Memphis charity "rescues" strippers
Book Guy
I write it like I mean it, but mostly they just want my money.
While driving during rush hour yesterday I encountered a story on the radio about Memphis ministries that work to get prostitutes AND STRIPPERS out of what they consider "the sex industry." It was on NPR radio. I was surprised at how directly the link between crack-addicted street-walking trashy 'hos, and cute cuddly bouncy sweetheart stage-dancing millionairess strippers, was made.
The story was typically non-specific, and yet entirely derrogatory, and also rather sensationalistic, about how "bad" sex-work is for participants of both genders (this IS after all mainstream media) but there were some interesting points. They visited what must have been Platinum Plus, though they wouldn't name it, in the course of it.
The focus was a ministry type of Christian outfit that seems to have a very high level of respect among the national organizations that rate charities. Their rating can be seen here:
http://www.acton.org/cec/guide/about.php…
... and their weak little home website is here:
http://www.ccvmemphis.org/
I heard the clip on Mississippi Public Radio / NPR between 5 and 6 pm yesterday (Tuesday, August 8, 2006), but couldn't find it on any of the associated web sites. A bit of further Googling uncovered an old February story that appeared in "World" (a Christian-based magazine about charity and non-profit type work), which you can see in its entirety here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news…
"World" would require that you register and join, to read the whole thing on their website. The story is not 100% identical to the radio clip that I heard, though it is close enough that you'll get the gist of it.
The article is written by a dude named Harrison Scott Key, who also shows up (via Google) in Mississippi State and Tulane public relations offices, and all over the net on Christian-based discussion boards.
Two things seemed fishy when I started reading mister Key's writings. First, the language was similar to something I've seen before. And second, the hysterically knee-jerk link that he makes (which isn't necessarily made by all Christian ministries, I don't think) among direct prostitution, stripping and even photograph nude modeling, and photographic pornography -- these links were strangely characteristic of ...
... a certain troll here on the boards. I wonder if it's him. The kicker was that, all over the net, mister Key often says "Men think the stripper will be their girlfriend" or "They think she is their friend, but they don't know her real name." REAL NAME. Hmm ...
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While I usually don't agree with most of the crusading types I do have a certain sympathy. As long as they are acting within the law and using persuasion they have every right to try to change things. Christian groups in particular get a lot of bad press for their "intollerance". I think the radical animal rights people who throw red paint on people in furs or the greens who key SUV's are far more intolerant and annoying. As noted just about any group can cross the line into zealotry. I see a lot more of it on the left nowdays than the right when it comes to actually acting out..
I will also say one thing in defense of the pope and the vatican. They tell CATHOLICS how to live. That's a voluntary condition (being Catholic). I'm not obligated in any way to follow what the pope says, but were I to call myself a Catholic and go to mass and confession then I've signed up for it. Telling people how to live is what they do, and frankly I have some admiration for the popes for not giving in on abortion or birth control just because they are popular or expedient. The only consideration the church should make is wether it is right or wrong.
Yeah, adherents of humanism and positivism come to mind as equally zealous. It's zealotry that they, the Vatican, and al Qaeda all have in common.
Book Guy, you left out rationalism and humanism. There's no difference in the conclusions that can be justified by lunatic followers of any of them. And I don't see your point about links between different segments of the sex trade. Aren't the links undeniable? Isn't the real issue that the rescuers see no distinctions because they view sex as the problem, not abusiveness?
The thing I don't get about these groups is how they make the links among (a) porn (b) street-walker prostitution and (c) strip clubs. I just don't see it. I guess in each one, a female gets naked. Are they against locker rooms in the WNBA?
Too bad their husbands are violating the female's faith or else this group would eventually become extinct. I don't know though, there always seems to be a certain percentage of the population that is really crazy and not just acting. Perhaps a new group needs to save the "rescuers" from believing in superstitions and feeling a need that others must share in their beliefs or else they are all unclean prostitutes. This reminds me of stories of whole primitive villages believing the voodoo witch doctors have magical powers. I guess some people's faith is misguiding them like this.
I agree that the radio reporter was flagrantly irresponsible in passing on this moralistic bullshit whole cloth without challenge, questioning, or the least bit of journalistic integrity. However, I was not shocked, even to hear it on NPR. It's par for the course for mainsream reporting on vice issues. Also, I don't think Marketplace has the journalistic standards of the regular NPR shows (notwithstanding any political slant). It's more of a cheerleader for Wall Street, and there's always been a question of how much sway General Electric has over it. At any rate, Marketplace's general news features often strike me as a bit dubious.
The quote that I thought was most revealing was when the woman rescuer said that her faith taught her that there are parts of the body nobody should be allowed to touch, NOT EVEN YOURSELF. That's what it always comes down to for her kind. Women must remain under control, and they must never be allowed to control their own bodies. She went on to deride all the money strippers can earn and claim they'd be much better off AT A MINIMUM WAGE JOB. Ah, yes. Five bucks an hour flipping burgers, that'll keep them from being independent.
Of course, much was made of the horrors that prostitutes must endure from pimps. What a good reporter would have asked is whether vice laws ensure that the pimps will have their place in the business, just like drug laws perpetuate drug violence. Pity the hooker who gets "rescued" from the control of her pimp only to fall unto the spell of this charity. Talk about out of the frying pan into the fire.
By the way, this link has the full text of the story, an audio file and more:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows…
Sorry, I haven't checked out the related links you mentioned.