Elliot Spitzer is stepping down. Good. There were manifold reasons to dislike or even cordially loathe the man; so much so, that I am almost sorry to see what did happen. Most of all, I am sorry for his children who do not deserve the derision and such that are sure to come their way from so-called friends as well as strangers.
Personally, I would have no problem with his using prostitutes save for two things. First, as a prosecutor he swore oaths that required him to prosecute same, so he is an oathbreaker there. Never mind that as governor he signed into law an act increasing the penalty for those who used prostitutes; and, if that comes back to bite him in the butt I will find that delightful poetic justice. Second, I presume that his wedding vows were standard, which means he broke that oath as well. If he was a patron of that service at the same time he was prosecuting others, possibly including their competition, he may well be a lawbreaker as well as an oathbreaker.
The fact is, I think that prostitution should be legalized. On a philosophical level, the one true thing we own is our own bodies: for others to control them is slavery, with the degree of control being the degree of slavery involved. If that gift be consensual, that is one thing; but, if it is forced by person or institution to any degree, then that be wrong. If what you do with your body harms not another, then why should it be the concern of anyone else or any law? On a practical level, the current system facilitates and continues a system of denigration, degradation, abuse, and worse to prostitutes. Prostitutes of any gender or orientation often find themselves as slaves and chattel with no recourse to reclaim themselves or break the vicious cycle being perpetuated. To continue our present system of laws and codes is to condone non-consensual slavery, rape, and abuse; and, I find that to be reprehensible.
Do I think prostitution is good? Define good. Would I want my daughter to be one? No, it would not be my first or even my hundredth choice; but, then again, it would not be my choice to make. Have I used a prostitute? Define. Do flowers, food, jewelry, and other “luxury” items count the same as cash? If not, why not? Would using such a service be better and more honest than using lies, deceit, trickery, or more to get a target out of their knickers? Just some food for thought…
What I do know is that I have talked with prostitutes, and even broken bread with a few. Some were low end, some high end—and it is amazing the talking you can get people to do just by starting the conversation as a person, not someone who is going to save them, fix them, rescue them, etc. An acquaintance/friend actually married an “escort” (one of several very interesting wives). Short version is that such conversations are why I think the current system needs a radical rethink and thoughtful legalization. Don’t pull that harm society as a whole bit either: society is an artificial construct, and only individuals can be harmed. What direct measurable harm to you would legalization do to you, or to the prostitute who is currently subject to abuse and far too many to defacto slavery? Again, some food for thought.
If I had my dreams realized, it would probably be in line with the Guild from Firefly, pulling from the best parts of the Geisha and related traditions, or any of several systems (quite similar to the Firefly system in many respects) put forward by Robert Heinlein. I will settle for something that allows people to make their own choices for their own reasons free of potential abuse and those being abusive.
Elliot Spitzer is a power-hungry civil-master wannabe, who sought power long and hard in as many forms as possible. He was something of a rogue prosecutor, with several prominent cases that crashed and burned after he moved on up the political ladder. His administration has been mired in and marred by scandals. As I said, there were many reasons to loathe him and to see him gone. Were it not for the oaths he swore, his use of prostitutes and alleged liking for unsafe sex really wouldn’t matter to me. As it is, I am glad to see him go and hope he stays gone. My sympathy is with his kids, who will pay a price for his actions. What I would love to see come out of this is a rethinking of prostitution and many blue laws.
LW
