An update on the Phoenix Goddess Temple arrests can be found here.
It appears that I was right that they broke multiple laws. There was also a six month investigation before the raid, which showed that acts of prostitution were taking place. I'm not really surprised, and we need to realize as a pagan community that every time we see a "victim" who happens to be pagan, in the news, it doesn't always mean that they were being discriminated against.
The exploratory writings and magical experiences of a Hermetic Egypto-Pagan.
I have to disagree about this case. Assuming that everyone was over the age of consent and no coersion was involved, then what you have IMHO at least is an entirely victimless crime that should in no way be illegal. Given that there's a whole lot of prostitution going on, and all evidence points to the fact that the laws against it do nothing to stop it, they just makes life worse for the sex workers, I definitely think the Temple has more going for it than the police.
ReplyDeleteAlso, and perhaps far more importantly, this could easily be a case of discrimination. A whole lot of prostitutes in major cities are not arrested - the cops generally have better things to do with their time. However, given what a wretchedly bigoted place Phoenix is, it seems possible, and perhaps even likely that the cops sent months investigating the Temple and not either arresting other sex workers, or doing something useful primarily because the Temple is run by pagans and the cops involved in the arrests (or the government officials ordering them to investigate the Temple) are anti-pagan bigots. Selective law enforcement is still bigotry.
@heron61
ReplyDeleteThe issue I'm focusing on isn't whether or not prostitution should be legal. The issue is that these people broke the law, and were blatant about the services they were offering. Not only that, but they were practicing massage without a license, as well as claiming to offer counciling services without proper licensing or education.
This was blatant disregard for the law, and the fact that people in the pagan community are saying "we need to rally behind these people" is stupid. Associating our public image as pagans, with prostitution is a recipe for trouble.