Craigslist's Brilliant Defense of Its Hookers

[duke]

Craigslist's Brilliant Defense of Its Hookers
By Ryan Tate, 2:04 PM on Wed May 20 2009, 8,942 views (Edit post, Set to draft, Slurp)
Law-enforcement officials have been slamming Craigslist's prostitute ads for years. CEO Jim Buckmaster's response has been benign: We don't profit from the ads, we're very nice and friendly with the cops, etc. No more. Push Buckmaster too hard, and he will cut you, as South Carolina just learned.
After the state's attorney general publicly threatened Craigslist over its "adult services" ads, even in the face of recent restrictions on such listings, Buckmaster promptly blasted back with a well-written weblog post suggesting the state should also consider arresting the CEOs of AT&T, Microsoft, and Village Voice Media,
not to mention major newspapers and other upstanding South Carolina businesses feature more "adult services" ads than does craigslist, some of a very graphic nature. For a small sampling, look (careful NSFW) here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here... What's a crime for craigslist is clearly a crime for any company.
Then came the coup de grace: A lawsuit against the AG for restraining Craigslist's free speech — announced in a Craigslist blog post, naturally.
Rather than allow its reputation as a shady haven to fester, Craigslist is finally tackling it head-on. And not by hiding behind some spokesperson (as much as we adore Craigslist's Susan Best), but direct, straight from the CEO's mouth online, and via its lawyers in court. <snip>
gawker.com/5262901/craigslists-brilliant-defense-of-its-hookers?skyline=true&s=x

[Action!]

I thought CL agreed to remove the "Adult Services" section? Did they change their mind on this??

[Bryan Stone]

legalize it, tax it, end of discussion

[Action!]

legalize it, tax it, end of discussion

That will never happen here in the bible-belt, and with STD's and such, I don't think it is a good idea.

[peachesnflutes]

if it was legalized, it'd be easier to screen for std's...have physicals done a certain amount of times a year, etc. It could actually help prevent the spread of std's. But I do agree that it will most likely never be legalized here.

[Dana]

Ewwww....

[LimitedRecourse]

Ask a Korean whether or not legalized prostitution works. Worst idea to ever be tried.

[Bryan Stone]

ask a korean war vet what he thinks of the legalized prostitution,... probably highly favorable

[gridbug]

May 21, 2009 12:28:09 GMT -5 Bryan Stone said:

legalize it, tax it, end of discussion

Talk about a "sin tax"!

[LimitedRecourse]

"...probably highly favorable"


Assuming the meds were administered on time, and worked for him.

[duke]

The original post is about freedom of the press. The right to publish without censorship.
Advertising an illegal activity is not illegal. The law prohibits the sale, not advertising.

By the way, sales is an older profession than prostitution. Prostitution will never happen without the sale.

[Tsavodiner]

Advertising an illegal activity is not illegal. The law prohibits the sale, not advertising.

Then why can't I advertize for murder-for-hire?

[cadillacdude1975]

prostitution is legal everywhere in Nevada with the exception of the city limits of Las Vegas. the "workers" possess a state health card that is to be on their person at all times. they are also required to pay a tax to keep that card, and they must also submit to regular drug and STD testing on a strict schedule.

making it legal can be done, but no one wants to fathom that as being possible.

so while you think about that, IF you were to cheat on your spouse, would you want to go to a dirty whore or a clean whore? lol

[LimitedRecourse]

Yeah...that card keeps 'em clean as a whistle...