You might be interested in browsing the archives of Friends of Justice http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/.

This is a site set up as a result of the corrupt Tulia Texas cocaine convictions. It contains many articles on abusive prosecutions for which the motives are suspect. One of the subjects is the Alvin Clay prosecution and conviction. Here is a link to Alan Bean’s latest article on this issue http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/alvin-in-wonderland/ but it is worth going back to see the full story.

Scott Horton of Harpers Magazine and Larisa Alexandrovna of Raw story have many articles on the prosecution of former democratic Alabama Governor Don Siegelman and other prosecutions of Democratic politicians and public servants that look abusive. For example http://rawstory.com/news/2007/The_permanent_Republican_majority_Daughter_of_1127.html.

My tragic experiences have made me into the strong outspoken woman I am today at age 53.

No one was there to fight for me during those dark times. No one stood up and said, “This is wrong” or protected me.

That is why I FIGHT so hard for the victims of Hayne and West…and others who don’t have a voice.

And I will NOT back down.

One guy is dead from a shotgun blast to his face (not related to my assault) and the other one I supposed is roaming free.

I was also a victim of repeated sexual child abuse from birth until age 12. But then that’s another story altogether.

Still, with consenting adult prostitutes and other women who DO give their bodies away for money or freely, I often wonder why is there a need for raping or molesting someone.

I hope that makes sense.

You think I’m lying check out definition of legal standing.

#31 Judi

Dearest Dave…

Exactly. What I was saying was I’d rather see a man or whoever, PAY for a piece off ass rather than take it from someone who doesn’t WANT to give it.

Ok, I see what you mean. It actually didn’t occur to me that legalizing prostitution could reduce rape. I can be pretty dense at times.

Very sorry to hear about your terrible experience.

Exactly. What I was saying was I’d rather see a man or whoever, PAY for a piece off ass rather than take it from someone who doesn’t WANT to give it.

By the way, I know what RAPE is up close and personal. I was kidnapped, robbed and raped by two men when I was only 15 years old.

In addition to being a prosecutor’s best friend, it’s my understanding that Hayne is also quite cozy with the state’s personal injury lawyers. The only people who want to see Hayne run out of town on a rail are some poor people in prison and people with a sense of justice; a group not exactly known as a political powerhouse in the south (or anywhere else in the US, for that matter).

http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer197.html

Damn Dave, good one!

You may not have meant it that way, but this — “You’re correct. In fact, I hadn’t even read your comment at all before offering my own.” — reminded me of The Fountainhead:

Toohey: “Roark, what do you think of me?”

Roark: “I don’t think of you.”

The government doesn’t have priorities, per se. Certainly none that account for anyone out of the “family.”

Just because there are unsolved murders, that doesn’t mean they’ll stop writing traffic tickets.

The government is populated with trough feeders, each one looking out for his/her interests first.

The idea that government could be anything other than self-interested and perfectly wasteful is ludicrous.

Whatever you think of Reagan, he did say, “Government is a baby — a voracious appetite on one end and no responsibility on the other.” And it never grows up.

#21 | Ben (the other one)

Since you apparently aren’t a close reader…

You’re correct. In fact, I hadn’t even read your comment at all before offering my own.

In any case, my comment addressed the Mann Act and prostitution separately although they are certainly related.

I think the Mann Act has a substantial history of being used as a means to target people who were never intended to be covered by the Act, but the critical point is that it declares a women to be an automatic victim regardless of whether she was a willing participant, which is another way of saying she’s not competent to decide for herself whether she’s a victim.

As for your comment about exploitation, please note that one of the most common arguments in support of laws banning prostitution is that it exploits women, which is just another way of saying that a woman could not possibly choose to do it voluntarily and therefore must be restrained for their own good.

In any case, assuming that there are women (including immigrants, minors, and anyone else you care to name) who are exploited by men, there is no rational argument that justifies completely outlawing prostitution anymore that it’s legitimate to outlaw drinking because some might become an alcoholic.

If, indeed, Weiner did contract to bring a woman into Mississippi to exchange sex for money, the fact that he could be prosecuted under the Mann Act at all is all I need to condemn it, regardless of the good intentions all the law enforcement and legislative bodies to solve a legitimate problem (to the extent that there was or is a legitimate problem to be solved to begin with).

If a law meant to target exploitation is used instead to create criminals out of people who haven’t exploited anyone, then all the examples in the world don’t justify that law.

The State Department/Feds “don’t have the resources” because they use those resources to prosecute women like, say, Deborah Jeane Palfrey. Or prosecuting other random escorts and prostitutes. They also use said resources to decide whether or not certain types of legal, adult porn is “appropriate” for American consumption. It’s much easier to go after people who aren’t actually dangerous, than traffickers who often have firepower (and more political power than people realize) to back them up.

@BamBam: You’re 100% correct. That’s why us sex worker rights activists support decriminalization, which is very different from legalization. For those wondering how we define the difference: http://www.bayswan.org/defining.html

Anyway, I laughed at this: ““a difference between a sugar baby and a hooker, and I’m not interested in a hooker.””

I have a former-pro friend who was looking into being a sugar baby. After talking to many men on that site she realized most wanted a silly, naive, ignorant woman-child. Not that pros can’t be silly, naive or ignorant but most I’ve met aren’t.

As someone you “despise,” may I suggest that you consider the examples I offered. Actually, I do think that minors and non-English speakers smuggled into the US under false pretenses are sometimes “easily manipulated” (although not just by men – see the second example I link to, above) and need protection.

Since you apparently aren’t a close reader, you may not have noticed that my comment that the use of the Mann Act in garden-variety solicitation cases is unwarranted.

#19 Judi

I’m not a propronent of prostitution but it beats RAPE any day.

I don’t understand what you mean. Prostitution isn’t an alternative to rape. Prostitution is merely a voluntary agreement between two people to trade sex for something they consider to be of equal value. Rape is an assault using violence or the threat of violence.