Thread: Justice may be blind, law enforcement shouldn’t be

Justice may be blind, law enforcement shouldn’t be

By: James Park | Submitted on: 10/01/06
http://www.smallgovtimes.com/story/06oc ... law.blind/

EDITORIAL - I’m curious how it might work having a "night labor site" for prostitutes? It would certainly remove the unsightly parade of "ladies" from our streets. It would provide a safe location for prostitutes and their "Johns" to meet and agree to conditions on the work to be performed. No one wants to see these ladies of the night walking up and down in front of the local super market. A few might suggest it is the same as condoning prostitution. Some might argue providing a hiring hall would only encourage breaking the law, that prostitution is illegal.

But then, so is hiring illegal aliens.

So, I’m a little confused over how we as a community, and a nation, determine what laws we will enforce and which ones we will not.

When we had a problem with prostitutes on El Cajon Blvd a few years back, we set up sting operations, arrested "Johns" and placed their name and address in the paper for all to see. Today, we have more illegal aliens standing on more corners and in more parking lots than we have ever witnessed with prostitutes. And yet, the police drive by and give no attention to the "undocumented workers" standing together in groups of 8, 12, or 16 to a corner.

"Oh, but how do you know they are illegal aliens?" plead the pro immigration activist. "That’s racist to assume they are here illegally, simply because they are Hispanic in appearance" Well, maybe. But I have to wonder what double standard we are living by when you look at a few women standing on a corner at night, and determine with a level of certainty they are prostitutes, but not be able to apply the same standard of reasonable deduction when viewing 25 - 40 Hispanic men standing on a corner waiting to be hired, and not believe most, if not all, are illegal aliens.

"Well, they are only doing the work Americans won’t do." "Who will do the work if they don’t?" Maybe, but can’t we apply the same excuse for the prostitute? You show me a sailor pulling into port after being at sea for six months, with no family on the pier to meet him, and I’ll show you a guy that is looking to hire someone. I’m not trying to defend one or the other, I’m just trying to understand how we determine what values are worth upholding, what laws can be sidestepped, and where we draw the line as a society.

The compassionate amongst us will certainly argue the illegal alien is only trying to feed his family. Perhaps. But, if that is where we set the bar, if that is the excuse that relieves us from obeying the law, then I’m certain I can find a proportionate number of prostitutes that have a family they too are trying to feed. Not every illegal alien has a wife and child in Mexico, and not all prostitutes are single. When do we enforce our laws? When is it okay to look the other way?

This argument by comparison could be made with other examples to illustrate the absurdity of the situation. Drug dealers are simply doing the work other Americans won’t do … but we arrest drug dealers because it is illegal to sell drugs. In the world of the illegal alien laws are violated every day. And many of our law enforcement agencies are looking the other way. We have gone from providing Day Labor / Hiring Halls that encourage the illegal to cross our borders, to Sanctuary Cities that protect illegal aliens after they arrive.

We take pride in saying we are a nation of immigrants, and also, a nation of law. Slowly, we are becoming a nation of illegal immigrants because we do not enforce our law.

Great editorial, great points made. I frequently talk about selective prosecution.

Nice article and he made some great points!!

Great post, Kate! Unfortunatly, this country is not perfect enough to draw those conclusions.

Great article Kate! Thanks!

I’m curious how it might work having a "night labor site" for prostitutes?

This would depend if the ladies were illegal or legally in the country. If they were illegal, then no problemo. We live in a 2 tiered law enforcement country. U.S. citizens must obey the law in this country or face the consequences. On the other hand if you break the law and enter the country illegally, then you are pardoned from most crimes including, entering the country illegally, identity theft, etc. Wow, identity theft, that is a big one, an American citizen would be sentenced to several years in prison and have to pay a huge fine for that crime but amigo you get off scot free! In fact you have a get out of jail free card for most crimes. I have a feeling this 2 tiered law enforcement system is here to stay even if the illegals are made legal.

Great analogy. I never realized how the two professions have so much in common.