I beg to differ. If we assume infidelity is the sexual act itself, then having a relatively inexpensive, discreet and very accessible partner would, in a great many situations, tempt many married persons that would otherwise not be prepared to invest the effort/take the risk of trying to woo a friend/colleague/one night stand.
I agree totally, though, that it is a matter solely for the individuals involved and no concern of any government except, on the business side, when it comes to taxation, safety of premises etc.
Hey Cisco, if it’s legal then there would be little need or economic benefit to employ heroin addicts. We’re talking about moving a product from the black market to main stream free economy, demand for quality services will eliminate a watery, unresponsive & trashy product (unless those specific qualities are in demand).
What’s your take on all this?
Legalize it, tax it, regulate it. Spin it into a health profession with educated providers.
Is it a practical solution in the rest of the U.S. and the world?
Practical in the US, sure because we’re all about money making opportunities–pot will become mainstream just as soon as the McCarthy era paranoids expire from political power. Probably not such a hot idea for say, Saudi Arabia though.
**Is it morally wrong to tempt law-abiding citizens with legalized vices such as gambling and prostitution?**and tobacco and alcohol and Chevrolets? Misguided question, really. Life is full of temptations, moral and otherwise. It’s the ONLY point of advertising: to get you to spend money NOW that you should save for retirement, spend on education, give to the needy, etc. Morality and self-accountability are always the responsibility of the individual. Unless you believe in Satan as a deceiver. But if you believe that then you need to make sure you haven’t already been deceived into adhering to the wrong set of moral principles (like persecution of homos & unwed couples despite Jesus’ alleged pleas to just be excellent to everyone, always, and let God do the judging…but I digress).
If prostitution is morally wrong, can it be eliminated?
Even if there were a sens of moral order in the universe demand for sex would still outstrip (heh) demand. there’s a market just BEGGING to happen.
I think that prostitution should be legalized. Cities should have safe, licensed brothels, and the health of prostitutes should be regularly checked. Right now, we have the WORST of both worlds: prostitution is controlled by crimoinals, who don’t care about AIDS or other STDs. The police like it, because they collect bribes from the pimps.The public gets shafted both wyas-we pay for the societal wreckage that results, and we also get to accept the crime and violence that naturally go with illegal prostitution.
There was an interesting show on yesterday about Sex and the Civil War on the history channel. In Nashville, when the union occupied that city, the number of VD was among troops very high. The army tried many things to end the problem. Eventually they decided to ignore the law, not get rid of it, and essentially legalize it. Women had to pay a fee and get medical checkups. VD numbers dropped and the program paid for itself with the fees. When the troops left, the civilian authorities made it illegal again.
I believe they also tried this in a couple of other cities as well, and it time it drastically helped reduce the amount of VD among the soldiers.
Sort of by definition, free men (and women) are free to do foolish and harmful things. On the other hand, society does have an interest in protecting others from bad choices made by others.
Following these guidelines, I would suppose most prostitution should be legal but controlled as to its location, advertizing and heath aspects.
Further some prostitiution (as in slavery or the abuse of children) violates the free choice principle and so should be supressed, even if imperfectly.
As for myself, I no longer patronize protitues and am sorry I ever did. It is a sad business and we ought to work for human happiness.
I have always thought it should be legal. People pay me to use my brain, an asset I was born with. People pay athletes to use their bodies, an asset they were born with. If someone wants to be paid to use their bodies for sex and if someone else wants to pay them, I believe it should be legal.
But since the OP states “Is it a practical solution in the rest of the U.S. and the world?” this is not a thread only directed at Americans. Your post also did not mention the US.
Even if it were a thread entirely about America, an example drawn from the effects of legalizing prostitution in another country are perfectly reasonable, and I don’t see what the problem is.
Hey, you’re the one who mentioned Canada as if to say it would work out as peachy everywhere else as it does there. I was just pointing out that this is not likely the case.
Not to speak for another poster, but when I read Cisco’s post I interpreted it to mean that something could avoid going corporate in Canada (or other countries for that matter) with much more ease than in the US where Corporate is King. I did not read it as not thinking your input was valid and wothwhile. Just my interpretation. YMMV.
I think the criminalization of prostution leads to many of the ills of prostitution. I would not want to see it government supported (Og knows, figure that into an election year, although it would be quite lively debate I am sure) but the furtiveness of it causes more harm and pain than the act of it. Individual responsibility. Decide for yourself.
Oh, okay. Sorry then. It’s sometimes hard to tell.
Still, I’m not so sure that it’s necessarily correct that Canada is somehow more resistant to corporatization, since Canada has become so incredibly corporate in the last few decades. Actually, the place I’ve been with the largest number of obvious small businesses was probably San Francisco.
Back to the topic, there are always ways to prevent corporatization of any industry. Here, I suspect, it’s the anti-pimping law and the no-bawdy-house law that have stopped corporations from getting into prostitution. All sex-trade workers are legally required to be in business for themselves – no employees, no employers.
(In a vaguely related note, the Canadian government has announced that the country has a shortage of strippers, and so this is one of the professions that’s now favoured by immigration. This country is far from perfect, but I do love it sometimes :D)
Prostitution is now legal in New Zealand. I can’t see any negatives to this.
Prostitution will go on for as long as someone has sexual parts that someone else is willing to pay for…oh yes forever.
It is a good thing to make sure all those involved are protected by the law. Surely legalisation means that there will be less health issues (work place regulations and occupational safety inspections), less crime (D’oh) and more safety for all those involved.
