Opinion of opebo?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I have no problem with opebo, but it's sad that this forum seems to idolize him in every way. He seems to have talents, but he's just a sad, poor guy who lives in an impoverished country, paying enslaved Thai girls to sleep with him for his own pleasure. I guess it sounds appealing to the BRTD's of the world who still think they are 14 years old and attend events like DUDEFEST, but to most of us, I can't fathom how that kind of lifestyle is inspiring. I feel sorry for the guy that his life is that way, and even more sorry that he thinks of himself as lucky! Of course, I also am convinced he's an act all together.

[opebo]

... opebo... lives in an impoverished country, paying enslaved Thai girls to sleep with him...

Well, let me just point out that Thailand is hardly 'impoverished', and that these girls are not 'enslaved', but rather just prostitutes.  Most people go into prostitution for the same reasons they go into any other job - just to get a living.  Nobody is specifically forcing them into that specific job.  So, yes, all workers are 'slaves' in a sense, because they must work, but generally speaking sexual workers are no more so than any others, particularly in countries where selling sex is largely tolerated by the authorities.  (It is true that there is an element of slavery in many cases in puritan countries like the US where selling sex is outlawed).

[fezzyfestoon]

That's a nice justification.

http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/thailand

[opebo]

That's a nice justification.

http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/thailand

Fezzy, you're nuts.  That's like posting the web site of the Catholic Church as the definitive source of information about abortion.

Most of the claptrap on that website is about illegal immigrants working in the sex business in Thailand - of course that is a very tiny portion of the industry.  And it is extremely absurd to accept the proposition that even those illegal immigrants are 'being held against their will'.   Can you imagine how much trouble it would be to imprison someone, particularly when there are thousands of others who would be glad to have the job?  It just makes no sense. 

In practice what does occur is non-Thais (mostly Lao, Burmese,and Cambodian) who work in illegal brothels may not be able to leave and wander freely about the town.  This does not in any way mean that they are 'imprisoned' by the mafia, but rather merely by their status as illegal immigrants.  I have frequently visited such brothels, and the lineup of girls changes continuously, with girls often going home to Lao to see their families and distribute their sizeable earnings.  Sometimes they come back, other times they stay or change venue. 

The places I've visited work like this - the fee for one session is from $10-20, and the girl gets half, with the other half going to the mafia who operate the place.  From their half the mafia have to pay the cops, etc.  Whether there is some debt owed related to smuggling the girl into Thailand I don't know, but the girls typically do around 3-5 guys a day, so they make far more than the typical Laotian - say $40-50/day - in other words they make a Laotian's monthly salary in one day.  All the girls have mobile phones, stereos, and many have TVs in their rooms.  However I have not seen any owning a motorbike.  When I used to visit such places in Cambodia (before they were closed by the do-gooders), many of the girls also owned motorbikes and drove freely about the city.  The distinction is that in Thailand there is a relatively advanced police force which might catch them for being illegals, while in those good old days in Cambodia there wasn't (it was a 'free' country then).

I have very often seen girls say directly to the pimp-man (a tough character I wouldn't want to have trouble with) that they declined to go with a foreigner, or to provide oral sex services, etc.  And the man accepted it without the slightest sign of displeasure.  In other words the girls were easily able to refuse particular acts or customers (some girls don't like to go with foreigners because of the enormous penis or the extremely long intercourse sessions - Asians normally only take 5-10 minutes. also many girls do not do oral sex at all, as Thais don't request it and it is somewhat taboo.)  Of course it might be more difficult to refuse a Thai customer - no one worries about the feelings of the foreigner, but the boss might hate to see a Thai's feelings hurt.  And after all there would be no obvious reason for the refusal, as they all perceive Thais as the same or liking the same thing.

[fezzyfestoon]

Mmhmm, whatever helps you sleep at night.  Like I said, I don't really care, I just pity you.  But I feel genuinely sorry for those poor girls whose pain and suffering you contribute to.

[opebo]

Mmhmm, whatever helps you sleep at night.  Like I said, I don't really care, I just pity you.  But I feel genuinely sorry for those poor girls whose pain and suffering you contribute to.

Dude, you're doubtless more 'responsible' for their pain and suffering than I am!

[fezzyfestoon]

Mmhmm, whatever helps you sleep at night.  Like I said, I don't really care, I just pity you.  But I feel genuinely sorry for those poor girls whose pain and suffering you contribute to.

Dude, you're doubtless more 'responsible' for their pain and suffering than I am!

Yep, ok.

[opebo]

Mmhmm, whatever helps you sleep at night.  Like I said, I don't really care, I just pity you.  But I feel genuinely sorry for those poor girls whose pain and suffering you contribute to.

Dude, you're doubtless more 'responsible' for their pain and suffering than I am!

Yep, ok.

Its all interconnected - your privilege, their oppression.  Whether they're knitting t-shirts or giving BJs is pretty irrelevant.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I have no problem with opebo, but it's sad that this forum seems to idolize him in every way. He seems to have talents, but he's just a sad, poor guy who lives in an impoverished country, paying enslaved Thai girls to sleep with him for his own pleasure. I guess it sounds appealing to the BRTD's of the world who still think they are 14 years old and attend events like DUDEFEST, but to most of us, I can't fathom how that kind of lifestyle is inspiring. I feel sorry for the guy that his life is that way, and even more sorry that he thinks of himself as lucky! Of course, I also am convinced he's an act all together.

Oh sure Mr. "LOLZ RAPE IS FUNNY!"

[Bacon King]

I love his wit. He's like a modern-age hooker-loving Oscar Wilde.