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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kid Rock who wrote (76475)	3/30/2000 1:05:00 AM
From: nihil	Respond to of 108807

I don't think I have discussed prostitution here but this is an excellent opportunity. In principle, as a believer in individual contract, I believe that one should be free to rent out one's body, set the price, and sue if necessary to collect. Similarly, I believe that prostitutes need protection and from threats and brutality both of johns and pimps. Because it is a dangerous job, it should be barred to children. I am not certain about the age limit, but it certainly should be started pretty high in a legal prostitution regime. I would like to see something substantially higher than 21 to start once prostitution was legalized. There are other regulations that I would impose, and these include protection of prostitutes' children from participation and exposure to the trade. It already is a criminal offense for a prostitute to subject her child to sexual abuse. Personally, I believe that the act of selling sex for money is nothing much to worry about. It is equivalent to ordinary marriage in many societies where the man is obligated to pay for a bride and can have several brides or in most states where the spouses must financially support each other and can be divorced if they don't. I see nothing wrong with a couple doing something that is legal between two people who happen to be married. The main problem that I see with contemporary prostitution is that the prostitute is not able to protect her or himself against oppression because the act is most places is illegal. Get rid of the illegality. Impose reasonable regulations for public health and safety. Allow prostitutes to exercise their trade freely, and the problems of prostitution will largely go away. I have always believed that people should not be subjected to involuntary servitude. I oppose the slavery that results from acting or performance contracts. I oppose the employers' almost unlimited rights under the "employment at will" doctrine. I think the Title VII and Sec. 1981 should be amended explicitly to punish employers for sexually exploiting men or women, children, or homosexuals. This necessary to shut the pimps down. Each state would remain in control of the trade and should IMO make pimping illegal in every respect. If prostitution were legalized the world would become dramatically different. As the stigma of prostitution decreased, prostitution would become more generally acceptable by many people. I have lived in societies where prostitutes were as well accepted as were ordinary people. Some highly dignified ladies and gentlemen thought nothing of having prostitutes in their homes as guests of other men. "Would it be all right for me to bring a friend?" was an ordinary question in Bangkok in the 1960's and 70's among highly placed officials and even the nobility (I don't know about now). I don't move in elite circles, but from what I hear that many men women in the arts, theater, journalism, and politics have the morals of whores. Being known as a prostitute or a john seldom causes any disgrace as long as one doesn't murder anyone else without a good excuse. When prostitution becomes legal I imagine that many men will never marry and will insist on a release from the obligations of child support before paying for sex. I imagine many women will not have the choice of marrying, and will engage in prostitution both as a way to live and a source of sexual outlet. Women and women who wish to abstain from prostitution and marriage will be free to do so. The major problem will be drugs, one of the major causes of prostitution now. If drugs continue to be expensive there are few ways that young, ignorant, untrained women can make enough to afford an expensive habit except prostitutes. If we are serious about reducing the prevalence of prostitution whether it is legalized or not, we should deregulate drugs for adults. I would start with legalizing marijuana use, ownership, cultivation, and trade, but register merchants. Taxes should be less than 100 per cent of cost. Initially, children's use should be barred (as liquor and tobacco). If legalized marijuana turns out to be as bad in the pioneer states as many fear, once the law was reversed the previously registered merchants could all be jailed when they violated the law. I don't expect marijuana to be much of a problem. I don't know of anyone except George W. Bush who hasn't smoked or refuses to admit smoking. I think we should quickly deregulate cocaine and crack and legalize the trade. We will need some regulations, such as driving jet planes and trucks under the influence. I think a registered cocaine user or alcohol user (or someone convicted of unregistered possession) should be forbidden to buy or carry a gun or drive a car or airplane. I think morphine and heroin should be made cheap and readily available. Methamphetines I think is very dangerous and should be banned. I believe it makes the user literally crazy. The legalizing of prostitution and most drugs will create a huge number of self supporting prostitutes, many of whom use large amounts of newly legalized and regulated drugs. I think many of these women will be marginally happier than their counterparts are today. Many will be miserable. The resources raised from taxation should be used to suppress drug use among kids. I think it will be very difficult to control children's access to drugs, but any user or merchant who violates the restrictions should be denied access to legal drugs for use or sale. Maybe a death sentence for a second conviction.