for our children, requiring people to wear seat belts,
speeding laws, other laws. We are legislating morality."
John Stossel wisely replied:
"Of course, laws about children and speeding are different. Children are not
consenting adults, and speeders often hurt other people. But the Shahars (lesbian
couple) are consenting adults in the privacy of their own home."
One of the lesbians wisely said: "If you don't like it, don't do it. But
don't tell me not to do it."
Peter McWilliams said: "The problem comes when people come in and say, 'God
doesn't want you to do that, and besides that, I think it's a bad idea, and
it makes me uncomfortable. So we're going to put you in jail for your own protection.'"
John Stossel said, "Which is what we do with prostitutes."
Sydney Biddle Barrows (The Mayflower Madam) says: "There are a lot of women
out there who simply do not feel that it is immoral to sleep with a man for
money. And who are we to criminalize their doing something that is OK with them?
What are we really protecting people against? We're protecting women from making
a living and we're protecting men from spending their money as they please.
I don't think anyone needs to be protected from that."
Prostitute Heather Smith said: "It's legal for two men to go into a boxing
ring and beat each other bloody for money, but it's not legal for me to go in
and give someone sexual pleasure for money. What kind of sense does that make?"
Regarding police using female decoys to trap Johns, Peter McWilliams said
"The police, who should be out there catching real criminals - the murders and
the rapists and the robbers - they're out there pretending to be prostitutes,
trying to catch people who just happen to be sexually turned on. It's shameful
what we're doing in the name or morality."
Other issues were discussed including pornography and drugs. I am not as
supportive of the freedom to do drugs argument because drugs hurts your body
while sex is healthy. But drugs are not my main concern here, only sexually
related issues.
John Stossels final close: "Freedom is what America's suppose to be about.
Maybe we should rethink the rules. Why not just allow consenting adults to do
anything that's peaceful?...Good night, and thanks for watching our program,
which really is about liberty."
The complete transcript for the show is available on-line at: (broken link)
Also a RealVideo version can be heard from it's listing at:http://www.abcnews.com/onair/specials/index.html.
But have to have RealVideo player on your computer (they provide a link to download
it)
It was SO nice of ABC News to make their programs available like this!
Some Other's Comments To Above Article
I generally do not have much to do with prostitutes. But, what is worse is putting
up with the stupid silliness of the police when they set up decoys to bust johns,
with the resulting paranoia this sets up in the streets! Fuck, it is so STUPID!
I mean, I have seen these decoy operations going on when the police ignored
crack houses going full blast next door! Not to mention one time when a friend
looking for a one night stand nearly got busted for trying to have an overnight
screw while bumping into one of the decoys who was actually SOLICITING sex!
The logic behind the sex laws is to keep out organized crime. But,while the
motive of these laws is laudable, the results is ass backwards. A certain degree
of legalization, plus overt licensing of sex workers would do more to remove
criminal involvement in prostitution than any other thing.
I sincerely wish that the police would put the attention they put on prostitution
instead on the sexual exploitation of young children which is NOT a victimless
crime situation! Mainly kick the living SHIT out of the pedophiles and chicken
hawks, while leaving prostitution between adults alone completely.
Another said:
There is a wonderful video titled : Sex Drugs and Democracy on the Netherlands
experience. It is just out and a good exploration of a very liberal attitude.
The Dutch don't seem to have any problem and spend little money to stamp out
human behavior that is "sinful". For info call 1-888-311-9333 and they can send
you a brochure.
Excellent film! Sanity inducing. Shows Women providing sexual relief to men
in wheel chairs. I particularly like the cutaways to the Constitution there
and the exactwording used to substantiate not persecuting individuals for being
what they are.
Another said re: prostitution and organized crime:
If there were no laws against prostitution, there would still be laws against
beating the shit out of women, etc. as you say you have witnessed. Once the
commdity is legal, supply increases, prices drop, and there would be little
if any incentive for criminals to be involved.
Another said re: Pimping
Not having lived my own life hiding under a rock here in the U.S.A., I have
seen that in European countries that have decriminalized prostitution, pimping
is rarely a profitable enterprise, and rarely seems to occur. Pimps in this
county rarely can protect any woman from an abusive customer, because they aren't
there in the room when the services are performed. They also provide drugs after
helping get a woman hooked, so that he can control her. The biggest thing a
pimp provides is paying bail and fines when a woman is arrested for doing what
housewives do all the time: Exchanging sex for something of value. And if you
don't think "nice" women do that, think again.
From A Netherlands Resident:
In the Netherlands prostitution is being legalized and regulated at the moment.
It keeps criminal involvement low and gives the woman rights (also the right
to pay income tax). They also have their own labor union. Government involvement
can work out alright if the right people are in power (they don't do everything
right, but they give it a good try).
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