Poll:Should prostitution be legal in the US?

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Yeah, but prostitution is going to happen anyway no matter what you do. People will always want sex and other people will always need money and be willing to do almost anything about it. If it were legal and regulated, you'd be able to keep the spread of STDs in check to an extent and you'd also take away the pimp's power to abuse the women who work for him or his ability to keep them on a "leash" via drug addiction. Everyone wins.

There! That's exactly what I think is messed up about this whole equation. I think prostitution would capitalize on people's desperation when they need money, taking advantage of the poor, if you will. If someone doesn't want to sell their body as a cum receptacle, yet it's that or welfare, it would make it really hard to choose not to do that.

This is less of a conversation about legalizing prostitution for women who find it a legitimate profession and desire to do it, than it is a conversation about legalizing prostitution for women who have almost no other options. The majority of women in this profession will always be the ones who are desperate. :|

Good point. I guess the real question is what kind of numbers you're talking about as far as the women who might not otherwise get involved (assuming illegality of prostitution) vs. the numbers who might take the plunge if it were legal (and they therefore knew they wouldn't get the crap beaten out of them by their pimp every other day).

Kind of a chicken/egg thing really though as some desperate women will always get involved in prostitution (even though it's illegal and they are at high risk for physical abuse/arrest/STDs/etc). Legalizing and regulating the "profession" would greatly improve the quality of life for these women, but might inadvertently bring more into the trade. Which is the greater evil?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
No. It breeds a horrid society full of scumbags.

Keeping it illegal is what's doing that.

People not respecting the law and having control over themselves is what's doing that

And that's ever going to change?

Turning your back on the 'oldest profession' won't make it go away.

Legalize it.
Regulate it.

Then disease will be reduced as well as crime and free up police to pursue other criminals...those, perhaps, of the more violent type. Or...maybe they can go flag down some idiot drivers.

That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Well...you best setup a colony on the moon, then, as it's never going away. I suppose you, in your cordoned-off little utopia, have never heard that phrase?

I've heard lots o' things! I hear that Farmer John's cows finally came home, too! Now, if you'll 'scuse me, I gots to go feed the hogs.

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
No. It breeds a horrid society full of scumbags.

Keeping it illegal is what's doing that.

People not respecting the law and having control over themselves is what's doing that

And that's ever going to change?

Turning your back on the 'oldest profession' won't make it go away.

Legalize it.
Regulate it.

Then disease will be reduced as well as crime and free up police to pursue other criminals...those, perhaps, of the more violent type. Or...maybe they can go flag down some idiot drivers.

That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Prostitution IS one of the world's oldest professions, if not the oldest actual profession. In the old days in Greece, prostitutes actually used to be holy priestesses of one god or another.

How you can manage to be so ignorant and close-minded is beyond me....

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
No. It breeds a horrid society full of scumbags.

Ever been to Holland? The Dutch are about the nicest, most laid-back bunch I've ever met. They won't even yell at you for speaking English as they like to practice whenever they can.

How many potheads do you know ever get pissed off and abusive? They are some of the most docile and agreeable creatures on the planet.

So you're saying that, because pot is essentialy legal in Holland, all Dutch are potheads? Go stick your head in the "Tea Rooms" in Amsterdam some day.....you know what you'll see? A sh*tload of stoned American tourists.

Pull your thong out, it's giving you a wedgie Fausto. I was referring to potheads being docile and agreeable not Hollanders. at no point in my post did I mention Holland.

Well, you quoted out a direct response to my Holland example so it made sense to make that assumption. My apologies.

 

[AreaCode707]

Hey guys, stop fighting with nik and get back to the discussion!

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Encryptic

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: waylman

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Redhotjrm
No... they spread disease and fornication. It's just plain frikkin sick anyway.

Yeah, but prostitution is going to happen anyway no matter what you do. People will always want sex and other people will always need money and be willing to do almost anything about it. If it were legal and regulated, you'd be able to keep the spread of STDs in check to an extent and you'd also take away the pimp's power to abuse the women who work for him or his ability to keep them on a "leash" via drug addiction. Everyone wins.

EVERYTHING that is illegal is going to happen anyway.

So we should just get rid of the law and government and let anarchy take over, right?

shut up. you probably haven't ever left your little hick town have you? Go to Amsterdam and see what it's like before you start spewing more BS.

I have no intension of going to such a country.

LOL....you claim to be open-minded, then you turn around and say you won't go to Holland. If you're so open-minded, why won't you go there? You might actually come away with a different opinion of marijuana and marijuana users in general. Of course, you've got it all figured out already, don't you?

Being open minded does not mean subjecting myself to everything in the book. I have CHOSEN not to participate in such crap. Therefore, why the hell would I want to go to Holland?? Jesus.

It means accepting that there are other opinions besides yours that matter. Obviously this is a concept that your mind is incapable of grasping.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: gigapet
Yes regulated red light districts would be the way to go. Use the money from sex sales to clean up inner cities and start after school programs

"momma, where is daddy?"
"he's out shagging the whore down the street so you all can have a new play ground"

 

[gigapet]

Originally posted by: HotChic
One of the things I could see arising from the legalization of prostitution is that women who are on the edge financially who may NOT want to sell their bodies feel that it's a last resort and do so anyway. There's a big different between making that step when it's legal and making it when it's illegal. No matter what you say, I believe the profession inherently possesses the ability to victimize women - not that all women in the profession are victims, but that many women in that line of work are there because they see nothing else for themselves. If you say that the women are there by *their* choice and that they should be able to make that choice, I think that you're really stretching to rationalize something that allows women to be objectified. So no.

why would it just be legalized female prostitution.........what about the man whores! BE FAIR!

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

There you go...you're on to something. Let's definitely get rid of the censors. What's the point? I want unfiltered, unfettered news!

And, rules are there to maintain law and order...not to maintain morality. A government should not be in the business of regulating morality. Leave that to the closed-minded holy rollers.

 

[Amused]

Nik and you have posited the two main arguments used against prostitution: disease and exploitation.

I have countered with the claim that the only places that have minimized disease and exploitation are those places that have legalized it. You can't minimize disease and exploitation if you drive it underground... which is all that bans do.

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: Hoober
Sure, why not?

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

I should point out that it's already the society your children are growing up in. The only difference is that it isn't legal where you are most likely, but it's sure as hell there.

If you want to keep your kids away from it you should support legalizing it. Nevada law dictates that brothels aren't allowed to sell sex so blatantly in the public eye, specifically they have to be so far from major roadways, no lighted signs, no people outside "demoing the merchandise" as it were, so on and so forth. If you keep it illegal the best you can hope for is that your kid won't go anywhere near an area of town with such lax policing that prostitutes can roam semi-freely.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

*cough* Mickey D lawsuit *cough*

Probably not that rampant in Tibet. Don't think it was that popular in Taliban ruled Afghanistan either

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: gigapet


why would it just be legalized female prostitution.........what about the man whores! BE FAIR!

Virgin here, but I must point out the obvious. Why should a woman pay for sex when she can get it for free anywhere she wants? A more apt comparison would be gay male prostitution. Very few of you probably want to make that your profession, but if you DESPERATELY needed the money or else you'd lose your home, and that was your only option.... ??

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Encryptic

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Encryptic

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: waylman

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Redhotjrm
No... they spread disease and fornication. It's just plain frikkin sick anyway.

Yeah, but prostitution is going to happen anyway no matter what you do. People will always want sex and other people will always need money and be willing to do almost anything about it. If it were legal and regulated, you'd be able to keep the spread of STDs in check to an extent and you'd also take away the pimp's power to abuse the women who work for him or his ability to keep them on a "leash" via drug addiction. Everyone wins.

EVERYTHING that is illegal is going to happen anyway.

So we should just get rid of the law and government and let anarchy take over, right?

shut up. you probably haven't ever left your little hick town have you? Go to Amsterdam and see what it's like before you start spewing more BS.

I have no intension of going to such a country.

LOL....you claim to be open-minded, then you turn around and say you won't go to Holland. If you're so open-minded, why won't you go there? You might actually come away with a different opinion of marijuana and marijuana users in general. Of course, you've got it all figured out already, don't you?

Being open minded does not mean subjecting myself to everything in the book. I have CHOSEN not to participate in such crap. Therefore, why the hell would I want to go to Holland?? Jesus.

It means accepting that there are other opinions besides yours that matter. Obviously this is a concept that your mind is incapable of grasping.

Yes. Because I don't agree with another opinion and have an opinion of my own means that I cannot possibly comprehend the fact that there are other opinions out there that differ from my own.

You will NEVER change my mind, and I will NEVER change yours. I have to change my own mind. You have to change your own mind. If you're going to state your opinion, don't be surprised if someone has a differing opinion and wishes to state it. I'm not surprised when my opinion is attacked, so why are you? I guess I have to be the bigger man here and let it go. You people will never back down from your stance and those of us who don't believe that it should be legalized won't back down from ours (atleast, not me anyway). So I'm just going to let it go before the arguement goes farther and degrades into nothing but useless flaming.



Good day.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

Please explain how closed brothels would infringe on your rights??? Those places that have legalized it have kept the ban on street walkers, and public indecency laws.

Think again, Nik.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

Nik, that's a completely pointless thing to say. You sound like Scalia predicting the downfall of western civilization thanks to the alteration of one law. A line will always be drawn, it's just a question of where. Discuss prostitution specifically and reasonably or just drop it. I think everyone's tired of you playing the morally outraged young citizen in any thread where religion/pot/hookers comes up.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
Yes, Only if it is regulated properly however.

Kind of like the prohibition. Prostitution happens regardless of what the government wants. They might as well legalize it and regulate it. (And tax it) There would be a higher standard if it were legal. Either way, I still would not use it even if legalized.

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

There you go...you're on to something. Let's definitely get rid of the censors. What's the point? I want unfiltered, unfettered news!

And, rules are there to maintain law and order...not to maintain morality. A government should not be in the business of regulating morality. Leave that to the closed-minded holy rollers.

Exactly.

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Encryptic

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Encryptic

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: waylman

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: Redhotjrm
No... they spread disease and fornication. It's just plain frikkin sick anyway.

Yeah, but prostitution is going to happen anyway no matter what you do. People will always want sex and other people will always need money and be willing to do almost anything about it. If it were legal and regulated, you'd be able to keep the spread of STDs in check to an extent and you'd also take away the pimp's power to abuse the women who work for him or his ability to keep them on a "leash" via drug addiction. Everyone wins.

EVERYTHING that is illegal is going to happen anyway.

So we should just get rid of the law and government and let anarchy take over, right?

shut up. you probably haven't ever left your little hick town have you? Go to Amsterdam and see what it's like before you start spewing more BS.

I have no intension of going to such a country.

LOL....you claim to be open-minded, then you turn around and say you won't go to Holland. If you're so open-minded, why won't you go there? You might actually come away with a different opinion of marijuana and marijuana users in general. Of course, you've got it all figured out already, don't you?

Being open minded does not mean subjecting myself to everything in the book. I have CHOSEN not to participate in such crap. Therefore, why the hell would I want to go to Holland?? Jesus.

It means accepting that there are other opinions besides yours that matter. Obviously this is a concept that your mind is incapable of grasping.

Yes. Because I don't agree with another opinion and have an opinion of my own means that I cannot possibly comprehend the fact that there are other opinions out there that differ from my own.

You will NEVER change my mind, and I will NEVER change yours. I have to change my own mind. You have to change your own mind. If you're going to state your opinion, don't be surprised if someone has a differing opinion and wishes to state it. I'm not surprised when my opinion is attacked, so why are you? I guess I have to be the bigger man here and let it go. You people will never back down from your stance and those of us who don't believe that it should be legalized won't back down from ours (atleast, not me anyway). So I'm just going to let it go before the arguement goes farther and degrades into nothing but useless flaming.



Good day.

You've got your right to an opinion, as do I. BUT, frankly everyone is sick and tired of you playing Jerry Falwell every time something like this comes under discussion. If you don't have anything useful to contribute besides automatically saying that something is bad, then why bother posting at all? Sheesh.

 

[gigapet]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt


That is hardly the worlds oldest profession. Such a deceptive description. It's dirty. It's low. It's not a society that I want my children growing up in.

Too late.

Name one society in which protitution is not widespread. Just one.

No government, no matter how oppressive, has ever been able to stop it. And the only places in which disease and exploitation has been minimized are those places it has been legalized and taken out of the back alleys.

Besides, who are you to tell a person they can't do what they want with their own body? What's next, regulating what food they can eat?

They can do with their body what they want. This country is all about defense of personal freedom that does not intrude on other people's freedoms. Well, I don't want that kind of crap being put into my kids heads. Why do you think we have censors in the media? Why not get rid of them then? Why do we have rules in society at ALL? Why do we even HAVE a government?

I think we have government to protect our rights. And for some of us our rights include paying for sex and having sex for money. the media doesnt need to be censored because if someone doesnt want to watch something they dont have to, goto the library and pick up a damn book. Raise your kids to know what is right and what is wrong and it doesnt really matter how many whores are in the streets or what is on the television. The people in amsterdam are a helluva lot more cultered, classy and genuine than any americans I';ve met and they have no holds barred porn on tv, practically legalized drugs and sex. Americans that complain about stuff like this need to stop being such cry baby faggots and grow up. IF you dont like something dont do it, watch it, look at it, eat it, smell it, smoke it, poke it whatever...........just dont go tellin me i cant do what i want because it bothers you.

 

[SandLizard]

Originally posted by: Amused
Nik and you have posited the two main arguments used against prostitution: disease and exploitation.

I have countered with the claim that the only places that have minimized disease and exploitation are those places that have legalized it. You can't minimize disease and exploitation if you drive it underground... which is all that bans do.

fair argument, but it assumes that the ONLY way to counter is by legalization. that's not enough proof, there's not enough data to correlate it--there's got to be more for a supportive argument...you think congress would accept that argument?

 

[AreaCode707]

Are my arguments largely being ignored in favor of nik's because mine make valid points? *is frustrated*

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SandLizard

Originally posted by: Amused
Nik and you have posited the two main arguments used against prostitution: disease and exploitation.

I have countered with the claim that the only places that have minimized disease and exploitation are those places that have legalized it. You can't minimize disease and exploitation if you drive it underground... which is all that bans do.

fair argument, but it assumes that the ONLY way to counter is by legalization. that's not enough proof, there's not enough data to correlate it--there's got to be more for a supportive argument...you think congress would accept that argument?

Nope, because they have to answer to unresaonable people like the religious right.

However, history is on my side here. No amount of bans or enforcement of bans has been able to curb underground prostitution and the exploitation and disease that goes along with it. However, as both the brothels of NV and the legal prostitution in Europe show, legalization does curb disease and cases of exploitation.

My only argument is this: Show one society that has signifigantly curbed disease and exploitation related to protitution by bans, or enforcement of bans.