"So adults who come from a poor background and have been abused can't consent or make choices for their own lives?"

Of course that's not what I mean. But according to many posters this person earning all this money for sex was not going to fit the "typical" profile of a hooker. Yet she does. She comes from a poor, abusive background. There is a reason why many sex workers have this in common - because prostitution is not a choice that most "healthy" people would make. Usually poverty, past abuse, or drug addiction are a big part of the equation. To deny that and pretend that the standard is "the happy hooker" is denying reality.

Which part of "consenting adult" do you dipshits NOT understand. Not children. Not animals. Not sons or daughters. Not dead people. CONSENTING adults.

Geez. Your desperation to be right is making you pull the most idiotic brain farts out of your butts.

Obviously, making something illegal does away with that thing.

We can eliminate poverty simply by passing a law against it and then imprisoning anyone who breaks that law.

Prisoners aren't real people and therefore would not qualify as poor people.

Voila', poverty totally gone.

Any suggestions as to what income level should be used as the cut off point?

I'm thinking $200K..

I have already addressed the male sex worker issue.

Men are vile beasts who deserve whatever nasty things happen to them..

Every single one of us..

The Shadow knows what evil lurks within the hearts of men..

I, for one, commend your confession of gender crime. We at S.C.U.M. (The Society for Cutting Up Men, and yes, there once was a feminist organization so referred to approvingly in a late 70s feminist essay) will leave you alone, since you admit your vileness. You, however, are not one of the cowards who favor criminalizing prostitution but who will not answer the question.

They won't answer the question.

There are hypocrites on this thread, just not the usual conservative kind.

Oh please. What penalties should be meted out on these criminals? Keeping prostitution illegal makes these women criminals. If they get caught, they are in serious trouble. How does this help them?

It's about choice.

Comparison's to abortion are apt. I don't want one. I don't want people I love to have one. I hope no one I know thinks they need one. Forced abortion is unbelievably wrong, evil.

I still want it to be legal, I still do not want to criminalize anyone that does make that choice.

You haven't answered the question I have, how does keeping it illegal help any of these women and men on the street, let alone the higher end variety like Spitzer hired?

The same thing applies to drugs and alcohol abuse. I don't want it to effect anyone I love...if it does, I hope to God that they wouldn't be imprisoned for it.

And Aych, if sex work is totally okay, same as roofing, why is it an "unforgiveable insult" to suggest that you pimp your grandchildren? You insist for 500 posts that manual labor is the same thing as prostitution, why take an aggrieved and shocked tone when someone suggests the very modest proposal that your granddaughters take up this as a "career choice"?

Being a consenting adult prostitute is one thing..

Being someone who rents out a prepubescent child for rape is entirely another.

That you cannot see the difference is clear indication of your moral confusion.

I'd be just as insulted if you said I was running a sweatshop full of children chained to sewing machines.

To refuse to call myself a liberal....

consent (AKA Free Will) is a bizarre and foreign concept when the individual involved in selling herself is A) doing so for money B) and usually is driven by abuse, drug addiction and emotional or psychological problems.

Not to be guilty of gross overgeneralization but this desire to explain away personal responsibilty based on unfortunate history is one of the easiest targets that conservatives can use to legitimatly discredit liberals.

I think WT said it best a few weeks ago when he noted that no matter how much science reveals about the human mind and no matter how much we learn about genetic and environmental factors that affect behavior, it is vital that we opertate under the assumption of free will or ALL moral judgements get thrown out the window.

Can anyone say "twinkie defense"?

The end is nigh, for Tina hath proclaimed thy arguments weak, and Tina is right! And you, Aych, who hast most surely said that all sex work is wonderful and revels in the noxious lies of the ‘happy hooker’ myth because Tina sayest thou hast, drink the bitter cup that is yours by right of your misogynist mischaracterization of Tina’s righteous observation that you are as a pimp to your granddaughter (who hast a six pact and dwellest in the 98th percentile of height for females her age) as something ‘insulting.’ Your foolish words mark you as a frequenter of prostitutes! Despair, ye haters of women, your logic and reason crumble in the face of the One Great Premise: Tina knows what is wrong, and Tina is right.

that was the most obvious dodge I have ever seen, Glenn. That answer wasn't worthy of you.

You are acting like Aych now, even.

Why would I answer a question that has been dealt with 200 posts ago and is an obvious straw man? Of course male sex workers can be demeaned and abused, and usually are by the time they resort to sex work. In fact, their cases may be more compelling because they are men, have to be tough, suck it up, are less likely to seek help. Ever read James Baldwin?

But, WHAT has that got to do with my question? Absolutely nothing!

And Joshua--consenting adults, is it? Nobody likes to "consent" to a cleaning job either, let's say. But the Social Services will assign you that job and you had better do it. Why shouldn't they also assign jobs by sending girls to work for brothel owners? Why not? The brothel owners complain of a lack of native Dutch girls in the trade. This would solve their problem.

I am breathless in anticipation to see what you come up with.

If it's truly work like any other then let it be treated the same, you hypocrites.