The following letter, relating to an application to license a "lap-dancing club" (brothel) in Consett, was not printed in the Consett and Stanley Advertiser, but I have also submitted a formal objection to Derwentside District Council in much the same terms:
"The claims of the "Red Velvet" applicant, Sonny Gill, would be laughable if they were not so tragic and so wicked. If "this is not prostitution", then what, exactly, is it? It is making money out of sexual stimulation, and that deliberately apart from any meaningful relationship. So, morally even if not legally, it is prostitution. Morally, even if not legally, the women involved are prostitutes. Morally, even if not legally, the men paying them are prostitutes' clients. And morally, even if not legally, Mr Gill is a pimp. As would be Derwentside District Council (i.e., each and every one of us) if it accepted a fee (on all our behalfs) for licensing what morally, even if not legally, would be a brothel. Well, I for one am not prepared to be turned into a pimp.
Anyway, where do these women come from, and where do they go? The "sex industry" is seamless, as even Mr Gill must surely acknowledge. Who cares if this "is happening in towns and cities all over the country"? So are all sorts of evil things. And if "the protection of children from harm, the prevention of public nuisance, the protection of public safety, and the prevention of crime and disorder" are not matters calling for "a moral judgement", then what exactly are they, and what exactly is?
Is the Council prepared to turn every citizen of Derwentside, including every Councillor, into a pimp? Is it prepared to take payment of behalf of the whole community in order to turn Consett into a licensed centre of human trafficking and sexual violence? Does it envisage nothing better for our young women than employment of this kind (the amount of money earned being entirely beside the point)? Does it consider these things to be in accordance with "the protection of children from harm, the prevention of public nuisance, the protection of public safety, and the prevention of crime and disorder"?
We shall all find out when it decides on this application, a decision expected on 12th December. I shall be there if at all possible, and I encourage anyone else who can do so to attend as well."
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In that case, with exactly which part of what I wrote do you disagree, and why? Over and over again, I used the term "morally even if not legally", so libel doesn't enter into it.
ReplyDeleteI admit that it wasn't exactly hard to deliver a crowd-pleaser at a meeting to save Shotley Bridge, but that doesn't mean that I didn't do it. The crowd was right, after all.
This Lapp Dancing thing is terrible. The Lapps are a wonderful people but I don't think they should be forced into this prostitution in Consett. I think that it is time to make a stand for these people, we only have to look at how the Poles are being treat in their dancing clubs in Newcastle. This is terrible!
ReplyDeleteThey are on the way to banning bear dancing in Russia - so do bears have more rights than people?
No free English jury, for so long as we still have such things, would side with such a person in this case. On the contrary, such a case might well be the long-overdue lighting of the touchpaper to burn down the sex industry that is taking over culture without our consent, indeed against our will.
ReplyDeleteAs Mrs Cat says, why should poor people have fewer rights than animals? And that is the fact of the matter when they are compelled by their poverty to make money out of sex, i.e., to prostitute themselves.
They would be within the law. Wonderful things, juries. Can do all sorts.
ReplyDeleteWhich is why their very existence is in breach of Article Six of the European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into British law as the sort of slow-motion krytocratic coup that is the Human Rights Act. So we'd better cherish juries, among much else, while we can.
Why doesn't your blog work anymore, either?
Oh, and I'm not at all surprised to see which is the Blairite side here, of course: the side of the "free" market in goods and services, which must by definition include prostitution and pornography, as well as alcohol, drugs, gambling and everything else.
ReplyDeleteMolly Jowell, wife of an "associate" and herself responsible for bringing (at public expense) the cream of "Las Vegas casino operators" to Britain to consider the opportunities that she intends to open up for them here, must be very proud of you.
On which occasion? There were numerous meetings against the closure of Shotley Bridge. I spoke from the floor at one of them (it was in the function room of the Demi, as I recall), a point I only ever make to contrast my record (such as it is) on this matter with that of Hilary Armstrong.
ReplyDeleteEven now, you should hear His Master's Voice, Neil Fleming, on the subject of Shotley Bridge... Of course, Fleming just wants people to suffer because he enjoys it vicariously. Vermin.
The other thing that I recall about that meeting was that, after I had denounced the NHS suits there for chattering and giggling throughout the floor speeches (which they had been doing), David Hodgson rose to deliver a spirited defence of them, the only defence of them all night, or indeed at any meeting on this subject that I ever attended. Very odd.
I don't believe for one moment that any dealings of yours with the courts have been on the right side of law, but that is by the by. This would be a case about a major social problem. It would attract attention if the sex industry tried to use the law to silence its critics like this.
I could certainly expect to be in the papers and on the radio, and possibly on television. Indeed, I would make sure of it.
And yes, I do believe that the British People, focused in and as a jury, would take this opportunity to administer a well-deserved kicking to the se industryk no matter how much money the Bliar machine might have taken from it over the years, indeed as much because of that as anything else. Something ese I'd be only too happy to say in the newspapers, on the radio and on television.
As for being torn apart by the barrister, I hope that any paid associate of organised crime - the only type of lawyer who could possibly consider acting for such scum - enjoyed being named, pictured and (so to speak) addressed as such all over the Internet. Again, easily arranged; and to be notified, in all fairnes, in the newspapers, on the radio, and on television.
Where the question would also need to be asked, for example, whether such a person deserved to have contact with or access to their children. And, of course, Social Services are obliged to investigate even one complaint, never mind scores resulting from a write-in campaign launched before anyone had the opportunity to switch off my microphone, and duly copied to my campiagn address for this purpse so that track may be kept.
Among other things. These people have it coming.
You really have indisputably defamed me by suggesting that I hardly attenmd Parish Council metting any more. And what "other activities", exactly?
ReplyDeleteI was actually considering standing down next time: eight years is quite a good innings, and I do have rather bigger fish to fry these days. But not after this, let me assure you.
Incidentally, I rather suspect that the penny might have dropped in certain circles and that the Tories, the Derwentside Independents and the Liberals are therefore all going to run a full set of three District candidates, putting them all up for the Parish as well. District candidates who stand for the Parish at the same time pretty much always get onto the latter even if not onto the former; so that's nine non-Labour seats out of 15, i.e., loss of Labour control.
One existing Independent (not DI) Parish Councillor would certainly be re-elected if he re-stood, which we all expect him to do. Another will get on if he puts up, ditto. And I'll get back on. Which leaves only three Labour members (the three District candidates) where before there were 11. Or even only two, if one of the Labour candidates is Neil Fleming.
I'd be fascinated to know with which of my observations about Hilary Armstrong you actually disagree, and why. And everybody hates Neil Fleming! Come on! I can't go to the shops, the pub or the barber's, and seldom to the library or even to church(!), without being left in no doubt whatever about that. Quite right, too.
As for Kevan Jones, that reminds me... Probably by the time you read this, I'll have posted something Jones-related.
I'm genuinely not aware of that, in the sense that I have never checked (my fault, I suppose); and it was now some years ago anyway.
ReplyDeleteEven coming 13th cannot, by definition, be that far "behind everyone else", given that there are 15 positions to elect. And anyway, a lot can change in four years...
I've just spent an evening (admittedly rather a drunken one, and with persons who had better remian nameless...) calculating exactly how many votes Fleming could expect next time...
Anonymous letters? What on earth are you blathering on about? You can accuse me of many things, but hiding behind the cloak of anonymity is certainly not one of them. You, on the other hand, decline to give your real name. As people who criticise me characteristically do decline, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteAs for trying to join the other parties (especially the Liberals - THE LIBERALS), the very idea! Again, where did you get that from? It should be said that I maintain more than polite relations with the Tories and the DIs in Lanchester, but if that were a problem then you'd campaigning to remove the Labour Leadership on DDC, which is run on similar civilised lines, and is a very successful Council indeed.
Hello David, haven't spoken for a while but anyway. I've just been reading in the Consett Gaurdian that the council is only looking at objections from residents that live up to 200 metres away and moral objection will not be considered as objections.
ReplyDeleteWhat else can we do? Judicial Review?
I don't understand why you are so against the club? Surely a consenting adult should have the choices whether he or she goes into such a place? and shouldn't the dancers be allowed to choose their career without a man on a 'moral' high horse coming down so hard on them?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want to go, then don't go. I personally don't, but some do and I have nothing against that.
To each their own.
What an interesting article.
ReplyDeleteOK I'm a dancer so let me break it down for you OK?
I AM NOT forced to do ANYTHING for money. NOT A SINGLE GIRL DANCING IS FORCED TO DO ANYTHING! And what the heck are our boss's suppose to be forcing us to do? So laughable. I'd give you a heavy left hook if you tried to touch me and a crack in the skull if you did. I dance because I'm very good at it and I very much enjoy my fantastic fun job. I have a crew who looks after me and caters to my every need-ever seen Striptease? Its the same get up but without a snake. I'm protected and perform in such a way that does not encourage any extrovert behavior from our customers. Man or woman. Yes woman get dances too. I'm bright and intelligent. I'm physically fit from my pole performances and look forward to "kicking it out" on stage.. Its a great buzz dancing on stage and it gets my adrenaline going. Totally get some of your reasons but really, you REALLY don't know what your talking about it makes me laugh. I'd take your objections on bored but then I disregard them because they are grossly misinformed.
So, conclusion,- If you don't like it stay away. Each to their own.I hate tofu and find it offensive to my taste buds, but it isn't going to go away. If your easy either way then cool, I hope your open minded enough to just take a visit to a club and actually see what the GOOD dancers do. Its a "wow how can she do that!?" experience. We're an awesome chat! If you come across a bad dancer for either soliciting herself or trying to launch an offensive toward you then let management know. They will be ejected from the club forthwith and told NOT to come back, they aren't worth it and give a fab place a bad name. I love being a lap/pole dancer and have so much fun doing it. Its a fun place out there go and explore it ok! I mean Jesus, Id put my objective efforts into something worthwhile. War, famine, charity- which I do. Anyway... Clubs will always be around and if you don't want them there I think most people aren't bothered either way. Because they just don't go where they don't like. I do the same. Simple..