"Sex tourism"?!?! WTF

[skypilot]

I was watching "The Daily Show" at a local bar last night and caught a clip of Whistle-Ass babbling and bumbling before the UN and it seems that Whistle-Ass is now pledging to crack down on sex tourism of all things. Not that sex tourism doesn't need to be cracked down on but when and how did the "war of terror" take that particular detour. This guy just pulls anything out of his ass and throws it in front of the UN. Remember the millions promised to fight AIDS in Africa? Yeah, me neither. Now there's THIS shit. I can barely make enough sense of it to compose a decent rant.
WHAT....THE....F*CK!!!!

[REP]

1. It Is A Real Issue

Sex tourism does exist, but since it young children and women are the victims, no one cares - until Assmunch* needs a sexy issue to distract from his latest enormous fuck-up.

[FullCountNotRecount]

25. Ironic? French tourists to other nations must follow France consent laws

France convicted a couple of guys who went to Thailand for young virgins.

Also, remember when they suggested Jesse Ventura's visit to Cuba was a sex tour?

[shanti]

37. women are the perps too

don't you know about the american women who travel to the caribbean for the big bamboo?? ;-)

THAT'S probably what he wants to stop, lmao!

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. .

If Bush was serious about decreasing "sex tourism",
he would take away Neil Bush's passport.

[walkon]

7. This Just In

Neil Bush appointed to head Anti-Sex Tourism Division in the Dept. of Justice. Film at 11:00!

[izzie]

21. Well that is it. I have had just about all I can take.

Who will run for prez on the Peter Principal or shall we just let Bush keep the job? By the way who will take the blame for the UN speech? Someone has to be where the Buck Stops.

[meegbear]

3. There is such a thing ...

There are "tours" one can take of SouthEast Asian countries and pay for sex with minors - we're talking children in some cases.

But as I keep saying, he's using this as a "with-us-or-against-us" card to the world. But a lot of countries are seeing through this.

[skypilot]

12. Don't get me wrong

I realize that sex tourism exists. I know exactly what it is and the fact that countries like Thailand are the main destinations for it. It was just so strange hearing him pull that out of the air, especially after his supposed commitment to fighting AIDS in Africa. And we all know how THAT went.

[Zero Gravitas]

15. He's pretending to care about an issue

that the rest of the world cares about. Its a bout as close to co-operating witht eh world community this treasonous bastard can get. Somehow I think the UN delegations will be able to see through his shallow attempt at pretending to be a sane member of the world community.

[skypilot]

17. And just like a typical Repuke

He won't unite with the world community over something like global warming or Iraq but mention S-E-X and bingo there's something that will put a match under his ass--at least for the next two minutes.

[meegbear]

19. I agree ...

it has nothing to do with the situation in Iraq.

To me, it's just a "common issue" he's trying to use. What country would support it?

Of course, he failed to mention that only the US and Somalia have not signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Yeah...

somehow I imagine an entire world scratching its head and asking "Where'd that come from?"

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Chimpington managed to do something...

Never seen before, with that speech: A campaign speech, for his red-meat supporters, in front of the UN General assembly. That's what it was planned to be, and considering its content, that is what it was; a campaign speech.

Don't think that fact is lost on the nations of the world, either. I am sure that in UN cocktail parties, for the next few months, the murmurings will be QUITE scathing.

Everyone knows that cocktail parties are where the real meat 'n taters go down.

[Armstead]

33. Forgive me for repeating myelf but....

I am totally cynical about why George brought it up today. Hearing him talking about it was jarring, and I am sure he is using it for stupid political reasons.

But I am glad he brought it up.

Modern slavery is one of the most important human-rights problems today. It should have been a central international issue years ago. There is no excuse for ignoring it. It is not a partisan issue.

All over the world, millions of people are enslaved and living short, miserable lives because of it. Sex slaves. Child slaves. People held prisoner on plantations as slaves. All over the world.

Sorry if I sound like a self-righteous prig, but this really is a heartbreaking issue -- and a major problem today.Whatever the reasons, I am glad he brought the subject up. It is one of the major failings of our society that we are ignoring it.


Read about it, and then see how you feel.


http://www.antislavery.org/

http://www.iabolish.com/

http://users.erols.com/bcccsbs/bass/bass.html

[gottaB]

36. Thank you for that post

Slavery ought to be a nonpartisan issue. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works.

If past examples are anything to go by, Bush will pledge moral support to the cause of ending the traffic in human beings. However, when it comes time to pay the piper, he will be AWOL.

In the speeches yesterday, two visions of the UN and its mission were presented. One, Bush's, was based on moralism, an appeal to common moral sentiments presented in black and white simplicity. The other, best articulated by Chirac I believe, was a call for greater consensus in international affairs, a reform of the mechanisms by which consensus is arrived at in the Security Council and General Assembly, and a call for greater democraticization on economic issues, and for the industrialized countries to take steps to help all nations meet to the Millenium goals.

Bush received a cold reception because of his obvious hypocrisy. By invading Iraq, esp. the way he did it, he thumbed his nose at the UN and its charter. His utter contempt for the diplomatic process led many to conclude that he was insincere, that his administration would stop at nothing in pursuit of naked venal interests.

It's like a western where the sherrif shoots men in the back, in plain daylight over objections of the townspeople, and then when some new hombre comes to town, the sherrif gets all high and mighty about cattle-rustler this, horse-thief that. Stone cold silence. The townsfolk won't hear a word of it. Of course they mistrust drifters. And they mostly think stealing a horse is a hanging offense. But this sherrif has no moral legitimacy in their eyes.

Well, that's a simplistic allegory, but Dubya's rhetoric doesn't warrant much more than that. He wants moral clarity, but in those terms, he's wearing the black hat in this town.

[Vikingking66]

6. that's going to endear him to the business community

If they can't spend their tax cuts on Thai boat boys, they're going to be very unhappy.

[ewagner]

8. Yes, but.....

Yes, I agree that sex tourism is a problem to be addressed.

BUT

Why the hell did it come up in this speech to the UN? Certainly the pressing issues of Iraq and Afghanistan were the issues of the day. The "sex tourism" part of the speech took the focus off of the most pressing problems. I have a theory but I won't hijack your thread with it.

[Yupster]

34. I think his point was to show everyone

that this was not a speech asking for help in Iraq.

It is just Bush's annual address to the UN.

[PDittie]

9. This is their soccer mom talking point

Also stokes the fundies, who are so appalled at all matters sexual.

[bearfartinthewoods]

11. IIRC...this is not the first time he has talked about this

and no, i don't have a link.

[JewelDigger]

16. Heck, Soccer moms don't know * even spoke at the UN yesterday!

n/t

(on edit: typo)

[SoCalDem]

30. Fundies are always worried about their kids being abducted

and sold into white slavery.. About every 3 months or so, there are stories on tv about cute little blonde girls being forced into prostitution.. Every time I see these, there is always the obligatory comment about how religious the family is and how the family is such a strong and healthy family and they just don't know how this happened..

Fundies who HIDE everything about life from their kids, only make them more curious and vulnerable..

Children/teens who are aware and have critical thinking skills , rarely fall for the scams out there just waiting to ensnare them..

[rocktivity]

10. It's his latest weapon of mass distraction

Shame on you for criticizing him for it--do you mean to say you SUPPORT the child/sex trade? Well, either you're with it or against it!!!


rocknation

[Vogon_Glory]

13. Sex Tourism: Probably A Euphemism For a Crackdown on Cuban Travel

I've lost most of my credulence regarding the George UU Bush administration and its pronouncements. Dubya's new campaign against sex tourism is probably less a genuine campaign against "sex tourism" than a cover story for imposing even tougher travel restrictions for non-Cuban-Americans wishing to visit Forbidden Island. Does anyone else remember the Bushie/CANF carping regarding former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura's plans to visit Cuba? The right-wing critics implied that he was planning to be a "sex tourist."

Just as the Radical Right portrays any displays of adult erotica as "child pornography" and any cultural dissent from what right-wing evangelicals consider permissable as "pornographic," now we have any Americans wishing to defy the Republican/Cuban exile lobby travel restrictions labeled as "sex tourists."

I'll admit in retrospect that former president Bill was shifty at times, but the incumbent Republican administration is so mendacious that it's going to leave Bill Clinton looking like Parson Weem's portrait of George Washington by contrast.

[WoodrowFan]

24. Parson Weem on President Clinton

BOL! Thanks, that's a great image. :yourock: I can't help, however, but to think for President Clinton that "The Cherry Tree" is a strip club though...


And yes, I think Clinton was a very, very good President. Doesn't mean I can't chuckle at him being a horndog.

[Osolomia]

26. Bingo! Bush will use this to justify vetoing lifting the travel ban

Hence the timing of this.

Florida’s kingmaking Cuban-American “exiles” are threatening to dump their support for Bush if he doesn’t live up to his promises to them.

Last March Bush tightened the travel restrictions on American-Americans and put a stop to educational exchanges to Cuba.

But last week the House voted 228-177 to lift the travel ban altogether.

The next day Bush announced that he was placing sanctions on Cuba, Burma and North Korea because of their “sex trade”. The sanctions include banning educational exchanges.

The Senate is expected to vote on the amendment to lift the travel ban in the next week or so. Bush promises to veto it and is desperately seeking a reason for doing so, hence:

U.S. Clamps Down on 'Human Trafficking'
Wednesday September 10, 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States will impose economic sanctions on Burma, Cuba and North Korea for failing to take steps to stop ``human trafficking,'' such as forcing people to work or engage in sexual acts against their will, the White House said Wednesday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3131754,00.html

[skypilot]

27. Thank you

Now I see what it's REALLY about.

[Osolomia]

35. Problem is, Dems go along with it without batting an eye

Bush imposed sanctions 2 weeks ago, the AP story was posted on LBN at the time and sank like a stone, but even after raising it at the UN all the threads on DU show that nobody has a clue what’s going on much less oppose it, much too busy dwelling on fantasies for reality to register. What a shame! Nice to see exceptions to the status quo though, bravo!

[lazarus]

14. If he wants to crack down

He should look to his Daddy's company. One of the Carlysle Group's subsidiaries, DynCorp, has a bad problem with their people overseas taking advantage of underage prostitutes, etc.

[nedlogg]

18. Sex Tourism?

What the hell is this and where do I sign up?

[skypilot]

20. You really don't want to sign up for this.

Trust me.

[WoodrowFan]

28. I agree, unless you

I agree with Skypilot, unless you LIKE the idea of having forced sex with AIDs infected 13 year old Thai girls sold into slavery by their families.... :puke:


(and I'm sure you don't, but a lot of people don't know just how awful this situation is...)

[bvar22]

22. Wouldn't this particular issue....

...be limited to the wealthy (say top 10%)(primarily repugs)? Great way for the self-absorbed to spend a tax cut!

I work for a living, and could not even afford the fantasy of a sex tour.

[skypilot]

23. Actually

I think any scumbag with a passport and a few extra dollars can afford to be a sex tourist. It's when they start requesting virgins that they might have to put out some big bucks, from what I hear.

[berry]

29. My info is a little dated and things may have changed,

because there were women's groups protesting, but it used to be quite common for companies in Japan to reward (male) workers with sex-tours to S Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines or Thailand. So I got to thinking it was a Japanese problem. But then when I visited Thailand for the first (and only) time, and stayed in a B-class hotel (cheap), I was REALLY shocked to find that there were groups (yes, organized tours) of sex-tourists from Germany, Italy, France and England--all staying at the same sleazy hotel. I saw them in the lobby, the elevators, talking openly. This doesn't mean that Americans aren't also involved--and maybe there are even tours for them too. (My info is definitely anecdotal.) But if fewer Americans are doing this on tours, more are there individually, I think. And around every US military base in the world there are sex-industry enclaves--so other Americans visiting know exactly where to go. Maybe they just don't need the tour guide.

But if I'm right, and Europeans and the Japanese (and probably the affluent of a lot of other countries, too) tend to go in organized tours more than Americans do, well then, this is the perfect issue for bashing the rest of the world. (I do think sex-tourism and the horrors associated with it are legitimate issues of concern, but I do not think Bush* is raising them altruistically.)

I also thank the poster above for the Guardian-AP article s/he posted. It explains a lot!

[Nikia]

38. My sister is a flight attendent

A male flight attendent who she knows, who can fly all over the world free, vacationed in Thailand. He went to a rather upscale place where he paid less than I and many other Americans make in an hour to spend an hour with a woman. The expensive part would be the flight.

[Mari333]

31. WhistleAss can start investigating His Poppys WH first

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Franklin+Cover+Up

[lebkuchen]

32. * will send US military to Poland, Bulgaria and Romania unaccompanied

as soon as Rummy figures out which German bases he's going to close (which will be those without a hospital/military training area).

There's nothing in the world that will entice (re)enlistments like cheap sex, even if it involves slavery. And that's all Poland, Bulgaria and Romania will have to offer unaccompanied military.