Comments on: Bay View Voters Guide

By: Slava

Slava — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:36:01 +0000

By: Leo

Leo — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:19:00 +0000

No on K, prostitution victimizes women and children of both sexes, this is the wrong legislation badly thought through – prostitutes -male and female- report violence against them all the time, ask the police,

By: San Francisco Financial Planner

San Francisco Financial Planner — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:33:12 +0000

VOTE AGAINST PROPOSITION Q!

Prop Q is a tax increase on the small businesses that are the lifeblood of our city. It is disguised as a tax cut, but is really a substantial tax increase on businesses with as few as 3 or 4 employees. Prop Q redefines ‘payroll’, deviating from the state and federal definitions so that the City can start charging a 1.5% income tax on the profits of small businesses.

Don’t be fooled…vote no on Q!

By: Slava

Slava — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:43:23 +0000

I am not masquerading as anything. I believe sex workers deserve rights.

Prop K only stops investigation and prosecution of consensual prostitution, NOT human trafficking, kidnapping, child abuse, child molestation, sexual slavery, extortion, etc. In fact Prop K mandates “vigorous enforcement of laws against coercion, extortion, battery rape and other violent crimes, regardless of the victims status as sex worker.

There are at least twice as many endorsers for the Yes on K side, including the Democratic Party, the California STD controller’s Association, the Coalition for Labor Union Women, Young Workers United, and the SF Tenants Union, to name a few.

By: K.

K. — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:29:08 +0000

Masquerading as a progressive initiative, Prop K will harm women, children, and the San Francisco community as a whole. The measure directs San Francisco Police Department and the District Attorney’s office to refuse to enforce the State of California’s prostitution laws. These sections include the laws used to investigate and prosecute traffickers and those involved in exploiting children. Non-enforcement of these laws would put all of us at risk, and send an invitation out to pimps, traffickers, and johns.

Join the No On K: Committee Against Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation and our allies including Mayor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Kamala Harris, Feminists Gloria Steinem, and many other community leaders and organizations in defeating this Proposition. See our list of supporters below from elected Organizations, Elected Officials/candidates and community leaders.Vote No On K.

Want to learn more? Visit: http://www.noonk.net

By: K.

K. — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:08:03 +0000

It is very important for San Francisco voters to read the actual text of proposition K. Not many would argue that prostitutes should not be arrested for prostitution, but that is NOT what prop K says. Prop K says the city “shall stop enforcing laws against prostitution.” That goes FAR BEYOND consensual adults exchanging money for sex. “Prostitution” includes all aspects including pimping, pandering, human trafficking, etc.
Also, prop K will ‘stop funding anti-prostitution programs.’ What are ‘anti-prostitution programs’ you ask? Well, they are social service programs that help women and girls to escape prostitution and obtain safe housing, vocational training, trauma and addiction recovery services, and mentorship opportunities. Why would a caring and compassionate person want to deny women and girls of these life-changing services?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:32:05 +0000

K is flawed.

I agree almost completely with this guide, but after thorough research on K I’ve decided it’s not thorough enough. Conceptually it’s got the right idea… but the approach is inadequate. If prostitution is to be legalized it should be regulated. This doesnt provide protection for anyone except pimps.

NO on K.

By: Slava

Slava — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:09:02 +0000

Currently pimps rarely get arrested. Prop K will change the dynamic, so that sex workers can report violence against them.

Also, if a pimp is taking all of a sex worker’s money, they should be able to go to the labor commissioner and file a claim for back pay. That is what Prop K will allow.

Also, Prop K will not stop prosecutions for trafficking. There hasn’t been a single prosecution for trafficking since Kamala Harris took office, so it can’t get much worse in that regard.

Prop K will create a situation where people can report trafficking to the authorities.

I think most people in San Francisco agree that the current system is not working.

By: Brody

Brody — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:01:31 +0000

I’m a Social Worker in San Francisco and I work in supportive housing. I am offering a Voter’s Workshop to my clients and I plan to illustrate who is supporting which propositions in the city and state wide by presenting the endorsements of varrious political and action groups. I am happy to be able to present the Bay View Voter’s Guide to my group. Thank you for putting this together.

By: Slava

Slava — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:15:20 +0000

Proposition K does NOT stop enforcement of laws against human trafficking. The public defender has confirmed this in a statement. The National Lawyers Guild has also said that Prop K will result in INCREASED prosecutions for trafficking, because when people see evidence of it, they will be able to report it without fear of arrest.

Marjan Withers, former president of the experts group on trafficking, European Commission has also endorsed Prop K. You can read her statement, as well as the others on the yesonpropk.org website.

I am all for programs that help people get out of prostitution, as long as they do not arrest people first and force them into it. Prop K only stops mandatory programs based on arrest.

We do not need to arrest people in order to offer services. We need to be giving people services or job training BEFORE they get arrested.

Prop K also allows sex workers the ability to form unions. How can that be bad?

By: K2

K2 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:54:08 +0000

Prop K is a vote for human rights of one of the most oppressed groups in history sex workers. Why should people engaging in consensual sex be arrested and thrown in a cage? Help those people, don’t put them away. Prop K would increase the safety of sex workers, reduce violence against them and improve public health
Yes on Prop K

By: K.

K. — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:54:56 +0000

I am deeply troubled at the thought of proposition K passing in San Francisco. It is extremely important that voters thoroughly consider the implications of this. The loopholes in this proposition will limit San Francisco’s ability to investigate and prosecute prostitution-related activities such as pimping, pandering and human trafficking. Even more alarming, proposition K will create a ‘policy’ against social service programs that help women and girls trapped in prostitution to escape. I am not only speaking as a San Franciscan and a woman, but I am also speaking as a former prostitute whose life was rescued by SAGE-one of the San Francisco social service programs that proposition K seeks to defund.
I was introduced to SAGE while I was in the San Francisco County Jail. SAGE taught me how to become empowered, speak my voice and fight for opportunity in life. When you look at me today, you would never imagine that I was once sleeping on the streets in the Mission District, meeting up with ‘customers’ behind dumpsters, and doing everything in my power to avoid accepting my reality. I appear as the typical college student who is secure, confident and full of hope and promise for the future. I appear this way because that is who I am. Today I am very confident in my strengths and abilities, very secure in my identity as an empowered woman, and extremely driven to seek out a better future for myself and the community in which I live.
There are hundreds of other women like me in San Francisco. You may not recognize us because we don’t walk around with a sign saying “I’m a former prostitute.” We have carved out new identities for ourselves. We have learned how to be healthy, happy human beings. We are now working hard to make this world a little better for ourselves and the next generation. Proposition K will eliminate any opportunity for other women and girls to receive the same help I did. It will benefit San Francisco tremendously to keep these programs in place and allow law enforcement to rid the streets of the pimps, traffickers and other perpetrators that prey on the most vulnerable. Please understand there is true potential there if you allow it to blossom. Please vote NO on K.