Days of Revolt: The Moral Bankruptcy of the Left on Prostitution

In this episode of teleSUR's Days of Revolt, Chris Hedges and anti-prostitution advocates Lee Lakeman and Alice Lee discuss the Left’s absence in confronting male violence against women, and the role of colonialism in perpetuating prostitution.
Watch more on teleSUR www.telesurtv.net/english/inde...

[@scientifico]

Powerful stuff. As a man, a black man I came to a realization: woman was the first slave. She was often taken, or bought and it was her job to feed the man, raise is children, farm his land and she had no rights. I think about africa and the existence of matriarchal societies and then I think about female circumcision and I don't know where it went wrong. I don't know if this bad wiring of humans will be our downfall.

[@thewrathofbombast]

It's true. Very thoughtful comment.

[@marccrossland785]

+Yuri muckraker Where did John Lennon say that?

[@lumpy0100]

+el scientifico Yeah, and all the man had to do was fight and die miserably. i don't know how many times i've wished i was the 'domesticated partner(HAH! and now i am! And it's great! Just like i thought it would be! :D).' Give us'n a SMIDGE of credit now? Thanks You, TheRealNews. :)

[@thewrathofbombast]

tremer 2009 Don't blame that on feminists or women, you idiot. Also "the domesticated partner"? Are women as good as dogs to you?

[@lumpy0100]

I wasn't blaming it on women, you imbecilic moron! A child could follow the logic infinitely MORE reasonably than you can obviouly even IMAGINE! Women were (and are) the far more valuable sex because they can much more quickly increase a group's size, and so its survivability, of one's group? So way back when, it was common to raid and kidnap a group's women. Imagine how angry the men of the raided group were at the men who were trying to kidnap the former group's women. Often there were times when men had to fight and die to save the far more valuable women, the key to a group's ability to survive. Are you CONCEIVABLY comparing the term "domesticated partner" with being a dog? Do you really have any sense that i'm discussing the familial relationships of 100000 yearsago. But despite the production of iphones, women are as vital now; arguably, more vital? You are a pathetically ignorant piece of rude, irrational, PERFECT PIECE OF SHIT! Man or woman, you're not good enough to lick my dog's ass clean! You're thewrathofCOMCAST, not bombast. You are much more like poorly conceived trumpeter of incompetently produced cable movie shit not worth the decaying you surely eat to clean your breath! Crawl out of your mental gutter and get a little learning. And, right or wrong, don't screech so uncontrollably you embarass yourself before you even begin your argument? Nothing you have to say is worth getting so insane about. Maybe you're real problem is organic mental illness; i'd suggest a veterinarian. Good luck on your long slither back to reality. :)

[@thewrathofbombast]

It's not hatred to critique the industry that benefits pimps and johns while women die everyday at the hands of men in the margins of society. It's not hatred to care about women's lives and think they deserve better.

[@kaninma7237]

How many would willingly go into prostitution if we had a universal basic income and healthcare for all?

[@JackE.Johnson322]

Let's face it we hear prostitution we all think of women a majority of the time. Must be that more women along the way have been involved and associated with prostitution. I think the point for many was completely missed. This is a much greater issue. Prostitution didn't just happen one day. Structural violence is real. When lands were being conquered some of the best strategies included raping women in order to destroy the family structure and culture. What was left once a land was conquered was women raising families in desperate situations and having new religions and ways of life from other lands forced upon them. Consent to have sex, content to be taped, etc is not what is being talked about. Poverty, corruption, the stripping away of culture, dignity, and freedom is what is being discussed here. No one can say, "well freedom is being taken from those who consent to sex and you can't tell women what to do with there bodies". STOP. Generations of people are fucked up, poor, and uneducated. If you are broke and have no way to make money well then desperate times can call for desperate measures.. If that can be agreed upon then was there a real choice? Look at when women call themselves feminist think about the attached stigmas. Some women will defend a "slut walk" they will think they are upholding and empowering each other saying well men do it.. I can see where women who are not looking at the overall global picture think that they are promoting this new age freedom of being and doing what you want. But what is really happening? Why is this a "social norm"? Where is this behavior deriving from? There is just so much history behind prostitution that is not pretty. Bringing up frivolous opinions is dangerous. I think the biggest issue is that we are so interconnected. A problem in another land is a problem for others no matter where you live. Taking freedom away from any human being is an immediate problem for everyone.

[@jackcarter3944]

+thewrathofbombast Radical feminism INVENTED the slut walk. Radical feminism also invented the idea of "rape culture" in the West where, of course, it is nonexistent outside of prisons and the like. Radical feminism today is the equivalent of rape crisis feminism, the feminism that dominates colleges, creates fraudulent advocacy "research," and works diligently to destroy due process for men on campus even as it seeks to take that destruction off campus and into the mainstream of criminal jurisprudence.

[@mieprowan]

Terrific. Great work.

[@TM-qz8mg]

The prostitution job must have consequences because even though legalization facilitates the activities and likely makes it medically better the stigma attached results in a different class for the service provider. In some countries were prostitution is legalized it helps some at first, but if the other issues that corrode society are not changed it becomes just a bandaid, and at most the ex prostitute that found a permanent male provider just becomes a privatized sex companion, and socially second after the official spouse/companion, maybe due to the stigma. So so far it all works to mostly the advantage of males with money and power. The solution must be somewhere in the last point, and bringing up morals and human values across society to basically decrease corruption.

[@cheryl5667]

Subscribed. Brilliant. Thank you.

[@redriverscout4404]

There is also the false impression that there is no distinction between legal and well regulated prostitution and being pimped by a street gang. That is like saying a bank and the local mobster loan shark are the same thing because they both offer people loans.

[@joem1070]

Married to a Pinay and walking around the streets of the Philippines, the disgusting winks I get from foreigners who assume my step daughter is a prostitute is maddening and makes me want to hit them. It's embarrasses and dehumanizing to her. And as a white guy from the USA, makes me a bit ashamed what the US Empire did here, the damage to their culture, and the values that everything has a price is deeply sick. The idea that if living wage jobs existed with benefits, that you'd have a 200 to 400k+ prostitutes in the country is absurd. And goes to the predatory nature of Capitalism, the second class citizenship given to us by Biblical scripture of women being chattel and to be subservient. These old ideas have been removed in law, but not in thought and conservative philosophy. As someone on the left, if I heard my side in support of this, I'd call them out. Voltaire said- 'Those who can be made to believe in absurdities can be made to commit atrocities.'

[@walterwilliams6357]

Great interview.

[@oneclickboedicea8965]

People below talking about sex industry as if it isnt the clients and management that are the dangerous element, there is a complete disengagement that its the men in the industry that are the problem. Roll out the Nordic model.

[@AgentRafa]

To all of you experts here in the com. section: Did'nt you listen to the coversation?

[@jackmansfield4453]

So much bigotry towards prostitutes. It is the regressive attitudes of these women that help perpetuate feelings of shame and low self esteem amongst sex workers imo. They shouldn't project their sexual convictions onto other people nor make value judgments based on their own insecurities. Trafficking and exploitation is another thing entirely.

[@cindigonzalez7350]

It's not regressive to see people as more than just objects to be capitalized on. Idiot. I'm a Hispanic conservative and proud to be one.

[@lamaddussa]

important discussion, & completely agree with what was stated. at the same time, people who are excluded from other economic arenas will do whatever they can to make an income, and they shouldn't be criminalized for that. (prostitution, i.e.. pimping is a different matter). the solution is economic gender equity. while behavior between "consenting" adults should be allowed, it's hard to argue consent when people engage in prostitution 99.999% of the time out of economic duress. anytime an exchange of money or other economic goods is involved with sexual behavior you know something very pathological is involved. truly consensual sexual behavior involves no economic exchange or imbalance of power. consensual sexuality is a free choice between adults based on mutual interest.

[@G2thesecondpower]

+mad dusa Thanks! I think I tried to say something much similar, but you said it much better :)

[@lamaddussa]

Gillian G my pleasure, but i would encourage you to express yourself in whatever way comes naturally to you. it's so important for people to confront these extremely serious social, health and economic issues in truthful and realistic ways, esp. in consideration of the extreme anti-feminist backlash taking place in media, entertainment, etc. and the rationalizations on the part of some people who patronize, rely on or profit from work in the sex industry. the more people who take an honest human rights, economic rights. and social health oriented stance on these issues, the better.

[@PlayerSkillFTW]

+mad dusa If a man takes a woman out on a date, pays for her meal, then has sex with her, would you consider it "Prostitution"? After all, he did pay for her meal, so she did receive financial benefit from it. That question is why law enforcement has such a hard time busting escort services, since escort services operate under the premise that the client only pays for the date, and that anything afterwards was between two consenting adults. If you give a woman $100.00 in cold hard cash, then have sex with her, it's illegal. But if you pay $100.00 on something for a woman, then have sex with her, it's legal. Weird, huh? As for " truly consensual sexual behavior involves no economic exchange", then good luck having sex with a woman if you don't pay for her meal during the date.

[@ynotlearn4190]

Powerful!

[@distatic]

Thank for an enlightening and interesting series. I was wondering isn't prostitution an effect of desperation in most cases, to support many times ones family with food and medicine.. etc.? And therefore the root cause the economic-systems in place that usually lacks safety-nets...? So the people involved (including the pimps) with most to lose, go to most extremes and therefore the hierarchy of women (9:30)? I mean why would sick people exclusively prefer foreign women..? Is there racism in prostitution? I think so. but that also applies to men, thinking as an example of the sex-tourism to African-countries done by western-women. Just look at a classic erotic movie like "Emanuel" setting in French colonies, where a aristocratic woman explores exotic foreign men... It is perhaps counter-productive to include rape in the discussion of prostitution (though of course a more importance issue). Isn't the general theme here the economic-system making most of us in to prostitutes and we see it in all layers of society? from the actual prostitutes, drug dealers, to athletes, to the engineers of weapons, to the bank-service men and to the politicians on the top. All acting perhaps against their ideals and morals, because of the money and they also need to support their families, loans, addictions... There is a link between pornographers and free speech. The left see the pornographers as the canaries in the coal mine of course in a time where democratic rights are being eroded. But to conflate pornography and prostitution "whether or not they are getting paid" (5:00) is just wrong! Shouldn't we applaud the unions for at least trying to think outside the box to include prostitutes? But where does the stigma come from that prevents it? Why is it not seen as an examination by a doctor, that can many times be more invasive for the doctor...? The stigma itself has also many times colonial roots, right? So either we improve the system or we remove the stigma so more can participate to improve the society...

[@hollyh-zw1yb]

amazing...

[@marccrossland785]

"this is disgusting behavior..." If it is voluntarily means of being part of an industry, why not treat it like one?

[@elgringorumbero]

Interestingly the most pervasive racial slur used in official U.S. place names is "squaw".

[@JeffreyPappas786]

A full report on sin cities Berlin and the rise of fascism would be ultracritical at this point in time regarding islamofascism in europe. So pleased to hear it cited...

[@rosewater7245]

How are people making base arguments after watching this video? Be critical for once (The Left).

[@Yourismouter]

interesting i just finished watching this and I've seen an interview chris hedges whom I respect a lot with an ex prostitute. called rachel moran and I must say i'm socially very liberal on pornography, i'm a centrist on prostitution though and ....I don't know I would recommend have a look at a VIce News report called the new era of Canadian sex work and make up your own mind because its more complicated.

[@hed9870]

How is this a partisan issue? I think women who want to be prostitutes ( there are probably very few) should be safeguarded against the dangers of that line of work. There must be better opportunities for those women who feel like they have no other choice. I must say something about the idea that certain colors of women are treated in certain ways in pornography is bullshit. You can find any type of sex you like with any color woman you like in porn.

[@newworldforward1842]

We should look at where the money comes from to fund "TheRealNews". How come they are online at all with this rubbish!

[@tomgreg2008]

+AndroidPolitician Board of Trustees (NPO), TheReal News: Paul Jay Michael Ratner Danny Glover Robert Lang Harriette Draper T.M. Scruggs Robert Lee Dimitri Lascaris Frank Hammer Susan Nestadt James Early Baruti N. Kopano, Ph.D. therealnews.com/t2/about-us/board-of-directors

[@rosewater7245]

+AndroidPolitician idiot

[@vengencefrom1979]

over breeding beyond the economies ability to create jobs means poor people will resort to what?

[@solgato5186]

Decriminalise it!

[@d.m.6397]

Notice how these feminists forgot to include the voice of the subject of the conversation: actual prostitutes. 'We're going to speak for prostitutes, but invite one to speak? Oh hell no!!!' Vile.

[@xxxild]

The Nordic Model of legislating sex work is about controlling women, primarily. These people are powerful. Sex worker rights activists will have a talk with you, any day of the week, about these issues, yet she claims we can't have this discussion. And this while I notice there's no counter viewpoint in this video.

[@xxxild]

+xxxild So yeah, up yours, TheRealNews, with your propaganda piece.

[@DividedLine]

+Reignbow It's depressing.

[@thewrathofbombast]

Controlling women? Or preventing men from buying female bodies while deterring trafficking? Let's talk about pimps and johns.

[@jackcarter3944]

+xxxild The Nordic Model is about controlling men and male sexuality, primarily. Women are helped, if they want it, while the john is always criminalized. The woman never is. She's treated like a victim, always. Furthermore, we're still waiting for the first case of a woman soliciting sex being treated like a male john.

[@squatch545]

How do you know?

[@zaalazar]

I strongly disagree with Hedges on this subject. These people here need to go out of their bubbles and go to south america, for instance, and see what syndicates of sorts and support groups are doing to empower women who decide to work in sex. I have lots of respect for Hedges, but he needs to hear other voices.

[@rongrongism]

I hear demeaning voices against women's ability to boldly and independently make choices on our own, as well as protect ourselves from the apparent elusive herds of rapists out there. I thank you Chris for your concern for my inability to be safe and independently responsible, but if I get raped, they will not escape bludgeoning, and if they do, an I truly get raped, (not retroactively deciding I regretted consensual sex and calling it rape,) I will have kept the evidence, named them, and been screaming about it until they are served justice.

[@newworldforward1842]

What's wrong with women wanting a better life?

[@GeorgeStJohnQuimby]

Prostitution gives women a better life?

[@allgoo1964]

I wouldn't know if the guests are religious right or the feminists if I didn't see the title of the show and the channel. I didn't know that they had the same goals.

[@Tambura330]

I think prostitution should be legal, it should be regulated.

[@katherinesparkes6860]

+Leon Scott same

[@Tsnore]

Yes. Correct.

[@Tsnore]

Prsotitution is several thousand years older than feminism.

[@AxmedBahjad]

SO you can abuse women, legally? Not good idea. Holland Belgium, where prostitution is legal, harm femininity. Most men see women as mere commodity. Women are sacred and must be treated well.

[@ragnarlothbrok3849]

Axmed Bahjad i think prostitutes have a choice, so its not an abuse

[@redriverscout4404]

I respect Chris Hedges on many things but this is just one stereotype being paraded after another and treats all men as predators by default and treats women as sexualized children incapable of independent thought or incapable of individual sexual desire.

[@redriverscout4404]

juan ell froggo I am not saying he is without fault but it seems a tad bit hypocritical for you to accuse him of empty moralism and following it up with positively Victorian criticisms of his personal life and choice of partner. Seems the pot calling the kettle black.

[@d.m.6397]

Red River Scout 👍

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

Take your MRA nonsense somewhere else.

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

@@johnthefrogakakrazert819 Men who buy women should be thrown in prison and be labeled sex offenders for life. If it were up to me, every john and pimp would be shot on sight. It should be a capital offense.

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

@@redriverscout4404 Moralism my ass. You don't have a right to buy another human being.

[@lsk464]

Worst episode ever, you are trying to blend rape and violence and forces sex with prostitution. Sex is and has been a commodity for many years. Today there are men, women and transgender persons all of which offer sex voluntarily as a commodity and by there own free choice. I expect Chris Hedges to have a more enlightened level of thinking about this topic. Rape and sexual violence is wrong but a persons freedom to use their bodies as they wish even as a sexual commodity is not wrong. Prostitution should be legal just like drugs should be legal.

[@thewrathofbombast]

+m1nt3a Thanks for that awesome reply.

[@thewrathofbombast]

+Jorge Daniel Hernandez You are correct.

[@jorgedanielhernandez3949]

+fkujakedmyname I don't entirely disagree with you. However I think its clear that there are different levels of exploitation. When you say "wages and income equality are one issue we should work on and most of the stupid issues like this will solve themselves." This may very well be true if it is possible to solve.

[@jackmansfield4453]

+Jorge Daniel Hernandez I think you are blinkered to the real oppression going on here. Sexual insecurities or cultural and religious hang ups lead to people viewing these jobs as demeaning or even oppressive. What child says "I want to be a sewage worker when I grow up?" Yet sewage workers are incredibly important to society and do a wonderful job that should be lauded and respected. The oppression is in the vilification by society of these women and their clients.

[@thewrathofbombast]

+Jack Mansfield What a load of crap. Also, where do you get that this criticism of prostitution has anything to do with religion? Did any of these women mention religion? You realize a sewer worker sells labor while a prostitute sells her body (herself) since her own identity as a human cannot be separated from her body? But I'm glad about the comparison, because sewer workers are necessary, while prostitution is not only traumatizing to most women suffering it but it's also completely unnecessary. No, there not need be an army of female bodies at men's disposal for ejaculation.