60s free-love bastion to vote on prostitution

[hightime]

Thursday, June 24, 2004 Posted: 12:51 PM EDT (1651 GMT)
BERKELEY, California (AP) -- Residents of this left-leaning city will have a chance to vote in November on whether they think prostitution should be a crime.

An advocacy group announced Wednesday it had gathered nearly 3,200 signatures, about 1,000 more than needed to get the initiative on the ballot.

The measure would have little more than symbolic value, since it wouldn't undo laws against prostitution. But Robyn Few, head of the Sex Workers Outreach Project, said a win at the polls would send an important message.

"What we're trying to do is build a groundswell here in California," she said.

http://www.yellowpagessanfrancisco.com/news/city-news.php?sendURL=http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r169221380

[Spinzonner]

1. There's always something a bit ironic about

politicians being opposed to prostitution

[JoeyBandit]

2. Works in Nevada

Legal prostitution works just fine out here in Nevada. I say legalize it and tax it. Legalized brothels take away the abusive pimp-streetwalker relationship, while at the same time adding nice tax revenue. ;)

[struggle4progress]

3. Encourage further reduction of human relations to commodities? eom

[mongo]

7. legalization would be harm reduction

for both parties. I've had 70yo men come into my store (well we're close and we're open) after being robbed by the crack ho's here.

Likewise, a woman is murdered every few years or so in this neighborhood.

You can't get rid of prostitution, so why not regulate it? Get rid of street walkers altogether, license and test prostitutes for STD's.

[Nevernose]

8. Not much tax revenue.

It's been illegal in Clark County since the 40's, though you'd never know it from looking at either Fremont Street or the yellow pages. It's my understanding that most of these houses don't actually make all that much money.

Which county is it (White Pine? Eureka?) that is the same size as Massachusetts and has a population of 930? Nine hundred miners and 30 hookers.

I think Mayor Goodman has some serious guts in suggesting that prostitution be legalized in downtown Vegas. It would seriously revitalize the area, as well as remove much of the crime and disease associated with illegal prostitution. Never happen, though; too many Mormons.

What part of Nevada are you from? Welcome to DU!

[JoeyBandit]

10. Thanks

I'm from Las Vegas. Right about the Mormons too.

[SoDesuKa]

4. The Downside of Legalization

The downside of legalization is that it exposes class exploitation. Class exploitation itself isn't a problem, but exposing it is. The wealthy will sport with the daughters of the poor.

Wordsworth: ...the harlot's curse blasts the infant's tear ...

[JoeyBandit]

6. True. However...

Since it is the 'world's oldest profession,' I don't think it's going to go away anytime soon. That being the case, why not legalize it? If a woman wants to do it, I say more power to her.

[DavidMS]

9. I dissagre

Its a way that women who chose to / find prostution their best economic option are legaly protected. In adition to protecting them, legalization will protect prostutes and their clients from STDs. If its done correctly, prostuties will also earn a better income.

[TorchTheWitch]

11. I disagree

In adition to protecting them, legalization will protect prostutes and their clients from STDs.

uh... how? It's not the transfer of cash that causes the STD, it's the transfer of bodily fluids. Making prostitution legal isn't going to spare anyone an STD.

If its done correctly, prostuties will also earn a better income.

uh... how? If it's legal, prostitutes will also have start paying taxes. Besides, the reason that so much can be charged for the service is BECAUSE it is illegal. Make it legal, and FAR more women will do it, thereby saturating the market and bringing down the price.

Speeking as a sex worker myself, I'm not all that into legalization, but decriminalization.

[walldude]

5. Hey then we can call it

A manufacturing job. You know, sperm manufacturing...

[Moderator]

12. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=642051