BRAVO, MR. KESSLAR

[+ Funguy]

Kudos to Steven, our gold-plated whore, for his commentary, found on today's opening home page, of the Rentboy raid and the contents of the complaint. It is concise, to the point, and should stir us all to become a bit more active in our defense of Gay Rights (and Wrongs).

 

I especially like the paragraph, "You know what feels criminal to me? The stunning and smug lack of compassion. The complaint named zero victims, and made being an aging Gay itself sound like a crime. Do we really want to go back there?" I'm one of those aging guys (67) and I assure you, I am not a criminal! (No, Richard Nixon said, "I am not a crook").

 

Let's all contribute at https://life.indiegogo.com and sign the petition!

[+ stevenkesslar]

Well for somebody named Fun Guy, I figured you must be a crook. Maybe you should join our global criminal enterprise. It's fun!

 

Speaking of joining, at some point this deserves a thread of its own, but I think we should start talking about organizing an informal "speaker's bureau." Meaning people who care about this issue, know about it, and are willing to speak to reporters, including for attribution.

 

I spent a long time on the phone today with someone planning to make a documentary that includes the Rentboy bust, who got my name from the rant I wrote. The Executive Producer, which I redacted from the email excerpted below, is an Academy Award nominee for documentaries:

 

As I mentioned, I'm a producer on an upcoming television documentary series ... We're developing a potential episode about activists working to decriminalize sex work, and we're focusing specifically on the recent charges against the founders of Rentboy.com. I'm looking to speak to anyone who can help us develop this story: people who've worked with/used Rentboy or other escort sites, former or current escorts, or people involved in the escort and sex work community, especially decriminalization activists. Ideally, we're looking for people who would be willing to appear on-camera but if someone would prefer to speak with me strictly off camera, I'm happy to converse via phone or email. I'm eager to learn as much as possible about these important issues.

So far there's a sense of caution, partly because some escorts who are organizing don't want to step out in the public eye yet. But there are press releases going out, and media are interested in this, and my guess is the request above is just the tip of the iceberg. This particular producer is based in LA. She is meeting with one LA-based escort this week, and I just put her in contact with another one, who I know won't be able to appear on camera. There is no immediate need, other than the one above, but I think we ought to be informally building a speaker's bureau of both escorts and clients who are willing to speak to the media, on or off the record, on this issue. My experience with media and messaging is "if you build it, they will come," so the more people we have who will share their stories and perspectives, the more favorable media we will get. It's not causal, but it usually works out that way.

 

Please send me a message or post on this thread if you think this makes sense or have ideas or are willing to be a speaker.

[+ purplekow]

In reading you post I was struck that Mr.Kesslar was 67. He really does not look much more than 60 and a very fit 60, so that he could give that 54 year old fit model a run for his money. Then after checking out the original, I find that the sentence concerning the age was not part of the original quote, but rather, I assume, refers to funguy himself. Funguy, although your quotation marks are placed appropriately, I think it may have assisted geezers with lenses that have not been changed in years, like me, if a new paragraph had been started.

It gave me pause to think that I had actually screwed around with a man older than I am, I was relieved to see that the error was mine and I will continue to believe that Mr. Kesslar is younger than I am, despite appearances.

As for Mr. Kesslar, Father Time has only sharpened his writing skils. He does write a mean missive and I applaud his efforts to defend sex workers and to rally others to assist them.

[+ WilliamM]

but I think we ought to be informally building a speaker's bureau of both escorts and clients who are willing to speak to the media, on or off the record, on this issue

 

I thought that when I started hiring, my mostly-liberal friends included gays and lesbians, would understand up to a poinjt and at least be interested. It did not work out that way. It's been a long time since any friend has even said, "Hey how is the escort thing goin?" I sincerely hope that my situation is unique. If it is not, steven, you may have trouble finding clients who are willing to talk.

 

It reminds me of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Many of my friends were involved, but only one was willing to speak on the record.

 

Wish I had something more encouraging to post, steven. Because I always seem to be saying "Yes, but" to you.

 

In return, I promise to make a donation to the fund on this site (Daddy's) today, and encourage others to do so now.

The employees of Rentboy need financially assistance badly.

 

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/daddysreviews-com-clients-help-support-rentboy--2

[+ stevenkesslar]

It reminds me of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Many of my friends were involved, but only one was willing to speak on the record.

 

Can't resist a little dig, William. Wasn't it the Occupy Wall Street people that actually weren't even going to speak? They actually had that crazy hand signal thing going on. John Stewart had a field day with that one. Lefty goofballs versus global financial criminal enterprise. Wonder who will win?

 

http://cdn.pearltrees.com/s/pic/sq/occupy-signals-illustrated-20192896

 

http://21stcenturywire.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/occupy-wall-street.jpg?w=375&h=429

 

With certain people, of course, this could be viewed as a positive. Like the cute young man above. I'd go for a signal that communicates something like: "Take off your shirt, drop your pants, wrap it up, and come over here. Nobody has to say a word."

 

That doesn't make me a whore, does it?

[+ WilliamM]

Can't resist a little dig, William. Wasn't it the Occupy Wall Street people that actually weren't even going to speak? They actually had that crazy hand signal thing going on. John Stewart had a field day with that one. Lefty goofballs versus global financial criminal enterprise. Wonder who will

 

With certain people, of course, this could be viewed as a positive. Like the cute young man above. I'd go for a signal that communicates something like: "Take off your shirt, drop your pants, wrap it up, and come over here. Nobody has to say a word."

 

LOL The friend (Moshe) I mentioned is in medical school now, so that seems to have crowded out his political activities in Philadelphia and his grandparents' experiences in eastern Europe & Peru during the holocaust. I like both of your quotes a lot. I tend to be too serious here; you mix the serious with some fun.

 

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/11/occupy-philadelphia-protesters-allege-unlawful-arrest

 

http://www.thedp.com/article/2011/10/occupy_philadelphia_protestors_transform_city_hall_into_a_community