March 4, 2009Dear Congress,
Most people would prefer for their taxes to go to improving impoverish school districts, providing healthcare for the sick and elderly or assisting the homeless. Unfortunately, most tax money goes to busting victimless crime rings like prostitution. Prostitution is the oldest form of profession in the world to date and provides at least a million women in the United States with a steady income. As more and more police crackdown on this “crime”, more and more of our tax money goes to supporting these women in jail cells. I believe that the legalization and government regulation of prostitution would increase the value of these women’s lives, increase economic growth, and provide healthier options for prostitutes and their clients. Also, legalizing prostitution would prevent extra taxpayer expenditures especially on victimless crimes. Police would be more readily available to law-abiding citizens who become victims to violent crimes.
Legalization of prostitution would entail government regulations to protect these women from sexually transmitted diseases and sexual abuse. Most prostitutes fear being raped and brutalized as they walk to their secluded corner or jump in the strange white car without headlights. They literally fear for their lives every day. Regulating prostitution to strictly brothels or assorted parlors would prevent sex crimes and violence against these women. Also, the government would be responsible for enforcing continuous STD testing for both the prostitute and clientele which could prevent the spread of major diseases like AIDs. Regulating prostitution would empower women and make them feel in control of each situation they encounter. They would be given an opportunity to break from the cliché cyclical rut of drugs, money, violence and jails. Legalization and decriminalization would place value on these women as engaged, hardworking citizens in the United States.
It might be hard to let go of those puritanical ideologies that make this profession illegal. However, no one is sitting around critiquing your professional decisions as a politician. And allow me to point out, politicians are not the most honest, trustworthy valuable people in this world either. Before anyone judges these women, who were technically put in the position of desperation by welfare and government projects, I should suggest that you ask yourself a few questions. Have you ever been hurt or injured by prostitution? Did a prostitute try to maim you last night or step out of the street in front of your pricy Escalade? Has a prostitute ever tried to kidnap your child on their way to school? Does prostitution really affect you? Besides overspending citizen money to prevent prostitution (which it will never go away), how does it hurt you or hurt anyone else? It’s the woman’s choice to use her body or sell it to the highest bidder. Not yours. Not the governments. And it’s definitely not a politician’s place to say whether or not someone is morally secure or bankrupt.
I ask you to allow these women to rise from the slums, dark alleys, and brutal situations and legalize prostitution. As a political entity, it would be your responsibility to regulate these brothels and the clientele to ensure safety and development. Also, it would bring in revenue and economic growth to the cities and areas in which it is legalized. Women would be able to live without fear of discrimination, murder, brutality or a drug induced rut. It would be safer and healthier for all involved. And it would promote individuality among women and men alike.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Robinson
Wow, this was an interesting read. The approach the author had is straightforward enough to cut to the chase, yet still gives some vivid imagery for the reader before delivering the bulk of the subject. Kudos on that alone. I would think about citing some information on how Nevada has dealt with this issue, and how other countries like the Netherlands, Amsterdam in particular, has also dealt with this issue.
ReplyDeleteAs for any glaring mistakes, I found none off the top of my head. Maybe adding in one or two rebuttals for any counter arguments that might be put forth, aside from just “nobody has the right to judge anybody” standpoint (of which I too agree, but more should be added to this argument). Anyway, good job overall.
Good open letter. In your final draft I would possibly see the opposing view of keeping it illegal just to show a little bit less bias. And then go back to your points about why the pros of prostitution being legal outweigh the very small cons.
ReplyDeleteI think you need a more specific person to address this letter to, Speaker of the House or Senate majority leader maybe. Also it would help if you have statistics to show exactly how much money is spent on enforcing prostitution. I don’t think you get your point across to congress by calling politicians not trustworthy, it will make it harder to get your point across by actually calling them names. You also might want to acknowledge another viewpoint in your letter. You will also need to add hyperlinks and citations at the end. Overall good job, maybe try to come across as less critical of politicians in general and establish a gentler tone overall throughout.
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