The Verdict Is In: Rentboy Needs Help

[+ stevenkesslar]

http://www.queerty.com/rentboy-ceo-breaks-silence-begs-for-help-on-facebook-20151029

 

http://www.rentboyfund.org/

 

You may have already noticed this on the front page of Daddy's Reviews today.

 

I don't know Jeffrey, and I don't know anything about the legal strategy to defend him other than what it says on his Facebook page.

 

As I've said in past posts, I've been waiting to hear what Jeffrey or any of the other Rentboy 7 plan to do, and how I can help. This gives me the answer I need. He needs help to defend himself.

 

I am going to help in any and every way I can.

 

To me, this is not about Jeffrey. This is not about the Rentboy 7.

 

It is about Rentboys everywhere, and the johns that hire them. It is about whether the government has the right to come in out of nowhere, arrest us, confiscate our assets, and tell us we are prostitutes and the perverts who hire them. It is about whether the government can get away with writing 20+ page complaints that detail every element of Gay sex and sexuality we have fought for, and make it sound like a crime.

 

I am not a prostitute or a pervert. I am my brother's keeper. I am going to help Jeffrey and the Rentboy 7 fight. I encourage you all to fight, too.

[BaronArtz]

Did Heidi Fleiss ask for money? The guy needs to stop acting as a martyr. He is just a really bad business man.

[BaronArtz]

May I also point out that this fund raising effort has absolutely nothing to do with 'rentboy7' or even 'rentboy'. It is all about 'Jeffrey'

 

"All funds raised will be used to defend Jeffrey against this prosecution. Proceeds will be held in trust at the law firm of Sher Tremonte, LLP who is representing Jeffrey. If there are any funds left over, they will be distributed at Jeffrey's direction to other defendants and organizations dedicated to protecting vulnerable communities"

'

[+ stevenkesslar]

It is all about 'Jeffrey'

 

Yes, it is all about Jeffrey, Baron. Damn, even the New York Times agrees with you on this one! How dare he single himself out and be so god damn selfish in defending the rights of Gays to freely form their identity and practice their sexuality as they choose. And he's been doing it for almost two decades. The nerve!

 

I know that Jeffrey wants to express his feelings about the case, but he has been advised not to make any public statements. He needs your help. Homeland Security and the NYPD have seized his assets leaving him unable to even pay his attorneys. Defending this case is a very costly matter, and the stakes cannot be higher for Jeffrey and the other defendants. Public sentiment is almost overwhelmingly against this prosecution, but that won't make it go away. I don't want to believe that I live in a country where one can lose everything before guilt is proven.

 

I don’t want to see us lose this case nor Jeffrey rotting in prison. Please consider making a donation to help him.

[BaronArtz]

This FUNDRAISING is all about Jeffrey. It does state that very clearly and unambiguously. You are entirely missing the point. Read it again.

[+ stevenkesslar]

Thanks, Baron. I love you, and hopefully we can meet in Palm Springs, whether you accept my offer of dinner or drinks or whatever.

 

As always, you are infinitely helpful on these matters. And you are right. I'll simplify and capitalize it. IT IS ALL ABOUT JEFFREY.

 

Please, everybody, follow Baron's advice. Read the words his father wrote. Please read them, again and again. I hope millions read them.

[+ WilliamM]

Baron, your comments are always appreciated.

[Guy Fawkes]

I'm so disappointed in those members of the community that are perfectly willing to be nasty to the person this is willing to fight for what I feel is a privacy right. Are you sure you don't work for the DHS? I support all of the Rentboy 7, individually and collectively.

http://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/Assets/product_full/1957_250.gif

[seaboy4hire]

I'm so disappointed in those members of the community that are perfectly willing to be nasty to the person this is willing to fight for what I feel is a privacy right. Are you sure you don't work for the DHS? I support all of the Rentboy 7, individually and collectively.

http://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/Assets/product_full/1957_250.gif

 

What's done to one of us is done to all of us.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[MiamiLooker]

A goal of $10,000,000?

http://rentboyfund.org/jeffrey-hurant

[Guy Fawkes]

You think perhaps it should have been $20,000,000? We really want Jeffrey to have large balls in the first fight against this DHS invasion of our privacy. Or would you prefer that we go back to the "Good Old Days" (oops can't do that Polk Street has gone straight)

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VWSkNUVt6GY/USQKczq1KUI/AAAAAAAAATs/axcZXCZcesA/s1600/this-monkey-dun-got-balls.jpg

A goal of $10,000,000?

http://rentboyfund.org/jeffrey-hurant

[JDXXX]

http://www.queerty.com/rentboy-ceo-breaks-silence-begs-for-help-on-facebook-20151029

 

http://www.rentboyfund.org/

 

You may have already noticed this on the front page of Daddy's Reviews today.

 

I don't know Jeffrey, and I don't know anything about the legal strategy to defend him other than what it says on his Facebook page.

 

As I've said in past posts, I've been waiting to hear what Jeffrey or any of the other Rentboy 7 plan to do, and how I can help. This gives me the answer I need. He needs help to defend himself.

 

I am going to help in any and every way I can.

 

To me, this is not about Jeffrey. This is not about the Rentboy 7.

 

It is about Rentboys everywhere, and the johns that hire them. It is about whether the government has the right to come in out of nowhere, arrest us, confiscate our assets, and tell us we are prostitutes and the perverts who hire them. It is about whether the government can get away with writing 20+ page complaints that detail every element of Gay sex and sexuality we have fought for, and make it sound like a crime.

 

I am not a prostitute or a pervert. I am my brother's keeper. I am going to help Jeffrey and the Rentboy 7 fight. I encourage you all to fight, too.

 

Steven,

 

Thanks for creating an inspiring thread based from the Daddy's Reviews website as I just read the article 20 mins ago about Jeffrey's plea and cry for help as his financial assets were seized by the Federal Government, and by this unfortunate devastation happening to him it restricts him of moving forward in this difficult stage in his life for which I can't ignore and neither can you, Daddy or anyone else who has a heart regarding this matter as it is up to us as a team to step in and help fix to make these devastating circumstances Jeffrey is facing by not having the means to move forward in life.

 

Rentboy7 does(which includes Jeffrey) needs all the love, help, and most of - support they can get from those of us who care which is why I'm going to make a donation this weekend, and offer my help to you in any way you may see fit. Just ignoring his plea is not helping matters any, and not going to back out of anything that has to do with assisting him or the Rentboy7 having the means they need to help get over this traumatic and trying to time in they're lives.

 

I'm there for you as well as Jeffrey/Rentboy7, baby.

 

You just say the word, and no matter where I'm at in the US on tour - I'll do it! You can count on my support, sweetie.

 

 

I'm so disappointed in those members of the community that are perfectly willing to be nasty to the person this is willing to fight for what I feel is a privacy right. Are you sure you don't work for the DHS? I support all of the Rentboy 7, individually and collectively.

http://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/Assets/product_full/1957_250.gif

 

I'm disappointed too, Daddy to be of witness to such unkind behavior regarding those in need. Maybe these people should work for DHS as I'm sure they will be well qualified for any position that involves rudeness and insincerity in the Gay community of any kind.

 

Whether these negative individuals decide not to participate that shouldn't stop any of us that are in support of Jeffrey and the Rentboy7 to move forward, and work together in helping Jeffrey or the other Rentboy7's cry for help, and God help those who are ANTI-RENTBOY7 to get in our way in doing what's right.

 

What's done to one of us is done to all of us.

 

Hugs,

Greg

 

You said it, Greg. Well put as those individuals who are ANTI-RENTBOY7 need to put themselves in they're shoes, and understand these people are suffering, and going to though a ever ending nightmare as they're lives, and means of having a comfortable and stable life has been striped, and ruined beyond comprehension.

 

What good would it do us as a gay community to deprive them of having that right knowing of the good they have brought for us escorts and for clients as well by providing a safe, and rewarding environment to those who seek better quality of life by means of escorting?

 

HUGS,

[JDXXX]

Yes, it is all about Jeffrey, Baron. Damn, even the New York Times agrees with you on this one! How dare he single himself out and be so god damn selfish in defending the rights of Gays to freely form their identity and practice their sexuality as they choose. And he's been doing it for almost two decades. The nerve!

 

I know that Jeffrey wants to express his feelings about the case, but he has been advised not to make any public statements. He needs your help. Homeland Security and the NYPD have seized his assets leaving him unable to even pay his attorneys. Defending this case is a very costly matter, and the stakes cannot be higher for Jeffrey and the other defendants. Public sentiment is almost overwhelmingly against this prosecution, but that won't make it go away. I don't want to believe that I live in a country where one can lose everything before guilt is proven.

 

I don’t want to see us lose this case nor Jeffrey rotting in prison. Please consider making a donation to help him.

 

Baron -

 

Your absolutely right about it being all about "Jeffrey" and his struggles to pay his attorney's who are trying to make sure he doesn't face 5 years or more in prison. None of us wants(who are supporters of the Rentboy7) to see this horrific tragedy happen to him which is why Steven is asking for help where is it is needed necessary.

 

DHS and the Federal Government has stripped him of his assets, and left him high and dry in cold blood of being able to have the ability or the means necessary to proceed in paying the attorneys he may see fit that'll help his case to possibly be a success as DHS or NYPD no other may want to see him fail.

 

Like Steven said, "Defending the case is a very costly matter" for which he is 100% correct on I'm afraid. That's why he is asking for further assistance, Baron.

 

I'm quite confident Jeffrey wouldn't ask for financial help if he didn't need it for a particular reason for which he has in a sincere and delicate manner in the article that was released.

 

Why are you so quick to dismiss or attack this plea for help unless you want(like DHS and the Federal Government) want to see him fail miserably in his attempt to turn this around for the good. Oh, was it mentioned, sweetie that what this poor man could be facing is a $250,000 fine and Five Years in Federal Prison - not jail, sweetie - PRISON!!

 

DHS and the Federal Government has kicked the Gay Community/Escorts royally in balls by raiding rentboy7 and making they're lives miserable to prove a point literally, so what good is it doing you or anybody in this matter to wash your hands of the situation?

 

Don't you realize they're even trying to deprive you of your right of what you may do with someone in the privacy of your own home not to mention bedroom with another man for that matter.

 

Think it about, sweetie as I'm only trying to help you realize that we all want what's best for Jeffrey and the Rentboy7, not to see further persecution being thrown in they're faces by not caring or helping them get out of the mess they're in which was no fault of they're own. What good will that do for us to just throw them out to the wolves and see suffer in prison? Definitely wont help you any we let authorities such as DHS or NYPD seize our freedom or right to do what we want with someone else behind closed doors. I don't think you would like that at all, and to be quite honest with you, neither will I.

 

Come on, Baron - have a heart here, and know by helping Jeffrey or the Rentboy7 in anyway is not just about them, but for you too in fighting for what's right, and that's to keep our privilege in doing what we want in our homes without being bullied by the Federal Government.

 

Have a heart, baby, as no one who is supporting Rentboy7 means any harm by asking for assistance to help Jeffrey in any way. Being kind and generous goes a long way for a negative situation to turn around, then be bitter, and nasty for which is a positive I don't wish upon with anyone. Only want what's good and positive in others lives, and me fighting for tragedy that's happening to Jeffrey is one of them.

 

Jeffrey or the Rentboy7 deserve such devastating circumstances such as this to happen. NONE, and just can't sit here and allow this to go on by not doing anything about it. I'm certainly gonna help, Steven along with many others who are in support to help Jeffrey, and one of the proposals I'm going to do in order to help is very generous, and do hope it'll give encouragement to others who are not very supportive is to give, and not be bitter as if those individuals who are ANTI-RENTBOY will find in the end peace and happiness knowing they helped someone's life out of turmoil.

 

What better feeling is that is to help turn someone's life (who is a living hell right now) around for the better? I know it would be for me to do as well as Steven or anyone else for that matter who have the ability and means to help Jeffrey out of the fix he's in.

[+ stevenkesslar]

A goal of $10,000,000?

 

http://www.eatthecorn.com/dossiers/pics/influences/all_the_presidents_men.jpg

 

The plot thickens!

 

Back to that post about the Rentboy 7 I wrote a week or so ago: I think we just saw history happen, folks.

 

There are a lot of things we don't know, and that don't make sense yet. But what we do know is that things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. You have a larger narrative set up - privacy rights, freedom of speech, LGBTQ rights around the freedom to express our own sexuality. Take your pick. You have a tolerant and loving father who is implicitly saying that no amount of shame-mongering or name-calling (prostitute/rentboy/escort/sex for money) will convince him it's okay to throw his Gay son under the bus, or in a jail cell to rot. He is defending his son as a law-abiding small businessman that caused nobody harm. And at the center of it all is Big Government doing things that will look less and less attractive as they are gradually revealed and the plot unfolds.

 

We even have a Richard Nixon figure. In a weird bit of reverse psychology, Baron Artz is trying as hard as he can to convince us: we deserve to be punished. Because we are all crooks!

 

 

The government's case rests on shame and guilt and keeping things in the dark. Disclosure and exposure are our friends. Who'd a thunk, given that who we are is supposedly wrong, and what we do is supposedly illegal?

 

Not being a pricey lawyer, I'd guess the $250,000 Jeffrey's Dad is asking for would pay for a big chunk off his son's legal bill, especially if groups like Lambda and ACLU are willing to get on board and help fight this thing. If the other 6 headed to plea bargaining decide to switch course - yeah, maybe it will take millions.

 

How much did that same sex marriage fight cost? And how many rich Gay men hire escorts? The math here could get very interesting.

 

It's not exactly Watergate and Deep Throat. But it's in the ballpark.

 

Can I play the Robert Redford role? Or does that go to Bozo, since he has red hair?

[Jock123]

Sigh. I Miss Rentboy. This is still hard to Fathom Its even happening.

[tyro]

Am I the only one dismayed and disgusted by so many of the comments on the Queerty page? I mean, I can almost understand why straight men get a little freaked when I tell them I've hired bi guys. Almost. But...gay men thoroughly bashing other gay men for just...meeting someone to share his time and talents? Really? Wow.

T

[jawjateck]

...gay men thoroughly bashing other gay men

 

Sad but not surprising. Our community is woefully intolerant.

[tyro]

Sad but not surprising. Our community is woefully intolerant.

But...why??? Straight girl doesn't get it.

T

[+ Truereview]

But...why??? Straight girl doesn't get it.

T

My theory: being judged for our orientation has forced us to project an image that will lead us to further mainstreaming instead of being authentic and unapologetic about ourselves. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy bc we want to sway others to what we think we should be in order to fit in within society...the driver? Our desperation or desire to belong. That makes us intolerant of the fringes and anything that deviates from our own ideal to finally be part of the whole. Personally, I think we should accept the entire gamut of who we are...warts and all...and expand "the whole" instead of force-fitting ourselves into conventional boxes.

[+ stevenkesslar]

But...why??? Straight girl doesn't get it.

T

 

Actually, Tyro, you of all people should get it, because you are a girl.

 

I've posted endless amounts of articles and data on this subject, but it boils down to this: prostitutes are easy to hate.

 

That's an oversimplification, simply to make the point. But it's substantially true. I've looked for and can't find current poll data on what Americans think about prostitution. Most of the poll data goes back years if not decades.

 

http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000121

 

Here's one poll on prostitution that is very dated that I think pretty much sums up what we're dealing with here. It's really old, and it comes from this little known book called the Bible:

 

http://www.jesuscentral.com/ji/questions/did/did_jesus_talk_to_prostitutes_591.php

 

"Therefore I say to you, her [the prostitute's] sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

 

It's not a poll, really. It's one man's opinion. In this case, the man happens to be Jesus. But the statement says everything you need to know about the dual perception of prostitutes. They are easy to hate as sinners. And they are sometimes the most loving and accepting people around. That's why they have been around forever.

 

What also makes a difference here is not what one man thinks, but what a lot of smart women who view themselves as feminists think.

 

https://storify.com/carolleigh/gloria-steinem-a-swerf

 

Gloria Steinem sides with the conservative groups who fight prostitution because many feminists see it as the trafficking of women or the subjugation of women in a patriarchal society. That's why there is a huge difference between how educated young women view the legalization of same sex marriage, and the decriminalization of prostitution. They are wildly for one, and wildly against the other, at least according to the limited polling data I could find. Again, to oversimplify, it is like saying they are for freedom in the first case (for LGBTQ folks), and against slavery in the second (for women). Some of the most virulently anti-prostitution articles I've read have been written by professional female journalists who abhor what is happening to vulnerable women, legally, in places like Amsterdam and Germany, where prostitution is decriminalized. When you read the words, you can feel how they want to crawl out of their skin.

 

Note that in the 1995 survey by the Social Science Research Center (again, very dated data), everyone was massively against legal prostitution, 4 to 1, but young women were against it by the hugest margins. Time and demographics are not necessarily on our side on this issue. Talk to Gloria Steinem about that.

 

We all need to be aware of this because anyone who thinks it's as simple as saying, "What do we want? Decriminalization! When do we want it? Now!" is going to walk straight into a huge wall of opposition. And hate. And they will hate us because they view us as sinners or sexists.

 

What does any of this have to do with Jeffrey and Rentboy and the attitudes on the fundraising blog? Nothing, directly. Partly what makes this case an interesting opening into a discussion about escorting is that this isn't about trafficking women or turning teenage girls into victims of rape and abuse. No one has accused Jeffrey of trafficking males, or even promoting sex with teenage runaway boys. He provided a service that in some cases allowed male college students to advertise services to Gay millionaires. So what? It's a free country, and what they do is private. But a lot of the same attitudes are going to creep in.

 

Given that in August 2015 an international coalition of groups, including a bunch of LGBTQ groups, called publicly for the decriminalization of prostitution, fate could not have handed us a better opportunity than the Rentboy bust, which happened in ........... August 2015. It provides a whole different perspective on the issue, that focuses instead on privacy in consensual sexual matters between adults, freedom of speech, and Gay sexuality.

 

Why do some Gay men trash the idea that other Gay men hire escorts? That's a good one, that I won't claim to completely understand. I can tell you that all through the same sex marriage debate, I spoke with plenty of Gay men who thought that Gay marriage was wrong. They simply bought the conservative belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And in some cases that also went back to a strong and simple argument: because the Bible says so. Being a Catholic, I certainly had to untwist lots of stuff inside me on that issue.

 

That's why I went off recently in one post about shame. Reason and intuition and personal experience all lead me to the same place on this one. A lot of Gay men are going to say hateful things about Jeffrey and the people who defend him, including a lot of Gay men who hire prostitutes. They are saying those things because they are ashamed. We're just going to have to deal with it. Some of them will change their minds and hearts. Some won't.

 

As a practical matter, I don't particularly care what the polls say. We are not proposing to decriminalize prostitution in Massachusetts, or Nevada, or anywhere. We are reacting to a crackdown on escorting websites like Redbook and Rentboy by federal law enforcement and local cops. Public opinion matters, but not in the way it does in an election - at least not yet.

 

If we do get to the point where there is an election on this, I'll be very interested to see how that goes. I'm pretty sure that there are young, educated, and very tolerant Gay men who are married to each other, and raising families, who would vote against decriminalizing prostitution, because they would find the idea that their partner could legally "cheat" on them offensive. And if I told them that was because of shame, they would laugh at me and say: "Nope. It's because I'm Gay and married and proud." And they'd actually be right. We can count that as a huge victory against centuries of discrimination.

 

The good news is, if I'm right, we don't have to convince 50 percent of the voters anywhere about anything. At least not yet. All we have to do now is raise funds to protect the rights of an accused Gay man who ran a small business most people reading my words used to not rot in jail for what he provided us. And even some people who personally don't want to hire escorts can probably be persuaded to give money to the legal defense of a man who provided a service that allowed a minority of Gay men to do what they wanted, freely and privately, with their own sexuality.

 

Let's also remember that this case involves two federal agencies: the Department of Homeland Security, and the US Attorney General and the 94 US Attorney federal districts, one of which was involved in the Rentboy bust. Ultimately, what may really matter is what Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton think about this. Unless you are buds with them, they probably ain't gonna say. Seriously, though. What Gloria Steinem thinks about Rentboy probably doesn't matter. But depending on how long this lasts and where this goes, it may turn out to really matter that our first female President doesn't want to be perceived as leading a crusade against Gays through her appointed attorneys.

 

If this goes to trial, which is presumably what a legal defense fund is being mounted for, it probably is a guarantee that the huge amount of publicity and controversy that the events of August 25 ,2015 stirred up is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people will read the words of Jeffrey's Dad. They are clearly the words of a loving and tolerant father defending his Gay son for running a Gay business. How do you think that will play out publicly, especially if LGBTQ groups keep repeating the things they've already said publicly to defend Rentboy?

 

I read those words on Queerty, and they scare me. We have to tread carefully. I'm not sure we could win an election on this. But a lot of public opinion will be on our side, especially among Gays, and that may be enough to win in court, if we get that far.

[+ stevenkesslar]

I notice Kurtis Wolfe is hitting the like button on some of these posts.

 

Let me take this opportunity to single him out, and thank him. Kurtis, you are awesome. :)

 

He has his own fundraising page for Jeffrey, and has given $1000, and says this:

 

Like Jeff's Dad, and many in the community, I feel that the shut down of rentboy.com, the arrests of its employees and the confiscation of its assets, and information was wrong, and I want to support Jeffrey in his bid for justice. Please donate to the cause, and let's help Jeffrey and his team get out of hot water.

I have spoken with a number of you privately about keeping fundraising going. This defense fund provides a context for that that is better thought through than what Dave and me and others quickly put together. I think now is the time to be planning and thinking things through, which is obviously what Jeffrey and his Dad and his lawyers have been doing. There are lots of ways to do this now. So I'd rather do things slow and smart than fast and rash.

 

But Kurtis, thank you for getting out in front on this and leading by example.

 

You are a star.

[seaboy4hire]

The feminist Nazis prudes can suck my left but. What I or a female escort CHOOSE to do is our biz! Is trafficking wrong? Yes. Is it wrong to freely go into this line of work? NO!

 

Hugs,

Greg

[BaronArtz]

If you all want to live in a democracy, which I assume you do, you will at times be confronted with thoughts and opinions that are not to your liking. There is no need to be so crabby about that.

 

I sort of miss the entertainment value that Rentboy had. And I did hire a few guys from there. On the other hand, it was not the best managed business. Frequent service interruptions and outages. Poor service to clients who complained about fake escort ads ... the list goes on. 'Jeffrey' could have used his brains and placed the server in a place where prostitution was legal, but he didn't. In spite of raking in millions in fees Yes, they were a pioneer back in the day, but their time had come. And now 'Jeffrey' is asking for money. The fund raiser mentioned here is for Jeffrey, not for the entire RB team. It's all about Jeffrey.

 

Rentboy was not a non-profit aimed at promoting the welfare of sex workers. Nor was this an organization engaged in promoting gay rights. It was, essentially, a failing business model. Keep this in mind, if you will, when you donate money to this fundraiser and brilliantly illustrate to the rest of the world that a sucker is born every minute.

 

My hunch is that Rentmen and others will pick up the slack and come up with a better concept/service than Rentboy's.

 

Life goes on.

[Guy Fawkes]

Excuse me, your record is skipping...

 

Yes, they were a pioneer back in the day, but their time had come. And now 'Jeffrey' is asking for money. The fund raiser mentioned here is for Jeffrey, not for the entire RB team. It's all about Jeffrey.

[+ stevenkesslar]

It is all about 'Jeffrey'

 

Yes, it is all about Jeffrey, Baron.

 

This FUNDRAISING is all about Jeffrey.

 

As always, you are infinitely helpful on these matters. And you are right. I'll simplify and capitalize it. IT IS ALL ABOUT JEFFREY.

 

The fund raiser mentioned here is for Jeffrey,

 

This FUNDRAISING is all about Jeffrey.

 

It's all about Jeffrey.

 

Hey, Baron. This fund raised about $2000 in the last 24 hours.

 

Where does that money go? I'm not sure I get your point.

 

Thanks, Baron. I love you, and hopefully we can meet in Palm Springs, whether you accept my offer of dinner or drinks or whatever.

 

you will at times be confronted with thoughts and opinions that are not to your liking. There is no need to be so crabby about that.

 

Sorry, Baron. I just wanted to meet you and buy you a drink. Maybe hug and get a little closer. I'm sorry if I was rude. I'll try to do better.