Should Prostitution Be Legalized?

[Mechaman]

Sex sells, legalize it.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

yes but not with idiotic taxation...

But that's WHEN it will be legalized.  Same with drugs.  As soon as the gummit can find a way to stick their grubby paws into these things......it will be legalized

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That's how the system works in Britain too, except if you pay for it with more than one woman, it's a criminal offence.

Yes, its solicitation thats illegal. Although, in practice, the police have such a [CENSORED] which might explain why they prefer to crack down on brothels more than kerb-crawlers.

Hmmm, Minneapolis is basically the exact opposite. The brothels are basically ignored. There's actually two in the city within walking distance of a police station. One is about a block away. It's been open for almost 50 years.

[opebo]

Yes. Partly on the grounds rarely mentioned that it would help women re-access into 'the system' and help them find more suitable forms of employment (the first person to say, yes I suspect it will be Opebo, that most women choose to prostitution is going to get a very large internet boot in the face).

Well its obvious they 'choose it' as much as they do any job, GF.  Not that that means much.  Anyway the main thing about it is that is better than other menial jobs in several ways, and performs a service I consider truly vital.  (I'm really not one to focus on 'individual choice' these days).

[k-onmmunist]

I too am against taxing prostitution, for the same reason I'm against taxing breathing.

[opebo]

I too am against taxing prostitution, for the same reason I'm against taxing breathing.

Whacking might be a better comparison..

[nclib]

Anyway things wouldn't be so bad if there was at least smart enforcement focusing only on the streetwalkers and trafficker and pimps and all that instead of wasting taxpayer money and police resources in busting escorts and some of their customers on sites like Craigslist who aren't bothering anyone or some woman who offers sex for World Series tickets.

Agreed. There is a case to be made against prostitution when it potentially conflicts with public health or safety. However, there is definitely no compelling interest to prosecute the woman who offered sex for World Series tickets.

[angus]

I think so.

This is one of those strange issues.  Strange bedfellows:  radical feminazis, fire-and-brimstone traditionalists, soccer moms, social workers whose livelihoods depend on the taboo, and the like.  Just enough against it to form a minoritarian hegemony.  And there's also the Beavis'n'Butthead aspect about it, not unlike legalized weed. 

But if the majority were allowed to come out of the closet, then you could swing it in some states.    (Nevada, for example, allows some legal and highly-regulated forms in about half of its counties.)  I suspect that Iowans would go for it straight up, if asked, and Californians and other Westerners would as well, if you could call it "medical necessity" since that's the way they seem to operate.  (Back door legalization and all that.  Think:  Oaksterdam University.) 

Certainly the advantages of open pay-for sex outweighs its disadvantages.  Not that there aren't any.  And you'd have to probably spend tax dollars to deal with the fallout, but my hunch is that any public spending to deal with that is smaller than the amount we're currently wasting on enforcement, public defenders, counseling, and the like.

[RosettaStoned]

Absolutely.

[opebo]

Certainly the advantages of open pay-for sex outweighs its disadvantages.  Not that there aren't any. 

Of course most of the 'social ills' related to prostitution already exist from the illegal business and would only be marginally increased by legalization.  For example there might be somewhat more paid-sex acts if legalized, but they would probably also be 'safer', so the net result epidemiologically would be nil.

No, the reason it is illegal is to control lower class men by controlling the p******y, so it will never be legalized in our lifetimes.

[Antonio the Sixth]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

[Franzl]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

[Antonio the Sixth]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

I'm not complaining. I still prefer immoralfags to moralfags.

[Franzl]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

I'm not complaining. I still prefer immoralfags to moralfags.

No I was asking why you're opposed to legalization.

[Antonio the Sixth]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

I'm not complaining. I still prefer immoralfags to moralfags.

No I was asking why you're opposed to legalization.

Sorry, I misunderstood.
Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

[Franzl]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

I'm not complaining. I still prefer immoralfags to moralfags.

No I was asking why you're opposed to legalization.

Sorry, I misunderstood.
Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

OK, but would you really criminalize a guy paying a woman he met $100 for sex.....or do you just mean brothels and the like?

[Antonio the Sixth]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

Why not?

I'm not complaining. I still prefer immoralfags to moralfags.

No I was asking why you're opposed to legalization.

Sorry, I misunderstood.
Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

OK, but would you really criminalize a guy paying a woman he met $100 for sex.....or do you just mean brothels and the like?

I agree that penalizing occasional prostitution doesn't make much sense. Instead, organized prostitution (brothels and the like indeed) shouldn't be tolerated IMO.

[opebo]

Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

Dude, everyone is reduced to the state of merchandise in capitalism.  You're just a prude to focus on the sexual aspect.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

Dude, everyone is reduced to the state of merchandise in capitalism.  You're just a prude to focus on the sexual aspect.

I'm just coherent with my other political views.

[Magic 8-Ball]

Absolutely. Streetwalking, brothel, private prostitution, all of it.

[Bo]

No.

89% ? I knew the forum was socially liberal, but not at this point...

I'm more of a social libertarian than a social liberal, meaning that I don't really care one way or the other. I think many people throughout the forum share my views on this.

[opebo]

Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

Dude, everyone is reduced to the state of merchandise in capitalism.  You're just a prude to focus on the sexual aspect.

I'm just coherent with my other political views.

Really?  You want to ban all forms of employment?

[Earth]

Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

Dude, everyone is reduced to the state of merchandise in capitalism.  You're just a prude to focus on the sexual aspect.

I'm just coherent with my other political views.

Here's a bit of counterintuitive wisdom:

Your stance is actually oppressive against women. That is, if you recognize prostitution can be a legitimate choice one can make for themselves. You're mistaking the problem within the bigger sphere.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Well, I see prostitution as a form of oppression of women, reducing them to a state of merchandise. I however think that the anti-prostitution law shouldn't focus on prostitutes, but rather on procurers.

Dude, everyone is reduced to the state of merchandise in capitalism.  You're just a prude to focus on the sexual aspect.

I'm just coherent with my other political views.

Here's a bit of counterintuitive wisdom:

Your stance is actually oppressive against women. That is, if you recognize prostitution can be a legitimate choice one can make for themselves. You're mistaking the problem within the bigger sphere.

Why do you say that ? Didn't I make it clear that my problem was toward organized prosititution ?

[Earth]

Why do you say that ? Didn't I make it clear that my problem was toward organized prosititution ?

It's still without merit. Being able to organize is actually safer than winging it alone, depending on the set up.