My response to the Governor Spitzer scandal
Here’s a new addition to the intro to (the soon-to-be reprinted) Book Two, entitled Forward: A Sex Worker’s Lament. I composed it this morning:
But for now, it’s just another drab morning, just another day of clamorous finger-pointing, just another klatch of blogs full of ire. Two days ago Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, got caught patronizing an “escort.” People are enraged, calling for his resignation, and feeling sorry for his wife and teen-aged daughters.
Well, it seems to me that if “escort” sex work were legal, there wouldn’t be much of a scandal. No one would have snooped on the governor’s digression, and few people would have cared. And if Spitzer himself weren’t so duplicitous, posing as a moralist and talking down prostitution, then once again, who would have cared? It’s hypocrisy that’s burying Spitzer, far more than the act itself.
What will it take to make America see that it’s not the “escort service” that’s wrong, but the big deal that’s made of it? Maybe Spitzer’s wife is “standing by her man” because she understands this.
It’s true that this man’s phony stance is appalling. It’s mildly redolent of those priests who preach abstinence, and are raping little boys out back. But the outcry with regard to the service Spitzer needed is making me want to yawn.
Catch them all and there goes the government.
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The world-famous prostitutes rights activist and author of Cop to Callgirl, Norma Jean Almodovar, emailed with me
today about the Spitzer scandal. She gave me permission to copy her email here:
I’ve been doing interviews nonstop since the scandal broke. And amazingly, I said the
same thing about the politicians and catching them all… I phrased it:
If all the politicians who had ever frequented a prostitute were forced to resign,
there would be no one left to run the government!
We can only hope that this dude is prosecuted for HIS crimes against
prostitutes- that he prosecuted them with such zeal and enthusiasm. May
he get whatever he dished out to the victims of his morality crusade!
It will be interesting to see who are the other clients of this
“Prostitution ring” were- if they get exposed by the government…
Best,
Norma Jean
I watched the item on TODAY this morning where, amidst the speculation about Spitzer’s future, a former madam and an escort, formerly the highest paid in NY were interviewed. The former madam had nothing of value to offer, but to my amazement, the escort expressed the view that he should resign; that he had demeaned his state, his wife and his teen aged daughters. She went on to say that she did not hold herself culpable. Another young woman, living and working legally in Nevada, presented herself as a young, professional businesswoman with nothing and no need to hide the nature of that business. She likely promoted herself and her profession in the very fact that she came forward to be interviewed. One saw her as an attractive, intelligent and enterprising young lady, regardless of the moral position of the viewer.
Surely, if one knowing and willing participant is guilty, both are, but the sad truth of the matter is that, had the profession been legal — as it is in Nevada, throughout most of Eurrope and should be universally — nothing would have happened. The further legal question is the transporting of a prostitute across state lines — a federal offense. It is also interesting that Spitzer was caught by the IRS for making large deposits into another’s bank account. The real crime in the Spitzer case is hypocrisy. That someone embellished his career by making himself a crime fighter and generally immaculate office holder should regard himself as above the law is disgraceful. He should instead have campaigned to make his chosen favorite indiscretion legal.
Legalize the profession. Do not either condemn or sympathize with the governor. And do not feel untowards the young lady involved.
Comment by Everett — March 12, 2008 @ 9:26 am
I’ve been doing lots of press around this for the past few days, and today I was interviewed by a reporter for Portugese tv, and the biggest question she had was “Why is this such a big deal in America?” Really tells you something about how different/puritanical our views are on such things. But it is a great opportunity for there to be dialogue about such things!
Comment by Audacia Ray — March 12, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
Keith Olbermann made a good point in calling for Spitzer not to resign (though he did) — if the NY GOP attempted to impeach him, perhaps we could have had a national conversation on why it’s okay to impeach over sex-related charges, but not over lies and treason that have led to thousands of deaths.
Comment by G M — March 13, 2008 @ 12:12 am
The other day on CNN, I heard a woman being interviewed in regard to this case. She was asked if she thought dating a prostitute was the same as having an affair. I missed hearing who the lady was, but her response was that it was in no way the same. That there was no emotional bind between a man and a prosititute whereas there was presumably a love bond between persons having an affair. She was immediately thanked and cut off. Although CNN reaired reactions to the story all during the day, this lady was not heard from again. Obviously, her views did not conform to those of CNN.
News stories abound about Christen having come from a wealthy background and “sinking to the dregs of society”. As I see it, she has, instead, reached the pinnacle of her young career. She is not to be pitied for her fall from grace but congratulated on having “made it”.
She has become an overnight celebrity. Reportedly, millions have been offered her to pose “naked” for PENTHOUSE and HUSTLER. Her previously unnoticed musical video has been released and her singing career is, for the moment at least, underway. Good for her!
But what really concerns me is the song she may have to sing in order to avoid prosecution. She will likely be given the option of giving up her madam and her “black book”. The Emperors’ Club website has already been abolished, and the group is presumably out of business with the other ladies having retreated to safer territories. A supposed former pimp has already given up Charie Sheen as having dated her, and who knows the others who might follow.
I think, for most of us who have associated with escorts worry considerably about being given up in efforts to avoid prosecution. I regard it as part of my contribution that the lady keep our business to herself. I’d like to know how the ladies of the profession feel about this. ??????
Comment by Everett — March 16, 2008 @ 4:09 pm