kaja

Anyone else hear the sound of knees jerking? Obviously, the ordinance should prohibit underage performers, employees and customers, but what is the relevance of outlawing “private and enclosed VIP rooms”? This will only encourage more clubs to operate underground and avoid the SOB ordinance.

The Washington Post published a very well researched article on Sunday, September 23rd, that totally debunked the urban myth of a massive sexual slavery operating in the U.S. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/... It’s too bad that the Post’s story hasn’t gotten the national and local coverage that some of the more sensationalized stories have received.

Just to make a point, a DMN story last week (almost 5 months after this story) included one line about last April’s events which read they “didn’t find any links to human trafficking”. It’s disappointing that while the media was so quick the use a sensationalized headline “Local Spas Connected to …. Human Trafficking”, when the truth eventually comes out, it is almost unnoticed.

Lastangelman, you’re buying into the hype DPD tried to spread last April. They made a big deal; even had press conferences, to pat themselves on the back because they had taken down a bunch of spas and had uncovered a possible human trafficking operation. Read yesterday’s DMN carefully; the line that says they “didn’t find any links to human trafficking” is easy to miss.

Where did you get your idea’s about “Korean parlours”? What do you consider “voluntary” parlours?

Actually there is another line in the DMN story that should draw attention. Refer back to the stories and press releases from last April. The story was headlined “Local Spas Link to Prostitution and Human Trafficking”. Several police officials were quoted as they cited the evils and abuse of sexual slavery – implying they had rescued one or more helpless girls. Hidden away as almost a passing comment in today’s story is the sentence referring to last April. ”But police say they didn't find any links to human trafficking”. It’s disappointing to me that NONE of the news media hold the police or city/state leaders accountable for their reckless innuendo.

Not to be outdone in today’s story, State Representation Rafael Anchia pontificates, "It creates not only the appearance that the neighborhood is unsafe, but also draws in people who might be undesirable who might frequent these establishments. And ultimately it drives down the quality of life." Excuse me! Maybe someone from the media should inform Rep. Anchia that the businesses he’s referring to are not located in residential neighborhoods, many more undesirables are drawn in by other businesses, and there are certainly hundreds, if not thousands of areas in Dallas, including Rep. Anchia’s own district, that are certainly more unsafe and with quality of life issues that have nothing to do with store-front spas.

The REAL issue here is not how well DPD or any other law enforcement organizations can massage their comstat numbers, but rather how effective are they when it comes to the job we’re paying them to do - SERVE AND PROTECT the general public. If they want to brag about numbers, how about telling us how much tax money and other resources are being wasted on useless programs such as the vices squad’s web site and other nonsense with absolutely no demonstrable evidence to justify their existence.

We have too many REAL problems that need EFFECTIVE attention. Bureaucrats need to protect their territory and justify their jobs. Too many of these programs are the equivalent of the proverbial “rearranging deckchairs……”. I would like to see journalists be more diligent about making law enforcement and city officials accountable for providing MEANINGFUL results, rather than simply allowing them to pat themselves on the back with cooked numbers and ineffective programs.

As I said earlier, I can’t speak directly to this young lady’s specific circumstances without betraying confidence. Her situation is her private business and not the public’s; however, my point is that a public institution (i.e. the police department), through their spokesperson, made some unsubstantiated claims that, if untrue, serve no useful purpose, other than to justify their own actions and tactics. I believe all government institutions, including law enforcement, should be held accountable. If they are going to give news conferences to present speculation, the media needs to follow-up after the dust settles to verify that our institutions are acting in the public’s interest.

For the most part Sanders, I agree with your arguments, but, at least in this case, it isn’t all about immigration; however, your use of the terms “PR” and “crime networks” is quite accurate. I happen to know the young lady whom the police were so quick to identify as a “victim” they had rescued. Because most of the information I know was told to me in confidence, I won’t go into any specific details about her, other than to say that her situation had nothing to do with “human trafficking”. If the real story were known, it would be obvious that certain individuals within government and law enforcement are spinning, using vague wording and ambiguous terms to make themselves look like heroes while diverting attention from the real problems that they and their self-serving policies have caused. I’m very disappointed that no one from the media has been willing to dig out the real story and tell it objectively.

Just to further make a point; it’s been three weeks now and there hasn’t been any confirmation of human trafficking or sexual slavery. Why doesn’t the news media make law enforcement accountable for their self-serving and provocative statements?

Just as an afterthought Alan; I think it would be good if you, or any of the media, followed up with the police a week or two later to see if there was any substance to their insinuations.

Yes, eastside; why do you think the police were so quick to throw out the term “human trafficking”? Although the catch-phrase human trafficking is a very ambiguous, those with the most to gain from the public’s misperceptions are very quick to invoke that language. The emotional reactions of the public based on sensationalized movies, TV programs and essays concerning that subject help justify the actions and attitude of law enforcement. Additionally, nearly all of the media are complicit in deceiving the public by not making law enforcement bureaucrats explain what they mean by human trafficking in each individual case; and either by not following up and reporting the results of the police’s investigation, or by letting the police off the hook when they spin a response of “insufficient evidence to bring charges”.

The reality is that in this country, nearly all of what is called “human trafficking” is simply that the so-called “victim” has voluntarily paid a supposed expert to assist getting through US immigration enforcement. While I’m certainly not defending that practice, it is not the same thing as the image that many have of young girls being snatched from their beds in the middle of the night and transported to a distant land where they are tortured and forced into sexual submission.

The term “sex slavery” is also widely misused to justify ineffective law enforcement. Again, nearly all of the domestic incidents labeled “sexual slavery” are the results of a girl working (in a vocation she had already chosen), but with most of her earnings going to some form of a loan shark. The reason these loan sharks can exist is because our culture has forced this entire business underground where it is dominated by real underworld criminals and gangsters.

Real human trafficking and sex slavery do exist, and it’s nothing to make jokes or laugh about. Allowing law enforcement bureaucrats to justify themselves and make their departments look like heroes by using those terms for spin does not solve the problems.

Michael, Would you rather have more girls working the streets and from apartments - maybe next door to your home?

I really do appreciate the opportunity to respond and comment on the reporting.

The inference by the statement “authorities believe the eight…” is much more prejudicial than the DMN quote “possible links….” resulting from conflicting statements from one woman. The DMN did not directly quote anyone from law enforcement, but chose to generalize that “they were trying to determine…” The term “human trafficking” in this context to most people means forced prostitution and sex slavery. If that was really happening, then I hope the guilty are appropriately punished, but until the facts are known, let’s try to report the story fairly.

I stand corrected on one point; the DMN article does state that an unspecified number, presumably four not eight, are being held for immigration reasons. Four of the eight were charged with criminal code violations.

Speaking of prejudicial, consider the statement “No one from the spas have yet commented on the case.” Did you ask anyone to comment? Once these ladies are represented by counsel, will you be asking for comments then?

Your facts are wrong. The statement by DPD was that one individual was possibly the victim of human trafficking. That does not necessarily mean that any, let alone all eight, of the spas were implicated. Secondly, although additional warrants have been issued, only four individuals have been charged – none of them with immigration violations.

I guess DPD has locked up all of the murderers, rapists, child molesters and drug dealers. Now they can deal with the important stuff (massage parlors). I feel safer already.