According to Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, speaking on Anderson Cooper's CNN show Monday night, Eliot Spitzer should not resign nor should he be prosecuted because prostitution is a "victimless crime."
Dershowitz gave us the usual nonsense about how Europeans would regard all this as no big deal, but what does this prove other than the fact that many Europeans have reached the nadir of moral debauchery? Yes, we all know that in France the discovery that a politician has a mistress or even patronizes prostitutes can raise their poll ratings. Is this really an area in which we wish to emulate French degeneracy?
I'm more interested in Dershowitz's claim that Spitzer is guilty of a crime that doesn't have any victims. Is this really true? Let's make a list of all of Spitzer's victims.
His wife: Spitzer's wife of 20 years not only has to cope with the public knowledge that her high-profile husband frequents prostitutes, but she also has to stand alongside him while Spitzer makes a press statement on his sexual and legal offenses. Converting your wife into a political prop--what could be more humiliating?
His daughters: For years the girls could think of their dad as a champion of legal and moral rectitude, fighting Wall Street crooks, shutting down prostitution dens, and so on. Now these innocent children must endure the knowledge that their father is far from what he portrayed himself to be. Spitzer has made shipwreck of his family and disgraced his children in public. What are his daughters going to say when they next see their friends?
New York citizens: Isn't there something outrageous when a high public official, and in this case a former attorney general, somehow gets the idea that he is above the law? That he can break the law with impunity? Why should other New Yorkers be held accountable to the law but not Spitzer? Spitzer of all people has worked to emphasize the idea that no one is above the law. So if Spitzer gets away with this, he will have screwed more than the $4000 hooker.
Alan Dershowitz: There is something about Democratic malfeasance (Barney Frank's relationship with a male prostitute, Clinton sex scandals, the latest Spitzer prostitution scandal) that causes liberal Harvard professors who agree with the politics of the culprits to lose their normal good sense. Whether Dershowitz thinks the law in question is a good one or a bad one is irrelevant here. Laws are made to be followed, and it's odd when law professors think that this doesn't apply to laws about sex. Clearly Alan Dershowitz's legal and moral intelligence has become the latest victim.
Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 25)
61. Yeah, mac. Hypocracy sucks. I believe that his passion lies with "white collar" crime, but that doesn't excuse breaking the law.
And I agree, it's a stupid law. Nevada has done fine with legalizing gambling and prostitution.
Linda at 11:19AM on Mar 11th 2008
62. brian, are you afraid I'll ask you to eat with me if you give me a recommendation? All I wanted was a decent restauraunt. Is that so hard?
mac at 11:14AM on Mar 11th 2008
63. 37. and where are all the female posters decrying the other obvious victim; the prostitute?
fanmanaf1 at 10:37AM on Mar 11th
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These aren't like the hookers off the street. These prostitution rings are run like any other business, and discretion is supposed to be one of the benefits to paying the big bucks for their services.
If some schmuck pays a couple of grand to sleep with these women, it seems to me that that puts the women in the position of power. These women are making big money off of mens' weakness.
dani at 11:19AM on Mar 11th 2008
64. I was almost going to agree with Dinesh.
Until he insulted an entire country.
Are the French in or near a recession right now? Are the French in an illegitimate conquest of the middle east? Are the French taking away privacy rights of their civilians?
Strados at 11:20AM on Mar 11th 2008
65. Okay, this one's just for fun. And even my conservative christian friends will enjoy it, I think.
A Question:
Do Bill and Hillary still "do it?"
Talk amongst yourselves.
Points to ponder:
Can you visualize Hillary being passionate in bed?
Can you even visualize her with a man?
A woman?
A cairn terrier?
And can you imagine Bill being satisfied by her sexually? In any way?
Does she ever need to dry-clean her dress?
And Bill...
Does she find his bulbous nose sexy?
Can you imagine him ever being honest enough to be a faithful husband? The man who attempted to dispute the meaning of the word "is" in court?
Do you think she even really cares if he "strays off the porch" as long as it doesn't affect her status?
Fun to think about.
Godless Heathen Brian at 11:22AM on Mar 11th 2008
66. GHB,
Spitzer harem era: HR EZ tips.
Dark carab, Barack rad!
McCain a maniac... CM? (Crystal Meth? (No offense))
Fundi put stupid 'nuf.
Fungi PETA ate pig, 'nuf!
Yogi PETA ate pig, oy!
Mokele-Mobembe at 11:25AM on Mar 11th 2008
67. Dave, your comments show how narrowly and selfishly you consider abortion rights.
A fetus is not a baby. It is actually a parasite that a woman has attached to her body. It is up to her to decide what to do about her situation. Not Dave's, or the Pope's, or anyone.
I have seen pregnancies turn into malignancies called hydatiform moles. I've seen women die due to tubal pregnancy.
You can call it "killing babies" all you want, but legally they are fetuses or embryos. Certainly you are entitled to your opinions, but law is law.
Linda at 11:25AM on Mar 11th 2008
68. Dani; help me to understand. Prostitution, as long as it's for big bucks, is o.k.? But the guy who pays for it is a "schmuck" and the prostitute is exploiting his "weakness"? And all those 'hookers on the street' are just working their way up through the minor leagues?
fanmanaf1 at 11:25AM on Mar 11th 2008
69. Spitzer's guilty of a crime, but a crime that they usually don't punish people for. In his case, our finding out about it is punishment enough. He should also step down. However, if a normal "John" wouldn't get jail time for this, then Mr. Spitzer shouldn't either. Not for the prostitution. For that, and the money thing and betraying the public trust, and the hypocracy, he should step down. But not get jail time. My opinion.
The people of New York can't respect their governor if he's a hypocrite.
Godless Heathen Brian at 11:30AM on Mar 11th 2008
70. Greg; what can I say? Dinesh invariably says something stupid and I like to read columns that differ from my point of view.
He made a good point today about Spitzers breach of trust until he clouded the issue by throwing in mistresses and the French.
Ryan Anderson at 11:29AM on Mar 11th 2008
71. "I think Jesus Christ Himself would have said it! I lost a nephew in Afghanistan last summer...he was only 19 years old...I am no longer promoting parties as a good thing, I am done with it! This is after reading what I read yesterday...I am devastated by it...I am Independent from here on out!" Bridget
Well Bridget,
Welcome to the land of knowledge. Know everything you possibly can, then and only then, do you have an unbiased opinion.
Now you have come to realize what I've stated since day one.
There are no sides.
Sides are created for Control.
Until we realize that there is no need for a side, I'm afraid we will continue to see what has happened and continue to happens.
Botts at 11:35AM on Mar 11th 2008
72. Redivider.
Godless Heathen Brian at 11:32AM on Mar 11th 2008
73. Got to remember, GHB, that many on the right believe there is only one type of sex: reproductive. If you're not having sex to make babies then it's lustful, thus sinful, thus wrong. They've fallen for one of the greatest religious cons: guilt about their own sexual drive. Sex is bad, it needs to only happen in controlled environments, it messes up children, it will RUIN your life!
The catch is the "will". They're certainly right that it CAN mess up your life... but will? There six and a half billion humans on this planet and most of them have had sex. How else do you think we got six and a half billion of us? They refuse to acknowledge that sex is a biological impulse. It's not some divine shell game of 'Oh, sex is bad but I'll make an orgasm and a sex drive and BURN you forever if you screw up!' It's sex. That's it. And a lot of people have figured it out, and a more and more are every day... and when you remove the guilt factor... when you treat it as a biological phenomenon... then you can treat it like any risk inherent behavior. Driving is dangerous, yet all adults are expected to be able to do it and we teach students to learn without some religious prohibitions that they must drive under the speed limit or they care going to HELL. Sex is no different. It has its risks and consequences which need to be taught along with responsibility and with options for when things go wrong, but you don't demonize sex itself.
That's just stupid.
Somber at 11:33AM on Mar 11th 2008
74. Of course, Larry Craig and David Vitter should also step down, but I'm just saying, is all...
Godless Heathen Brian at 11:34AM on Mar 11th 2008
75. Exactly so, Somber.
Godless Heathen Brian at 11:35AM on Mar 11th 2008