Craigslist has buckled to pressure from 17 state attorneys general and blocked access to its adult services section for U.S. visitors. The link on the site is now inactive and a black "censored" bar appears where the link would normally show.
Meanwhile, the Tea Party, a group dedicated to small government, freewheeling capitalism, and fewer government regulations on businesses has been silent on the issue. Doesn't it seem they should be righteously piqued?
There's an understandable urge to just say, "So long and good riddance." After all, the adult services section is well known for advertising thinly veiled offers for prostitution and other illegal activities under the guise of legal escort, dating, or massage services. However, it's important to note here that Craigslist has not been accused of any actual crime. The site merely provides an online classified ad service similar to that found in newspapers around the country.
It's hard to argue that a newspaper is liable for carrying an ad for a legitimate service that turns out to be something untoward. If the medium of the advertisement is suddenly responsible for the legitimacy of the product or service being sold, then the infomercial business would disappear overnight. Okay, maybe it's hard to argue that would be a bad thing either, but the point is that the vehicle of the advertisement is not accountable for the illegal activity, regardless of how distasteful the activity is. Think of it this way. If a TV station advertises a local carnival, and one of the carnival's rides has been improperly maintained and is a safety hazard, should the parents of children injured on that ride be able to sue the TV station? Yet, this is exactly what's happened in this situation. The government has repeatedly threatened and cajoled Craigslist on the basis that somehow it should be responsible for the ad's content. This, despite the fact that Craigslist has actively and voluntarily aided law enforcement on a number of occasions, and has made repeated attempts to make it harder for people to accidentally encounter adult services ads, or for illegitimate businesses to place them.
The cold reality is that Craigslist is a perfectly lawful business. What they are doing has been done by print newspapers forever. Yet they are being singled out and harassed by a government overstepping its bounds. This is exactly the sort of example you would expect Sarah Palin to whip out at her next rally as an example of big brotherish government run amok. But it's highly unlikely that will happen.
With the exception of Rand Paul, who seems to stick to his Libertarian ideals even when it runs him toward uncomfortable conclusions, most of the Tea Party faithful are fervently in favor of the big broad brush ideals of freedom, liberty, and small non-intrusive government, but get oppositional when those ideals lead them astray of their moral convictions. Tea Party ideals should result in strong support for Craiglist, but the larger moral disgust for "adult services" will override that. Of course, Tea Party ideals should also result in a Pro-Choice position, a movement to get out of unaffordable foreign wars, and support for legalization for marijuana.
It won't. But if it's all about ideology, it should.
Comments
Pragmatic libertarians (minimal-statists) and "true" Conservatives agree that many, if not most, of society's problems are caused by government usurping choices that could better be made by individuals and that government is just about the worst way of doing almost anything. Where libertarianism normally parts company with "fake" conservatism is over moral issues. But a true conservative would have no problem with agreeing, that what people do with their own bodies, and especially in the privacy of their own home, should be supremely their business, and that anything else would entail ignoring the basic tenet of limited government.
Fake-Conservatism on the other hand has much in common with socialism; Both Leftists and Fake-Conservatives appear to harbor the belief that nature does not exist and that any human can be anything he wants to be, or can for the "greater good", be "re-educated" into being. Leftists therefore think little boys can be conditioned into preferring dolls over toy soldiers, and similarly Fake-conservatives believe that adults can be coerced into choosing alcohol over marijuana. A true conservative, just like a pragmatic libertarian, would immediately reject both ideas as nonsense.
Actually, I think you'll find many "Tea-Partiers" who are for legalizing marijuana.
Also, Craigslist has been treading very thin ground in its adult services section for a very long time.
Some of the thinly-veiled offers of prostitution have little or no veil at all.
"Also, Craigslist has been treading very thin ground in its adult services section for a very long time."
You've clearly not read this article.
I know very few republicans/conservatives that would EVER agree to take government out of the pro life/pro choice argument. EVER. They absolutely WANT government to tell everyone they CANNOT do what they want with their body in that case. Abortion should be illegal at all times, no matter what. And oh by the way, the government should also absolutely be able to put people to death as well as tell them who should be allowed to get married. However, stay out of everything else. So hypocritical. Worst part is they are too blinded to their own agenda to see that they are being hypocritical. It's laughable. We want you to tell us what to do sometimes, but only when we say it's ok.
Kim
It's important to distinguish between Craigslist treading on thin ice and the people who advertise there doing so. The Communications Decency Act states that sites are not liable for the material posted on their pages.
Further, by closing down a major collection point for such ads, they have only squeezed the balloon such that these ads will pop out elsewhere on Craigslist and/or other sites. Clients will still find what they are looking for, but police will have to work harder to keep track. It's not like even if Craigslist shut down completely that all the adult-themed businesses would just close up shop and go home for lack of a place to advertise.
Who cares about Craigslist. Does any self-respecting person use that anyway?
Funny story about the Tea Party movement at http://newspile.weebly.com/
I am a libertarian lite. I 100% agree that the government should stay out of adult services, & marijuana. Foriegn policy I lean more conservative, but for me it is more complex than that. As for pro-choice/life, I am still on the wall. Is the fetus a human life or not, is it just just your body? I don't know.
Speaking of it's your body your choice. How can anyone pro choice support the individual mandate, taking a way your choice to your body?
How does the individual mandate (presumably for health insurance) take away any choices about your body? It doesn't require you to have any particular medical procedure. It's just a financial thing. I supposes it could even be argued that it provides even more choice about your body as with insurance you have access to more medical care and hence more choices for treatment.
However, a true Libertarian would certainly oppose the individual mandate and should also be pro-choice. But that doesn't translate to pro-choice people being against the mandate.
Pardon the noise, it is me gagging at the claim that conservative Randal Paul is sticking to libertarian principles. He is NOT a libertarian and has said as much himself. He is a Right-wing, war-loving, morality=enforcing conservative.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!