Totalitarian Trajectory

Yesterday, the US Supreme Court split 5-4 upholding the UC Hastings School of Law prohibition against subsidizing student organizations that practice discrimination. Think about that. The highest court in our land is divided almost evenly between justices who support legalized Christian bigotry against gays, and those who do not.

Located in the Civic Center of San Francisco, Hastings support for equality under the law was not surprising, but the atmosphere in our country’s capitol is very disturbing. Viewed from a San Francisco perspective, the dissenting opinion on Christian Legal Society v Martinez reminded me of another troubling attitude.

Back in 2006, San Francisco’s US Senator Dianne Feinstein sponsored a bill criminalizing any type of activism targeted at corporations. While this bill was not in support of bigotry, it does serve as a corollary to Christian bigotry in that both are oriented in favor of totalitarian government — one theocratic, one fascist. And as we have seen in the states of Israel, Iran, and Indonesia, the two are not necessarily exclusive.

Sutter Wealth

Sutter Health siphons off $100 million from Marin General Hospital.

Law of the Land

US Supreme Court upholds UC Hastings School of Law prohibition on subsidizing student organizations that practice discrimination.

Criminal Intent

Now that we've pretty much aired the topic of prostitution and the relevant politics of San Francisco, we'll return to the facts pertinent to the battle against Craigslist:

1. Prostitution is for the most part slavery.
2. Prostitution is run by organized crime.
3. Prostitution demand is supplied by human trafficking.
4. Prostitution is marketed on Craigslist.
5. Prostitution on Craigslist includes children.


So legalizing prostitution is legalizing slavery, slavery that demands new bodies trafficked from all corners of the globe, wherever desperate poverty lures the innocent into a living hell. But prostitution is not legal here, and Craigslist has chosen to profit from the human misery associated with it. By their choice, Craigslist has demonstrated callous disregard for humanity as well as criminal intent.

Let the battle begin.

Gay Male Establishment

From what information I've been able to gather, it appears that the hub of support for legalizing prostitution and protecting sex trafficking in San Francisco is the gay male political establishment led by California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano. Former California Senator Carole Migden is apparently afraid to oppose this faction, as is the San Francisco Democratic Party she once chaired.

What I was somewhat surprised to learn, though, is that San Francisco Supervisor and past President of the Board of Education Eric Mar caters to this faction on this issue as well. Of course, he is an ambitious politician, but he also has a young daughter. Neutralizing him with the incontrovertible child sex trafficking facts might work. Who knows.

Shut Down Sex Trafficking

After years of research documenting harms perpetrated against those in prostitution, Prostitution Research and Education, along with many other groups, is seeking accountability from Craigslist for facilitating online trafficking of women and children. Coalition Against Trafficking Women (CATW) and Prostitution Research and Education (PRE) are planning a protest July 8 at the Craigslist San Francisco headquarters. For more information see this announcement.

8

8: The Mormon Proposition, coming to a theater near you.

Change of Heart

One thing that baffled me was that Mayor Newsom -- who made national news by making San Francisco City Hall available for gay marriages -- took a strong stand against legalizing prostitution precisely because it would give organized crime free rein, while gay politicians like Ammiano and Migden -- who are righteous on almost everything else -- supported legalized prostitution. And it wasn't because the facts weren't available.

San Francisco politics can be pretty strange, but I find it hard to believe that those who carried on Harvey Milk's struggle for liberation would cave to partisan interests over such a fundamental human rights abuse.

I am hoping that in the interim they've had a change of heart, and will join us in shunning Craigslist.

Easy Dig

As noted at Dead Horse blog, Obama was key to making the Gulf oil spill happen, and it wasn't all that hard to find out.