men arrested for lewd behavior...

[phage]

I can’t tell whether you meant to or not, but you just reaffirmed TopDad’s point. It was perfectly legal to own other human beings, but that doesn’t mean it was right.

[Jeff]

Just a clarification: I never said we should accept all laws without question. Read my comments carefully; I specifically said that laws should be questioned, but through legal channels. Absolutely, unfair laws ought to be questioned, disputed, fought against - but they ought to be done through legal channels. Like the law or not, you can't just decide which law's worth following and which is not; and then just behave accordingly and get upset when the consequences are thrust upon you. Challenge the law, absolutely, but do it through the appropriate means. There may be some unfair laws in our society, but all in all our society is a law-abiding one that works on the whole; there are appropriate ways to challenge specific issues within that context.

 

Furthermore, the article only said that they were arrested/accused, not guilty. Yes, it's embarrassing - and if they're accused wrongly, that's even worse. But it doesn't matter whether it's jacking off in a public place or robbery or murder - the press reports any accusation, not just after a "guilty" verdict. That comes along with living in a free society. If a person doesn't like it, stay at home and rent a video... unless, of course, it just isn't as fun that way, in which case enjoy yourself however but understand the risks involved and take it like a man when the natural consequences, whether public humiliation or a verdict, occur.

[oceansunshine]

The closet is still full in America:

 

I was reading the attached 2013 NYTimes article today, linked from another article (which I'll link below too), and searched the Forum 1st to see if was already published here. Did not see it, so thought others might want to read these, both related about being in the closet within American society:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/opinion/sunday/how-many-american-men-are-gay.html?smid=pl-share

 

And the article that was also interesting about sex and searches from yesterday's NYTimes:

http://nyti.ms/1yQlvWz

[armadillo]

A decade old post revived, now you are talking!

[oceansunshine]

A decade old post revived, now you are talking!

 

Even though progress has been made, it's really important, but sad to say that its all still very relevant.

[+ FreshFluff]

Is a closed booth meant for watching pornographic films a place where one has a reasonable expectation of privacy, even if the store itself is public?

 

Undercover detectives went to Amazing Express Video on Route 6 after receiving an anonymous tip, said Deputy Chief Gary Maddocks.

 

Who would call in such tips? Maybe a disgruntled ex-employee?

[Frequentflier]

You may think there's no public importance in humiliating people who break the law, but I'm willing to be that many, if the not the majority, of people in the town will disagree. I'm sorry for them--believe me, I was for myself--but in the end they, and I, did break the law, whether we like the law or not, and in doing so did wrong. One could argue there's no public good in printing the names of anyone who breaks the law, but insofar as a community expects its members to abide by the law (and if they have a problem with the law, then at least to challenge it legally), it is the community's right to know who's not abiding by that law. Some may argue that by humiliating these people, others are more likely to think twice before behaving the same.

 

The problem with your theory tough guy is that these men haven't been convicted, except of course by people like you, and yet their reputations are tough along with perhaps their jobs. Arrested and it's on the front page, later found not guilty reach for a magnifying glass.

[+ SimplyAdam]

There's so much to comment on here, but it's noteworthy to add the recent heartbreaking case in Egypt.

 

Conner Habib wrote an illuminating column about rest room sex - and anonymous sex in general - that is a worthwhile read: http://www.salon.com/2012/03/29/rest_stop_confidential/

 

It gave me a palpable pause to read, "The police are a constant threat to rest area sex — they want so badly to blend the world into it."

 

I say keep an already fragmented world and faulty system from the very real need so many men have to connect with other men in ways that make sense to them. Keep the "world" out of these places. Let people have their processes and find healing and connection in the ways they can. Less rule-enforcing, and more humanity.