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Texas Lawmaker Wants to License Strippers

Yes, his goal is to discourage the occupation

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Jan 8, 2013 by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Columbia Pictures

But where would they put it?

A Texas lawmaker has proposed a bill that would force strippers in the state to obtain a license before displaying their wares, reports the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. State Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, thinks erotic dancers and others in "sexually oriented businesses" should be required to take a course in the evils of sex trafficking before being allowed to ply their trade. The license would be proof that they'd done so.

Zedler admits the idea is intended to discourage nude dancing and related occupations.

"I think it would keep a lot of girls from getting involved in that lifestyle and basically wrecking their lives," he said. "This will force everyone to clean up their act."

While Zedler first proposed the idea of licensing strippers back in 2007, the FWST notes, it failed to culminate in any actual legislation. Likewise, this time around Texas might consider the issue too trivial when compared to other, more pressing matters.

"It may be overshadowed by other big conservative issues like school vouchers, education funding, Medicaid," said Allan Saxe, a professor of political science at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Getting back to the question of where exactly the strippers would place the license while doing their thing, Zedler suggests, "the neck...or on their shoes ...or attached to a head band."

Via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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Comments (view in Forum)

Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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""I think it would keep a lot of girls from getting involved in that lifestyle and basically wrecking their lives," he said. "This will force everyone to clean up their act.""
HMMM, have you (a politician) ever looked in a mirror? Maybe, just maybe YOU need to clean up your profession before you legislate on another one....doncha think?
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Jan '13

65snake

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What part of it wrecks their lives, apart from the ostracism they experience from misogynist jerks like this guy? Their just people, and it pays well.
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Jan '13

65snake

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@65snake *they're
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@65snake not only does it pay well, but tge money often comes from guys just like him...
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Jan '13

stepped_in_it

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@65snake @PoliticalSpice >> Funny how some say they (the strippers) are professionals and should be licensed. But, aren't politicians also professionals? And most of them shouldn't even have a drivers license (much less they're current license to steal from us)......LOL
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Post @stepped_in_it
Jan '13

marine1

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Bullcrap, this is nothing more than another money grab scheme!!
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Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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Again the so called "small government" crowd is telling people how to live.
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Jan '13

Malitia_Man

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Kinda hippocritical isn't it?
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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Small (minded) government at its finest!
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Jan '13

Mogal

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people=women.
How familiar.....
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@Mogal Some women are people...
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Jan '13

Mogal

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@PoliticalSpice Lol, and some view women as objects to be controlled.....
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Jan '13

Dan_Tien

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First they want to license our strippers, then create a national database of strippers. Then they will come and confiscate all of our strippers. From my cold, dead hand!
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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Just after you die from that STD...
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Jan '13

martydotcom

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Volunteering to take photo id's "in situ"
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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See where a database leads? Now will you support my argument?
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@Knightmare Errr... When is the last time someone caught an std from watching a stripper? I am unaware of any such case.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@martydotcom You, sir, are not being very helpful in discouraging support for mandatory photo ID documents...
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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I wonder what it is that Zedler is trying to repress in himself... ;)
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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We' find out soon enough. make book on it, the name Zedler will be in the news near words like "adultry" "escorts" or "mens room." it's just a matter of time...
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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I'm wondering the same. Why is it that right-wing men think women should bear all the responsibility for curbing a man's appetite for flesh? He's blaming the stripper for the fact that there's a huge market for her work. As to ruining their lives ... right ... I'm sure they're crying all the way to the bank.
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Post @Denizen_Kate
Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@Denizen_Kate thats easy. They are more concerned with spending then guys on the left...
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Jan '13

Souljah

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they just want an easy way to contact them for local political after party's..
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Jan '13

RobertJHarsh

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Back in 90s and early 2000s, Houston was ranked up there with Atlanta and Windsor for having best strip clubs in North America...then their city council passed an "entertainer license" ordinance which essentially killed the industry there. Now Houston has crappy strip clubs and one less reason to go to that s-hole of a town.

But fret not....soon Houston will be the capital of North Mexico when the GOP goes under. I personally think Texas should be handed back to Mexico, in return, all the illegals in the other states can stay. I call that a fair compromise.
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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LOL big on Texas are you?
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Jan '13

DARSB

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So it's the dancer, not the G-string? ;)

Guess this guy has not heard of the Chippendales - at least there's no mention of licensing male strippers in the article.

Courts in the past have tossed lawsuits against strip clubs on First Amendment grounds - exotic dance is apparently protected speech (hey, it's no more ridiculous than a corporation being a person who can give money to politicians).

So that means this elected official is not only defying the Constitution but he's being sexist about it, too.
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Jan '13

Mogal

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Its a creative attempt to control women, aint it?
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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@Mogal Does the concept of sex trafficking escape you? Many of those strippers are someones daughter that got trapped in that lifestyle...
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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It should be for ANY stripper...
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Jan '13

Mogal

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@Knightmare -I worked in a strip club when I was in college.
No one was forced to be there, and locked up in a cage afterwards.
I suggest you actually talk to people that have actually worked in clubs and not believe everything you read on tEh interwebz.
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Post @Mogal
Jan '13

Knightkore

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@Mogal {Sigh} Yes...people CHOOSE to be around sin...of course...and you're saying NOTHING ever happened untoward? You'd either be lying or naive to say it didn't...
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Jan '13

AceLuby

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Legislating morals yet again from the 'small govt' faction of our country. Can't have govt actually help Americans because that's 'big govt', but getting govt to force others to live like you or pay (or go to jail...) AOK!
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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Progressive liberals legislate morals all the time...heck they redefine marriage...
This isn't the worst idea...and yeah...it could work...the sex trafficking industry has a lot of girls that get into this because they ran away or were kidnapped...guess you all don't mind supporting that? What if it was YOUR daughter?
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Jan '13

Cheenoguy

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You wanna dance around nude? You are going to need a license, you might cause men to get erections!!! They might masturbate murdering millions of potential unborn children!
You want 15 guns and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammo? Why in the world would anyone object to that? You might have to rebel against the guberment.
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Post @Cheenoguy
Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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It isn't legislating morals. It is providing consenting adults the freedom to live as they choose, so long as it doesn't hurt someone else. Is sex trafficking wrong? Hell, yes. But read the consenting part. So long as all parties are consenting adults, why do you have a problem with strippers. If you don't like it, don't go.
As for it being my daughter, I certainly wouldn't like it, or agree with it, but if she is an adult, I guess I would have to live with it.
Let's pose this in another way. Do you agree with the New York ban on large sodas? What banning on fast food restaurants in poor neighborhoods? One could argue that both of these encourage healthy behavior. But they both infringe on the rights of people that choose to be unhealthy, so why should the government get involved.
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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@Cheenoguy And it MIGHT be your daughter or son who got kidnapped...ever seen the movie "Taken"...that is more prevalent than you think...and each dollar you fork out...supports that industry...from stripping to hooking and anything in between...

I hope you don't have a daughter...if this is how you teach them women should be treated by men...like nothing more than meat...to arouse your animal lust...
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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@wild_turkey6 Here's the difference...this legislation doesn't BAN the practice or profession...it regulates it...just like any other business...even a self-employed person needs some kind regulation...no infringement...I mean...how is it you want tons of legislation to take guns away but are unable to accept a little regulation on the "profession" of stripping?
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Post @Knightkore
Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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@Knightmare You are so wrong about me. I don't want legislation to take away anyone's guns. I am a firm believer in the US Constitution. As a Libertarian, I would like to see less government control over people's lives. Be it gun owners, strippers, or moonshiners, I don't think the government should tell an adult how to live their lives, as long as no harm comes to anyone else. The difference between me and this clown of a Congressman, is that I think this applies to everyone, even those that I disagree with.
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Jan '13

Hireman

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I thought the GOP was for smaller government...
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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They're all for small (minded) government.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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GOP wants small government, they want to shrink it small enough to fit in your bedroom...
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Jan '13

cat2009

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But I suppose it's part of his agenda to go and check out the clubs. I wish someone would check and see how many times he's gone to the club.
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Jan '13

bsking

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I only voted yes because I assume there would also have to be some sort of mechanism for them to prove their proficiency before a license could be obtained. :-)
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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Remember kids: registering your firearm is evil big gubmint, but registering your tits is apparently a-ok!
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Jan '13

DARSB

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The article doesn't mention any testing for this license - how about we send a proposal to this guy offering our services as Ecdysiast Examiners? Bet Marine1 would be happy to help, too. ;)
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Jan '13

jessejaymes

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@DARSB Let's not be too selective here. I myself would gladly free up a few hours for interview purposes.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@DARSB wait. Me too...
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Jan '13

bsking

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@DARSB I'm in... maybe there's even some federal grant money in it for us :-o
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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Actually the more I think of this...this would actually help to curtail...sex traffickers...
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Jan '13

Mogal

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I tended bar in a strip club during the summers while I was in college.
The money was great, no one ever bothered me, hell, even my mom knew about it.
Doesnt this TX legislator have any real, pressing issues to worry about?
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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Maybe we should let Texas secede!
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Jan '13

vws

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Why not - they force you to get a "license" for any other "proffession."
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Jan '13

DerivePI

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"We are from the government and we're here to help" (take what little freedom you have left).
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Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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I'm going to get my usual bashing from the usual daily brigade of authoritative posters (UDBAP) but I'm not going to back down. I think State Rep. Bill Zedler proposes a good idea. Hey, it might help to keep some marriages together and maybe some of these young women that end up being exploited will find a better way to earn a living. I know that's offensive to some of you. I don't know why, but some of you live to be offended. I still feel this way and offer no apologies. I hope Zedler is successful this time around!
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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How cute, you made an acronym for guys like me. ;)
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Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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I'm not offended by what you say, I am just curious as to how your mind justifies your position. If this was any other business you would be up in arms about the government trying to screw the small businessman out of tax dollars. I think the term is Cognitive Dissonance.
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Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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@wild_turkey6 - I don't think sex trafficking is akin to a typical business. There is no real product being sold, it's just a person being exploited. Would you support a business where a person was paid to be a slave to another person? Probably not. This isn't much different in my mind. It crushes the souls of all involved. It's one step above prostitution. It's just my opinion, but I'm unconvinced by arguments that the sex trade industry just represents wholesome businesses.

Also, someone else mentioned this on another one of threads on this article, any other business has to be licensed, so why not sex traffickers? I don't see that as any different than what is already going on in this country.
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Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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@Neo_NtheMatrix I think the sticking point is the term sex trafficking. I whole heartedly agree with you that trafficking in humans is wrong. I can think very few things worse than forcing someone into that kind of situation. But I am talking about a legitimate business with all parties involved doing so willingly. You are talking about using a government license to deter that business. This guy didn't say that he wanted to license strippers to cut down on trafficking, he said he wanted to do it because it would stop girls from stripping. The take away from that is the government forcing small businesses to close.
Besides, if any club sales alcohol, they are already licensed. He isn't licensing the club, he is regulating the dancers.
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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@wild_turkey6 Doesn't the dancing fall under the umbrella of free speech, if so why would it need regulation or licensing?
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Jan '13

Chromalord

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ROFL! This is one of the dumbest issues I have read on here. First, its a nonsense issue. All strippers are not prostitutes, in fact, most are not. Secondly, I cannot imagine any woman going to apply for a stripper job and not knowing stripping was required- Zedler intimates as much. Stripping is so mainstream now, I can hardly classify it as "wrecking someone's life." Thirdly, "attack the license to neck or shoes or headband", is he for real, shit lets go Nazi style and have it tattooed on their face. Fourth, sex traffickers are rarely strip club owners. Strip clubs are a legitimate business and heavily regulated from outside and within. The type of person forcing those who are kidnapped ( or by other nefarious scenarios) into a sex-trade, do so by flying under the radar. No license would ever makes those practices legal. A person doesn't ELECT to be kidnapped. Lastly, manpower to enforce this would come from where?
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Jan '13

Chromalord

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my typo:"attack the license" should have been <attach the license>
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Jan '13

Mogal

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Acording to some on this board, all strippers are kidnapped by sex traffickers and forced to strip.
*rolls eyes
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Jan '13

Chromalord

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@Mogal We're a big country, so it comes as little surprise there are those still hung up on nudity and those who dont regard it as a big deal, and others who perv-out over it. Takes all kinds....
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Jan '13

Starsplash

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Strippers are not Prostitues. You can't even touch one, so how can they be prostitues? That already debunks that theory already.
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Jan '13

culinary

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I know a girl who was a stripper....and yes, she chose to do, wasn't forced. She was able to get grants to go to college, would have been able to get lots of assistance because she was a single mom. But she refused to quit. Know why? Because the money was so good. She said there was nothing else she could do and make that much money in a certain amount of time. She was realistic and knew she couldn't do it forever, but chose to continue.
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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So the ends justify the means? Wait...you ignore morality to get as much money as possible...hmm...AIG did that...and needed a bailout...fascinating...
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Jan '13

culinary

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@Knightmare just saying....not everyone is forced into it. To her it was just a job she used to pay the bills.
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Jan '13

Knightkore

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@culinary {Sigh} Again...you're still defending the ends justifying the means...for MONEY. AIG and the big banks and other corporations...which are deemed to be like a person are just shipping our jobs overseas and various other unsavory things...just to pay the bills...

You said it in your comment "She said there was nothing else she could do and make that much money in a certain amount of time." This is not paying the bills...this is greed...
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Jan '13

culinary

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@Knightmare and? Greed or not, to her it was a job. She wasn't forced into it, she wasn't a victim of a sexual predator, she dint think it demeaning. Strip joints are like movies...if you don't like what you see, don't watch it. End of story.
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Post @culinary
Jan '13

twinertia

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So, a "course in the evils of sex trafficking" is gonna keep someone's daughter off a chrome pole? This could ONLY come from a sexually-frustrated Texan!
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