FromTheSouth
You don't want it with me.
A 22-year-old woman is selling her virginity online offering her body to bidders nationwide in an auction that reportedly has netted a $3.7 million offer and the law isn't doing a thing to stop her.
The FBI isn't interested. The U.S. attorney doesn't care. Everything is fine by local police, and she isn't breaking any laws.
That's because Natalie Dylan, a made-up name for a real 22-year-old California college grad, is marketing her maidenhead in Nevada, where prostitution is legal.
But some religious legal groups are objecting to the sexual sale, saying they are concerned that its influence may reach beyond the borders of the "Battle Born" bordello state.
"It does seem crazy," said Mathew Staver, director of the Liberty Center for Law and Policy. "The rest of the country has an interest in stopping that kind of activity from spreading from Nevada to their home state."
Staver said because the bidding was being conducted online, federal law could be applied to stop the auction from going through.
"Nevada has been out of step with the rest of the country for many years with regards to prostitution, and that's why I think it's important for federal prosecutors to look into this, so that Nevada does not dictate the morals and moral decency for the rest of the nation," Staver told FOXNews.com.
But federal authorities said there wasn't much they could do about the case, and deflected attention toward local statutes.
"Being that prostitution is legal in the area that she's listing from, and she's over 18 and it's consensual, I would defer it to local police authorities," said David Staretz, a spokesman for the FBI's Las Vegas field office.
The Postal Inspection Service, which monitors the Internet for some illegal transactions, is "currently unaware of any specific fed prohibition against this activity," said spokesman Al Weissman.
The office of the U.S. attorney in Nevada said that it has prosecuted over 200 cases in the last six years involving the solicitation of minors online, but it had never worked on a case like this involving adults.
The Moonlite Bunny Ranch, the brothel that is arranging and hosting the deal, sounded especially gung-ho about Dylan.
"Natalie is a virgin and would like to sell this priceless and rare commodity in a very exclusive and private setting," says the Bunny Ranch Web site.
While the commodity's rarity may be debatable, more than 10,000 bidders have come forth to put a price tag on Dylan's purity. And if the Bunny Ranch's owner is to be believed, someone has offered $3.7 million, a price far above rubies.
"One time only she will appear at the bunny ranch and give up her virginity to the highest bidder," says the brothel's Web site in a needlessly repetitive statement. Dylan says she is trying to finance graduate studies for her sister and herself.
Some legal experts say they're well within their rights to make the sale.
"It's a First Amendment issue. You can advertise goods or services that are illegal where they're advertised but legal where they're performed," said Marc Randazza, an attorney specializing in first amendment law. "What's she's advertising is as legal as toast with the crust cut off where she is."
Randazza said some prosecutors might be eager to jump on the case, but that this "commercial speech" is protected.
"If this is legal where it's being advertised" in Nevada "the government can't say you can't advertise it here," he told FOXNews.com.
I love this issue simply because it entails so many different aspect of American lives. First of all, there is the moral issue. Is it moral to sell your body? While the snap answer may be no, there are questions to ask.
The first question that arises is; who are we to tell a woman what to do with her body? Have you heard that before? This is the line used by pro choice advocates. Is abortion different from prostitution? I would say no. I would say that if a woman chooses to terminate her pregnancy, and it's legal, with someone dying, then why is it illegal for a woman to choose to rent out her body? This is the world's oldest profession for a reason. It is something that people want.
Next, who is immoral, the woman or the man? To say that this woman is immoral is wrong. She is a 22 year old virgin. I come from Nueces county in Texas, which, year after year, has the highest rate of pregnancy amongst teenage girls in the nation. It is so refreshing to see a 22 year old virgin when I have seen too many 13 year old mothers. How can we call the man immoral? For years, men have been taught that the correct path into a girl's pants involves movies, meals, and jewelery. How is that different than prostitution? A $10,000 ring isn't solicitation, but a $1500 check is? Ridiculous!
The first amendment issues interest me as well. Constitutionally protected commercial speech is the basis of legality. This is a dicey issue, but as always, the burden of proof is on the prosecution. The service provided is in Nevada, where prostitution is legal. This is key. Shutting down this auction would mean that all flights to Vegas would have to be banned, as the trip is intended to make you cross state lines to gamble. Should I not be able to book a room at the Bellagio with my Texas credit card? That seems like a preposterous idea, even if gambling is illegal in Texas.
As a personal choice, I have never paid for sex. It's not for me. I also feel that it is no one's business if someone else wants to. All of the public health concerns are alleviated in Nevada, where hookers are tested by the state. Once again, prohibition of something makes it more dangerous than legalizing this corrupt immoral behavior. Prohibition of alcohol gave us Al Capone and his murders, prohibition of narcotics has led to a trillion dollar war on drugs that the feds are losing, prohibition on abortion leads to death by coat hanger, and prohibition of prostitution leads to diseases and the end of Jerry Springer's term as mayor of Cincinnati.