CARSON CITY, Nev. -- U.S. Sen. Harry Reid took aim at the world's oldest profession Tuesday, telling state lawmakers the time has come to have an adult conversation about Nevada's legal sex trade if the state hopes to succeed in the 21st century.
The Democratic Senate majority leader made the comments before a joint session of the Legislature as brothel owners and lobbyists - and working girls from the rural establishments - looked on from the gallery.
In his autobiography, Reid, a Mormon, wrote about growing up in the mining hamlet of Searchlight, Nev., and learning to swim in the pool at a bordello. His mother took in laundry from the 13 brothels around town.
But when the nation thinks about Nevada, Reid said, "it should think about the world's newest ideas and newest careers - not about its oldest profession."
He received a smattering of applause when he first suggested Nevada outlaw bordellos. By the time he finished with the topic, his remarks were met with silence from the representatives of a state whose identity is woven tightly with gambling, alcohol, quick marriages and prostitution.
I firmly believe that legalized, regulated prostitution doesn't hurt anybody - not the patrons nor the women that choose to work there.
Prostitution is going to exist whether it's leagal or not. So would you rather it be in an environment where it's clean and safe (for both the patrons and ladies) and medical exams are required, or out on the streets where HIV and other STDs are rampant, beatings are frequent and the women are doing it to support drug habits?
I'm just sayin'......
Gosh WC, thinking your opinion on the matter seems quite, shall I say, Libertarian? Let people live their lives w/out government interference...hmm. Me, too.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the cops really don't have anything better to do than bust some Johns for doing what they're going to do... don't these politicians remember something called prohibition?? That worked really well, didn't it?????
ReplyDeleteRegulated prostitution also protects the prostitutes from pimps who beat them if they don't bring in enough money, if they are too sick to work, or if they get an STD. It cuts down on the cost of police stings, incarcerations and court proceedings. It also serves a social purpose for men who have disabilities that keep them from meeting women in conventional ways. I'm with you on this one Kenny.
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