Posted on 09/30/2009 3:33:19 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
LONDON (Reuters) -
A British government minister asked California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday to shut down a U.S. website that allows men to rate prostitutes, including many working in London.
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, told the ruling Labor Party's annual conference that "Punternet" fuels the demand for prostitution -- a vice she said degrades women and puts them at risk.
She said the web site was a "very sinister development" in the trade and exploitation of women and allows guests to compare and rate services in the same way as they would a restaurant, a hotel or a holiday.
Pimps put women on sale for sex on the site then clients offered their comments on line, she said.
"Punternet has pages and pages of women for sale in London," said Harman, who is deputy leader of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labor Party.
She said she had raised the issue with the U.S. ambassador to Britain and asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to close it down as it is based in that state.
"Surely it can't be too difficult for 'The Terminator' to terminate Punternet and that's what I am demanding that he does."
(Excerpt) Read more at tech.yahoo.com ...
“Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality”
Any statements about how the muzzies treat their women in the UK?
Thought so.
As bad as that site is....R-nold better not touch it with a 10 foot pole!
I am sure I probably missed it by not reading the article, but why does the UK think that CA should shut down a website rather than they should enforce their prostitution laws?
Oh but it is Hollywood, California and they condone directors raping 13 year old girls because “you know it is not rape-rape” according to Whoopi.
No wonder dentistry is beyond their grasp.
Meanwhile the U.K. Sun publishes nude photos women and puts it on page three.
This sounds a lot like a recent story:
Teachers Union asks Schwarzenegger to close education web
site.
A teachers union official asked California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday to shut down a U.S. website that allows students to rate teachers, including many working in other states.
Don’t forget it was anal rape of a 13 year old.
“Punternet” fuels the demand for prostitution”
Based on the website concept, only certain prostitutes.
Except that one rated group are legitimate, honest, self-supporting workers and the other are teachers. :)
How in the world do they rate them? “This one has disfiguring sores.” “This one’s hair is falling out.” “Avoid this one, she has needle tracks.” “This one’s dentures have a tendency to fall out.”
In denominations of $5, $10, and $20.
not quite sure what dentistry has to do with the 1st amendment
Is my ex-wife on there?
I’d rate her off the charts but very dangerous and vindicative
did I mention she hears voices too?
The paper, Women in Power: Milestones, listed 28 of the most significant events between 1907 and 2008 involving women on the political stage.
The milestones included the election of the first female Head of Government – Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 1960 and Britain's first woman councillor Reina Emily Lawrence in 1907.
Prescott warns Harman to keep quiet about women’s rights The document, produced by the Equality Office which is run by Miss Harman, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, highlights the role of Nancy Astor who was the first woman to take her seat in parliament in 1919, the election of Dianne Abbott the first black woman MP in 1987, and victory in 1999 of Neena Gill the UK’s first Asian female MEP.
But there is no mention of Lady Thatcher becoming the first female leader of a British political party when she replaced Edward Heath in 1975, or the fact that she was the longest serving prime minister in the 20th century, and won three general election victories. ............
By contrast Shreela Flather is mentioned twice as the first Asian woman councillor and first Asian woman peer. Britain’s first black woman mayor Lydia Simmons is also given a name check.
Lady Thatcher’s office declined to comment but a friend of the former Prime Minister said: “Miss Harman cannot bear the fact it was the Conservatives who elected the first woman leader back in 1975 long before anyone had even heard of positive discrimination and all women shortlists. “
http://www.evri.com/media/article?entity_uri=%2Fperson%2Fharriet-harman-0x5677a&page=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2F6194148%2FMargaret-Thatcher-airbrushed-from-Harriet-Harmans-history-of-women-in-politics.html
And here I was thinking our left wing were crazy enough. The loony left in Britain trump the loony left everywhere.
Isn't she the one who produced an 'educational materials' celebrating women's achievements in UK and elsewhere, but failed to mention Margaret Thatcher?
Is it too late to vote for Arlen Spector?
Probably. Maggie Thatcher was the best since Churchill. The Brits just don’t realize it.
“How in the world do they rate them? “This one has disfiguring sores.” “This one’s hair is falling out.” “Avoid this one, she has needle tracks.” “This one’s dentures have a tendency to fall out.”
You owe me a new keyboard! I spit good beer all over mine!
With as many steroids as the rino-ator gas taken over the years, that would be a bit of a stretch for him. 
“Surely it can’t be too difficult for ‘The Terminator’ to terminate Punternet”
Silly British lady, we broke away from you and a governor is not a dictator! And unlike the UK, we still have free speech, even unpopular speech!
Wouldn’t they be better served with shutting down the prostitutes? Sounds like there’s Web site telling them where to look. Should be easy police work.
(open letter from owner of Punternet)
Dear Mrs. Harman,
I have a few points to make regarding your recent remarks regarding my website and your fantastic demand that the Governor of California close it down.
Firstly, PunterNet is not violating any laws. If it were, then surely the many websites catering to the US prostitution scene (where sex for pay is almost completely illegal) would already have been closed down.
In the USA, there is a concept called “freedom of speech” which is considered the most important personal right guaranteed by the Constitution. It exists specifically to prevent the sort of abuse of power that you are attempting. The Governor (indeed, even the President) has no authority with which to shut down a perfectly lawful enterprise such as PunterNet.
PunterNet was not the first, and is certainly not the only, website in the UK with the same subject matter. Rather than creating the demand for commercial sex, sites like PunterNet are a response to that demand, which has existed since the dawn of mankind and certainly long before the advent of the Internet!
One of the missions of PunterNet is education - to provide information and guidance in hopes that the commercial sex scene is limited to consenting adults and those who choose of their own free will to engage in it.
If sites like this one did not exist, and if prostitution were outlawed, then it would effectively be handed to organised crime on a platter - just as happened with liquor during Prohibition. If, on the other hand, sexwork is recognised as a legitimate, honourable profession, then there will be no market for the criminal elements, and the truly despicable aspects of the scene such as sex slavery and trafficking will die out. Surely that is a far more desirable goal than driving it back underground where it will then consist only of criminals and victims?
In closing, I would like to thank you for the huge influx of traffic to my website which your actions have caused. I am sure that the ladies who are a part of the PunterNet community thank you as well, as they will no doubt benefit financially from the many new clients who might otherwise never have found them.
That guy is in a dirty line of work, but if he tweaks a British totalitarian on the nose, ill be the first to applaud him.
Web sites (and hosts) are highly portable. Within twenty-four hours, it could be re-hosted in another state.
"It's a MAN, baby!"
Cheers!
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