On Prostitution

My friend over at The Rail-Splitter recently published a post regarding our media culture. In it, he explores the recent Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal and the media’s varied coverage of the woman involved, Ashley Dupre, which led me to consider this topic a little more.

To me, prostitution is an interesting debacle. Obviously, there are health concerns when it comes to prostitution, as well as many people whose lives could turn to drug abuse and violence when delving into such a matter. I think this definitely shows that some sort of control upon prostitution is necessary. However, I do not agree that the actual idea of prostitution is a bad one. Who is to say that one can or cannot be paid for some sort of sexual interaction?

Just as people are paid to sing for you or serve you food, it seems that someone could similarly be paid to perform a sexual service. I do not think that people can be denied the right to be given money for something that could in many ways be compared to so many other jobs and tasks that we, as normal members of society, utilize. I’m not trying to say that paying for a prostitute is the same thing as hiring a plumber to come over and fix a leak, but many parallels can be drawn.

I think we have been so conditioned to assume that prostitution is this awful concept that we do not tend to consider many other alternate views on the topic. Yes, there might be an image in our heads of some unfortunate street hooker whose life is a mess of drugs, but that is not the type of legalized prostitution I am speaking of (and, the part that said “regulated” system would not allow), nor would this problem really be heightened through the use of a controlled system.

So, I guess I’m all for prostitution…not in the sense that I support it, as I do not necessarily personally approve of it, but I do not think that matters. Really, I think the matter is: who is to say you can’t be a prostitute? …and I do not think anyone is to say. Prostitution could, for example, be contained to safer brothels that are under some sort of government regulations, and not be necessarily something that is encouraged…but something that is allowed, nonetheless. Many other countries, especially in Europe, use this system (as well as in Nevada, to some extent), and I think it is at least something to think about.

Ellen Takes On Sally!

Our Nation’s Biggest Threat

Unlike hard drugs or double homicide, the REAL thing that is terrifying to our country and for our youth is still out there, not being addressed: the homosexuals.

According to a speech from Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern last week, homosexuality is the biggest threat to our country. Even bigger than terrorism!

Not only did she say that, but, in fact, she compared it to cancer: it is a disease, it is spreading, and it will destroy the nation.

Though Kern’s remarks have not been at the very top of the headlines over the past few days, they have definitely spurred many reactions from the public and media. As expected, many have reacted to the representative’s extreme remarks, calling for apologies. However, when approached about taking back her remarks, Kern simply brushed them off: “when I am wrong, and it is brought to my attention, I will apologize.”

It definitely seems that gay-bashing sells well. In fact, any radical remarks nowadays seem to hit some sort of racial, gender, or sexual extreme so as just to ask for a public riot in response. If someone’s comments can pinpoint a particular population in any sort of non-“politically correct” fashion, it can get the people fired up.

This brings a question: does Kern truly believe that terrorism is in the backseat next to homosexuality, or is she just trying to create a buzz? Now, if the former is the case, then this country truly has even farther to go than I had imagined in terms of tolerance. However, though there are definitely extreme views everywhere, it is also very possible that Kern made statements such as these (or, at least, refuses to back down from them) in order to gain a portion of the public’s attention.

How many people had heard of Sally Kern before last week? I’m sure the numbers were minimal at best; however, after her little rant in Oklahoma, she has received national attention far beyond the levels of her former audience. Though many are outraged by the representative’s remarks, she has undoubtedly gained a bit more notoriety, and in turn, most likely, some more political prowess, than she ever had before.

Kern’s recent rant definitely reached media outlets like youtube.com (check out a video here with over one million hits: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tFxk7glmMbo). If Kern does not care about the liberties of the gay community, then why wouldn’t she include some extreme words so as to create a youtube.com “sensation”? It makes sense, and it does not take much effort by Sally herself. The recorded words alone are able to set off the spark, and it’s all up to the internet and the public after that.

Though explaining Kern’s and many others outlandish remarks as attempts at gaining media celebrity, this behavior is still dangerous to society. Though many may view Kern’s narrow-minded efforts to demean the gay community as downright ridiculous speech, there are many members of the public that are not going to think that way. Every message preaching intolerance is negative, despite how ridiculously radical it may seem.

Until words such as Kern’s are under control, the gay community should not expect to see any widespread acceptance. While we tend to think of racial intolerance as something we have overcome as a country from the place we were at sixty years ago, the deep roots of this issue are not completely vanishing anytime soon. This is even more of a problem with sexual orientation, as the call for tolerance is not really being heard, and while some may assume that social acceptance is abound, it may be even farther off than it seems.

Though America may still be in its place of prejudice, it does not mean that the world is doomed. As members of this society, it is important to remember that we should never be afraid to use our voices. Kern may have just wanted the people to get fired up, but her words will be there, regardless. It is up to a socially-concerned public to take Kern’s ignorance and use it as a means to preach tolerance for all people in this country, and that is the best that can be made of it.


SOURCES:

The Advocate. “Kern defends anti-gay remarks.” (Published Wednesday, March 19, 2008). Accessed at: http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2008/03/19/1

“Oklahoma State Rep.: Gays ‘Biggest Threat’ to US.” (Published Monday, March 11, 2008). Accessed at: http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/11/headlines#6

Still Just as Ignorant

In a year when a woman and a black man are competing for the Democratic presidential nomination, America yet again is still able to show its narrow-mindedness. When it comes to sexual orientation, the nation is still far behind.

On February 12, 2008, a 15 year-old boy was shot in the head in Oakland, California. Why would the murderer do such a thing? As it turns out, the victim identified himself as openly homosexual. Lawrence “Larry” King, a student at E. O. Green Junior High School, was shot in the head by his 14 year-old classmate, Brandon McInerney.

Just when it seems plausible to think that a diversity of sexual orientation is as prevalent in this country as a multitude of races and cultures, another Matthew Shepard tragedy is on America’s hands. Despite the progress that society has supposedly made since that 1998 catastrophe, it is still acceptable to discriminate just the same based on sexual orientation, and there is no urgency in the actions being taken because of this.

The media coverage of this incident has been oddly non-specific. Many reports only briefly, if at all, mention the factor of King’s homosexuality. It seems that society is not even ready to accept the idea that such a young child could already be associating himself with an alternative sexual lifestyle. Even in the tragic case of his death, as it is with King, the media is choosing to ignore the social issues raised by this debacle.

What is the fear here? Is this country still too ignorant to acknowledge the idea that people can still be murdered simply for being gay? While we may hope to have moved past this stage, I believe most people would not completely count this factor out. Rather, I think the issue lies in the ignorance of this country to accept the fact that a young boy could in fact be gay…and, tragically, he could also be killed for such an act. Freeing oneself from the heterosexual chains of our culture is what Larry King felt that he needed to do, yet he was not allowed to enjoy this liberty of new life for very long.

Is it fair to blame Brandon McInerney? The young boy of only 14 years has been raised in some sort of culture or upbringing which told him that it is acceptable to take such actions against a homosexual person. The fact that one’s sexual orientation could be used as a justification for murder showcases the extreme lack of societal awareness for this pressing social issue. As a population in this country, we seem to be living in some delusion that we have moved past the days of Matthew Shepard and extreme ignorance. However, the same story of the same ignorance is being told a healthy ten years later.

Hatred is still ever-present. These children, like McInerney, are growing up in families that believe it is okay to be intolerant of homosexuals. They are being told by many public and religious figures that these acts of homosexuality are wrong. These children are growing up to commit crimes of hate among members of the LGBT community in America, and the country is not even concerned to stop it from happening.

The voice of LGBT activism in America is ever-dwindling. What was once a full-blown fire of social movement has been terribly calmed down. America is left with almost solely a debate over gay marriage, which is really just rooted in a distraction from other pressing national issues that the government would rather refrain from discussing. This dwindling national momentum must be sparked again to make this country aware.

There needs to be a new voice to stop this hatred and violence. Political leaders need to speak out. When hate crime legislation is still not all-inclusive of crimes committed based on premises of sexual orientation, the veins of our country’s political landscape are still fully pumping with ignorant blood, and it is far overdue to move past these times. Until national action is taken, the system will not change. While it is important for all people to make a difference themselves, the only way to ignite the nation is through this country’s leadership. At all levels, be it parents, teachers, politicians, or preachers, this message of tolerance and urgency must be spread. The time to act is now.