# Why is Yakuza allowed to talk about paying for escorts? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 30, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233 "2012-03-30T03:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/1 "2012-03-30T03:44:15Z")
How in the world is it that a thread where someone openly admits to paying for sex (illegal in the US where he has admitted to living) is left open, but one that asks about how people enjoy their pot (legal with medical card in many states) is swiftly shut down? He has admitted that the escorts are for sex. Paying for sex with escorts is a crime everywhere in the U.S. except for a few counties in Nevada, where Yakuza does not live. So what’s up with this? Just for the record, I have no problem with prostitution and don’t want to see his threads get closed. And I don’t smoke marijuana (nor do I care if others smoke it). I just want to understand the moderator reasoning behind leaving Yakuza’s thread open when he’s admitting to illegal activity. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/2 "2012-03-30T04:02:06Z")
I understand that the thrust of Yakuza’s threads is not to encourage other people to go out and get escorts… but he mentions that he does it ALL the time, and I have yet to see a moderator action on him for it. I may be mistaken though, I admit. If I went around and talked about how I liked to smoke pot in every thread that I created, even if the point of the thread wasn’t to encourage smoking pot, would that be ok? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/3 "2012-03-30T04:05:50Z")
I think you misunderstand the rule. From the [Registration Agreement:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=423183) > [@](#): > > You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use the SDMB to post any material that you know or should know is false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or in violation of U.S. law. You agree not to post material that in our opinion encourages activity that is illegal in the U.S. Writing about using escorts is not against U.S. law, nor is it necessarily encouraging it. It is not specifically against the rules to admit you have engaged in illegal activity. (This said, we would certainly be likely to shut down a thread admitting to murder, for example.) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/4 "2012-03-30T04:07:54Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > If I went around and talked about how I liked to smoke pot in every thread that I created, even if the point of the thread wasn’t to encourage smoking pot, would that be ok? From the FAQ: [Are there any forbidden topics, like sex and drugs?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7696990#post7696990) > [@](#): > > Drugs that are illegal in the US: You may discuss the effects of drugs, but not where to obtain them. Limited discussion of past use of drugs is OK, but discussion of current use is not. Please include a disclaimer that the drug is illegal in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/5 "2012-03-30T05:12:14Z")
Hiring someone to accompany you on a date is not illegal in the US (AFAIK). Hiring someone to engage in sex acts with you is. But it is (so I am told, no experience with this) made explicit in the escort’s TOS that it is as a dinner (or other activity) companion, that any sex resulting is completely voluntary on the part of both participants. Although there is a subtext that if you want repeat business, you won’t invoke that clause… You are encouraged to see it less as “I’m hiring someone for dinner and a lay” than as “I’m improving the odds that I’ll get laid on this date.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/6 "2012-03-30T05:13:51Z")
And Yakuza is talking about current use of prostitutes. You still haven’t described why illegal drug use is somehow worse than illegal prostitute use. And bullshit about escorts not being prostitutes. If I hire a guy who provides me with herbs, and he just happens to throw in some weed for free, he’s still selling me weed. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/7 "2012-03-30T05:23:30Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > From the FAQ: [Are there any forbidden topics, like sex and drugs?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7696990#post7696990) Right underneath that it says this: > [@](#): > > Sex: The medical approach is OK, the Penthouse approach is not. If you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and/or contact a staff member before you post. It doesn’t seem as if **Yakuza** is approaching sex from a medical POV. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/9 "2012-03-30T11:11:42Z")
I noticed the same thing, and it does seem to be a huge inconsistency. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/10 "2012-03-30T12:31:15Z")
Wait a minute, I thought they were all “free.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/11 "2012-03-30T12:40:56Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Wait a minute, I thought they were all “free.” No, he spends 50% ($400 IIRC) of his monthly income on whores. He’s bitching because he doesn’t have the ‘gift’ of picking up ‘free’ women. And he lives in a ditch or something but stays in a hotel twice a month. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/12 "2012-03-30T12:47:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I think you misunderstand the rule. From the [Registration Agreement:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=423183) > > Writing about using escorts is not against U.S. law, nor is it necessarily encouraging it. It is not specifically against the rules to admit you have engaged in illegal activity. (This said, we would certainly be likely to shut down a thread admitting to murder, for example.) When did writing about using marijuana become against U.S. law? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/13 "2012-03-30T12:52:03Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > When did writing about using marijuana become against U.S. law? Especially when the OP is in a jurisdiction where smokin’ a bowl is legal. I’m not normally one who whines about mod actions, but there are some odd double standards going on here. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/14 "2012-03-30T13:01:21Z")
Oh, who cares? Maybe they just kept it open because it was entertaining and it’s not a “how-to”. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/15 "2012-03-30T13:04:54Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Oh, who cares? Maybe they just kept it open because it was entertaining and it’s not a “how-to”. I think you mean “how-2” ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/16 "2012-03-30T14:10:33Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Especially when the OP is in a jurisdiction where smokin’ a bowl is legal. That’s place doesn’t exist in the United States. Possession of a Schedule I drug is illegal throughout the US. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/17 "2012-03-30T14:24:46Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It doesn’t seem as if **Yakuza** is approaching sex from a medical POV. From what I have seen, he has not engaged in explicit descriptions of sex acts, which is what the “Penthouse approach” indicates. > [@WhyNot](#): > > When did writing about using marijuana become against U.S. law? The policy on discussion of drug use is somewhat different than that on discussion of other forms of illegality. See the FAQ I quoted. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/18 "2012-03-30T14:27:11Z")
Crazy ramblings are held to a lower standard. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/19 "2012-03-30T14:29:40Z")
This OP could have left off everything after the first 4 words. ---
**Author:** ![Sethcrzygy86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sethcrzygy86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sethcrzygy86)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/20 "2012-03-30T16:21:11Z")
Also Yakuza is making 99% of it up. Posters like him because he’s entertaining them with stories. He think he’s trolling them but they are using him back, result = good thread. Not all trolls are bad ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233/21 "2012-03-30T19:12:15Z")
Alright… so talking about currently doing things that are illegal in the United States is ok, as long as we aren’t encouraging other people to do it, and as long as it’s not about drug use. Unless it’s murder. Or breaking parole. Or… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-yakuza-allowed-to-talk-about-paying-for-escorts/617233.md?page=2)