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Al Cook
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 21 December 2004
Posts: 12734
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:47am | IP Logged | 1
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(By the way, my image there was meant to run right under my previous post.
It wasn't meant as a response to yours, Geoff.)
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Wayde Murray
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 14 October 2005
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:49am | IP Logged | 2
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Okay Al, here's your chance to redeem yourself as a comedian. If prostituition were legalized, what should we call the ministry that oversees it?
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Marc Baptiste
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2004
Location: United States
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:50am | IP Logged | 3
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Neil,
Personally, I am in favor of legalizing prostitution (and euthanasia, medicinal and recreational marijuana, etc.)... however, I will part company with you in what I think is the scope of your comments. Barring a specially set-aside district or neighborhood, I can certainly see why street-level prostitution causes all kinds of quality-of-life problems for the whole city or town and therefore why even non-religious people don't desire to see that aspect legalized. An "escort" style system of legalized prostitution, transacted behind the closed doors of your own home, brothels, and/or hotels, etc. is probably what I consider an ideal compromise on the legalization question.
HOWEVER, if forced to answer a simplistic (they usually are) black and white question of whether prostitution should be legal or not... and the good, bad, and ugly that comes with it, I come down on the side of MAKE IT LEGAL NOW.
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Al Cook
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 21 December 2004
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:51am | IP Logged | 4
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Wayde Murray wrote:
Okay Al, here's your chance to redeem yourself as a
comedian. If prostituition were legalized, what should we call the ministry
that oversees it? |
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Well, I know your thinking 'ministry' in a parliamentary sense, but in an
ecclesiastical sense it would be more of a lay ministry, wouldn't it?
Edited by Al Cook on 22 October 2008 at 8:52am
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Marc Baptiste
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:52am | IP Logged | 5
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Wayde,
The Ministry of MInistrations?
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Wayde Murray
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 14 October 2005
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:54am | IP Logged | 6
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And all press releases would refer to the "Ministerial position".
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Geoff Gibson
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Joined: 21 April 2004
Location: United States
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:54am | IP Logged | 7
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Legalizing and regulating prostitution would put the pimps out of business.
Not an area where I have much knowledge but I've read or heard that legalized prostitution makes the trafficing of human sex slaves easier. I think thats one of the arguments that opponents to the San Francisco initative have made. I don't know if that accurate but it is something that should be investigated if there is any truth to it.
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Marc Baptiste
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 8:57am | IP Logged | 8
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Geoff,
Too damn slippery a slope for my taste; there are countless things that are legal in a society that may hinder law enforcement, or may make other crimes (related or not) "easier". For example, what has the internet done for child predators? Shall we shut it down?
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Bruce Buchanan
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 9:03am | IP Logged | 9
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San Francisco may be on the right track here. Prostitution strikes me as one of those victimless crimes - I'd rather see limited police resources devoted to solving and preventing violent and property crimes.
(Although despite the somewhat romantic depictions in movies like "Pretty Woman," street-level prostitution is a grim, ugly business that's closely linked to drugs and more violent crime. I certainly can understand why people wouldn't want it in their neighborhoods.)
Edited by Bruce Buchanan on 22 October 2008 at 9:06am
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Marc Baptiste
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 9:07am | IP Logged | 10
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Bruce,
Absolutely. In a world where there is robbery, assault, kidnappings, rape, murder, etc., that "vice" crimes are even still on the radar is an abomination.
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Geoff Gibson
Byrne Robotics Member
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 9:12am | IP Logged | 11
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Too damn slippery a slope for my taste; there are countless things that are legal in a society that may hinder law enforcement, or may make other crimes (related or not) "easier".
Which is why I said it should be investigated as to whether the argument holds water. As I said, I don't know that there is any truth in the argument or not but I think its a valid concern that bears research. I don't have an issue with legalized prostitution at all -- assuming it done in the manner you suggested upthread and it is regulated for both health reasons and fiscal reasons. The proposal in San Fransisco, based on the one article on MSNBC I read, seems like something of a half measure to me that is well intentioned but because its a half measure may well create the situations you articulated regarding street prostitution.
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Michael Myers
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Joined: 28 December 2004
Posts: 831
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| Posted: 22 October 2008 at 9:14am | IP Logged | 12
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"--votes in many places are ALREADY being challenged, disputed, argued
over, considered null and void, etc. etc. ad nauseum. This aspect of the
presidential race is a major focus for the Republican party: attempting to
(legally) undermine the voting process in their favour where they are sure
they cannot win any other way. I don't know what Americans are going to
do with their current voting system because it seems to be in a bit of a
mess."
Marcel, how is the questioning of possibly illegitimate votes an example of undermining the "voting process?" Isn't working to ascertain voter eligibility one of the greatest affirmations of the voting process? Would you prefer widespread emulation of the more egregious examples of ACORN abuses in the most powerful, most prosperous republic in the world?
Look at Mike O'Brien's mention of Senator Obama's run for state office in Illinois, for instance. I happen to view that example just as Mike alluded--that is, playing by the rules--but by your rationale, was this instance of challenging petition signatures to invalidate the campaigns of the only four potential opponents for the state-Democratic nomination for state senator an undermining of the process? To include the then-sitting state Senator?
"For your interest I include the following. Greg Palast, a reporter for the
BBC, is reporting in this video what he and
his associates have uncovered concerning this. It's kind of shocking to
hear what he has to say regarding the information he has discovered."
As for taking almost any of Greg Palast's more wild implications seriously? Nope.
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