US city shames sex solicitors

[Judi Lynn]

US city shames sex solicitors

June 03 2005 at 09:38AM

San Francisco - People who solicit sex workers in Oakland, California, could find their faces plastered on billboards under a new shaming programme that one civil rights group calls bad public policy.

The city of 400 000 across the bay from San Francisco started putting up billboards on Wednesday showing men arrested for soliciting sex. Other signs invite prostitutes to quit by calling a help line.

"This idea came out of just thinking about new ideas, doing something to deal with this increasing problem, especially with the exploitation of underage women," said Oakland City council president Ignacio De La Fuente, who champions the approach.

The photos on the billboards were partially blurred so the men are not easily identifiable. But in the future photos might be displayed unaltered, an aide to De La Fuente said.
(snip/...)

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1117775887648B265

[freeplessinseattle]

1. how frickin stupid

and just think what more useful things those billboards could be used for to actually help society. this is g*damn ridiculous.

[Conservativesux]

4. Won't happen. They will get sued class action should this occur

Prostitution is always going to be with us, there is 5000 years of recorded history that says so.

More right wing bible thumper do-gooders at it again.

[vajraroshana]

15. Already happening. It started Wednesday

according to the article.

And guess who is donating the billboards: Clear Channel and Viacom.

[Conservativesux]

29. Like I said, they are headed for court. Whats next? Drunk drivers?

[truthisfreedom]

2. pervert of the week? are they preoccupied with sex sins? what about death?

what about the dead and dying in Iraq because of our corrupt administration?

okay, perhaps being preoccupied with pervert of the week is okay. perhaps it's just as okay as wanting to see more sexploitation pictures from Abu Ghraib. bring it on?

why isn't some city putting up billboards about bushco? scared, maybe? of dying on a small plane or in a remote hotel of suicide?

[maxrandb]

7. Maybe They Should Put This Picture on a Billboard

An Iraqi girl reacts to her mother and father being shot by panicking U.S. Troops at an Iraqi checkpoint. The original BBC Story, I believe, stated that there were bits of her parents brains splattered on this little girl.

[valis]

10. Is that real? The blood looks awfully orange...

Sorry, it's a disturbing picture....

[tlcandie]

16. Yes, it's real ... the US military had just killed her innocent parents

:cry:

[maxrandb]

17. It's Absolutely Real

Here's a link to the story from the BBC. When this initially came out, I thought this picture should be printed and posted all over the place. It so much reminds me of that picture of the naked girl in Vietnam running from the Napalm attack. It got a little bit of coverage in our media. Hate to be cynical about our media, but I think it may have happened around the same time Robert Blake was going to trial, or when Ben and Jen broke up :grr:

There is a series of about 12 pictures. Warning, they are not pretty. You can use this link, or simply google Tal Afar checkpoint shooting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/middle_east_shooting_in_tal_afar/html/1.stm

[Judi Lynn]

20. Thanks for posting that series. Tragic beyond understanding. n/t

[Roaming]

25. Next time could you please just put a link to stuff like this

I'd like a warning before being exposed to it...

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

28. OMG!

:cry:

[teryang]

3. Pictures of those arrested for soliciting?

Have they been convicted yet? In the new world order, this doesn't seem to matter.

Interesting that virtually all men arrested for soliciting have been solicited by undercover police.

[Conservativesux]

5. Its dirty work, but someone has to do it, dontcha know?

After all, if business is slow, you have to show the public that you are fighting "crime" by ticketing non-seatbelt wearers, jay-walkers and Johns.

Too many laws and too many police dont add up to a safe democracy.

When will people learn ?

[iamjoy]

21. Convicted Would Be Bad Enough

But soliciting? Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Guess that doesn't really matter anymore.

[noamnety]

6. How about billboards with dead soldiers?

I'm just trying to think of new ideas, doing something to deal with this increasing problem, especially with the exploitation of our young people.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

9. Addition...

A picture of a dead soldier next to a mug shot of a smiling George W. Bush. We can't emphasize enough that one is caused by the other.

[NuttyFluffers]

8. or they could just legalize and manage it like nevada....

but that would be smart... :eyes:

*sigh* when are my fellow citizens going to get angry enough to forcefully pull these people's heads out of their asses and boot their sorry lumps to the curb?

whatever. just waiting for a republican politician to get plastered all over on billboards and then watch this policy "magically" become no longer "workable."

can we have oakland hold the next republican convention, please! :D

[GiovanniC]

11. This Brigade of Nosy Old Ladies

With nothing better to do with their time were so up-in-arms over a topless club in my hometown decided to stand outside the club and take pictures of men going in, and then put them up on posters all over town.

[PassingFair]

12. Oh for gawd's sake...

don't tell Mongo about this. His smug mug will be plastered up there in 10 seconds!

:rofl:

[livinginphotographs]

13. And the point of this is?

I think the funniest thing about sex is that no matter how shameful you're made to feel about anything sexual you do, you will NEVER stop doing it, regardless of the consequences. Sex is funny like that with us humans. If johns want to solicit prostitutes, they will never stop, regardless of how severe the consequences may be.

Please note that I in no way support the idea of underage girls or boys working as prostitutes, but as far as those of legal age, this is a "problem" that will never go away.

[mikelgb]

14. legalize it

then tax it, regulate it with disease screening and safe procedures...republicans everywhere rejoice

[tlcandie]

18. Here here!!!

:applause:

[getmeouttahere]

19. The only thing that is remotely positive about this....

is attempting to address the issue of exploited underaged young people. But this is NOT the way to do it!

[Kablooie]

22. Badge of honor?

If the men who are photographed all have delighted smiles and are waving at the camera, it could turn into an ad campaign for prostitutes.
Spread the word around.

[Chovexani]

23. And people wonder why this country is so screwed up

All this repression and fear and shame when it comes to sex...and it all goes back to fear and hatred of women.

Sad.

[Kablooie]

24. Boy, you're scary and I hate you.

I'm just a normal red blooded American boy.

[GOPBasher]

26. What about shaming people guily of worse crimes? This is a little over

the edge.

[noiretextatique]

27. if you aren't soliciting prostitutes

you should have nothing to worry about. this will end soon enough...as soon as some power broker's picture gets posted.

[Conservativesux]

30. Bingo! The mayor of Folsom, CA got nailed for soliciting an....

undercover cop in a sting in Sacramento, CA.

And police are notorious for busting massage parlors and cathouses and getting some "service" at the same time.

What a bunch of phoney hypocrites!

[noiretextatique]

31. ain't it the truth?

:freak: i live in oakland, and i'm happily awaiting the day...