Welcome our new moderator, Peregrine

[crikkett]

Congratulations, Peregrine, and welcome!

[Allegro]

.
Peregrine, I’m a little delayed in sending best wishes to you. I found a poem about peregrines I thought by chance you might appreciate. The poem is pretty intense yet reflective of your avatar, today, and if the poem’s excerpt is anything more than just an expressive read, all the meaningfully better for you as our newest moderator.
…

• • Peregrine, we waited,
    Hoped, dared not that you’d forgive
    Our imperfections. Now you scream and roost,
    Tigering the sky from your chosen column of rebirth,
    Your nest the 24th in this wide state,
    Thriving in your fierce ministrations.
    
    Peregrine, you’ve bent a little as we have,
    You a denizen of heights, and we
    Habitants of our fevered minds.
    There’s room for us both in this land between the rivers:
    For your cold inviolate airs, for our upward-tilting sight,
    For your resounding call, our ancient answering joy.

Excerpted from On the First Nesting of Peregrine Falcons on The Madison Building in Reading, Pennsylvania; author Jen Gittings-Dalton, c. 2007. Refer the whole piece.

[LilyPatToo]

How cool that you're a mod, Peregrine!!! (Finally had time to read the latest crop of threads, but better late than never, right? )

LilyPat

[anothershamus]

Congrats!

[Peregrine]

Oooh! More Peregrines! Thanks all for the vids, poems & cool pics. I feel as if I haven't been up to my duties as hall moniter the last couple days... Me & the little 'un have had a tummy bug, she was upchucking & had a bit of a tempurature, so I virtually ignored my computer most the day. Fam first, of course!

[Gos]

I'm quite sure this will not be a popular post, and I don't look forward to the negative feedback that I'm going to receive for posting it, but I feel as though something should be said.

Why is it appropriate for a sex worker to be a moderator on this board? I'm not comfortable completely condemning the industry entirely but I do find it intriguing that this board has reached a point where this is entirely not an issue whatsoever. When did it become accepted that prostitution was an entirely moral and acceptable profession?

I'm quite sure that many (or most) of the members of this board have angrily condemned this or that politician, lobbyist, or corporate executive for being a "whore" to one special interest group or another, so why is it that someone that is an actual prostitute is completely ok? I don't look at it as a victimless crime. I would advise anyone that does to call up your middle aged mother and ask her how she would feel if she found out that her husband had been sleeping with a beautiful, young prostitute.

Now, I read a bit of your blog Peregrine, and one of the first things I noticed was that you refer to yourself as a courtesan. I didn't know exactly what that meant so I looked it up and here's the definition:

"A woman prostitute, especially one whose clients are members of a royal court or men of high social standing"

So, basically, what I'm trying to understand is why, when this board has no hesitancy to refer to our countries royal court or men of high social standing (and those that do business with them) in the most vile and condemnatory language, we think nothing of those that would reward these bastards with sexual gratification. Not to mention the basic inequity that surrounds who can actually AFFORD to pay for high class prostitutes. We get infuriated when the wealthy can afford gated communities and gold plated toilets by exploiting the populace, yet we care not a whit that their exploitative ways can net them as many beautiful and talented young women as they desire? Why?

[American Dream]

Whoah! That's what I call a very personal attack!

Sex workers are to me workers, first and foremost. They deserves dignity, respect, rights.

Under Capitalism, most everybody is selling something of themselves that is precious. Should we all be shamed for this?

Why such a divisive and personalizing post?

[barracuda]

It's a legitimate question, I presume, although coming from a poster whose sole public interest in the board up to this point has been exclusively to seek out fellow member's sources for Cointelpro information, I must say it seems strategically a bit weird.

But Peregrine's acceptance as a moderator here has very little, if anything, to do with her activities outside of the board. Her value is assessed according to her contributions and demeanor here, as you may assume is true of the contributions of any other anonymous poster. I'd hate to have the first stone thrown at me for my experiences or record in real life, outside of here, which have included any number of actions which might actually be deemed somewhat more than unsavory by somebody's hypothetical middle-aged mother. It just may be that this particular forum is not particularly geared toward your average middle-aged mother, unless of course she happens to be all about post-graduate research concerning the jellyfish invasion awakening of the transhumanist corporate UFO inevitable, or possesses a genuine interest in the world of MC-RA, or any of a number of topics rarely discussed at the bridge club.

In other words, take your conservative ideas about what constitutes appropriateness and place them about two inches to the left of your right hand pants pocket, and take a seat. And look out - the information on this forum, if properly used, may lead you to the understanding that you, yourself, are a willing prostitute to forces you consider to be beyond even your control or understanding, but succumb to nonetheless. Most people do.

And get that fucking log out of your eye while you're at it.

[Simulist]

Why is it appropriate for a sex worker to be a moderator on this board? I'm not comfortable completely condemning the industry entirely but I do find it intriguing that this board has reached a point where this is entirely not an issue whatsoever. When did it become accepted that prostitution was an entirely moral and acceptable profession?

I'm quite sure that many (or most) of the members of this board have angrily condemned this or that politician, lobbyist, or corporate executive for being a "whore" to one special interest group or another, so why is it that someone that is an actual prostitute is completely ok? I don't look at it as a victimless crime. I would advise anyone that does to call up your middle aged mother and ask her how she would feel if she found out that her husband had been sleeping with a beautiful, young prostitute.

Now, I read a bit of your blog Peregrine, and one of the first things I noticed was that you refer to yourself as a courtesan. I didn't know exactly what that meant so I looked it up and here's the definition:

"A woman prostitute, especially one whose clients are members of a royal court or men of high social standing"

So, basically, what I'm trying to understand is why, when this board has no hesitancy to refer to our countries royal court or men of high social standing (and those that do business with them) in the most vile and condemnatory language, we think nothing of those that would reward these bastards with sexual gratification. Not to mention the basic inequity that surrounds who can actually AFFORD to pay for high class prostitutes. We get infuriated when the wealthy can afford gated communities and gold plated toilets by exploiting the populace, yet we care not a whit that their exploitative ways can net them as many beautiful and talented young women as they desire? Why?

I didn't know that I could still get fighting mad by reading "words on a screen," but you've just proven to me, Gos, that I ain't dead yet.

What do YOU prostitute yourself at, Gos? I'd like to know.

Why? Because just about everybody in the world does it, and probably you do, too. People "sell themselves" all the time to make a buck, doing things they'd rather not do, with people they'd rather not be doing it for, and in ways they'd rather not be doing it — and I'm not talking about "courtesans" of any kind! I'm talking about bankers, store clerks, soldiers, gas station attendants, priests, ministers, rabbis, and the schlep who sells vegetables by the roadside.

We ALL reward "bastards" of "high social standing" every time we pay our taxes, every time we buy goods or services from corporations wholly-owned or even partially-owned by the vile, disgusting dirt-bags that really run your country and mine.

Which one are you, Gos? Whose ass do you kiss to make a buck?

If you want to single out "sex workers" for your scorn, you're certainly not alone. Hypocrites are everywhere, and they come a dime a dozen.

Peregrine, on the other hand, is no hypocrite — she's honest about who she is. You probably don't even deserve to prostitute yourself by shining her shoes.

Stuff it.

[Gos]

Whoah! That's what I call a very personal attack!

Sex workers are to me workers, first and foremost. They deserves dignity, respect, rights.

Even when they sleep with or otherwise pleasure people that have pledged themselves to others, and no other? Call me old fashioned, but I really don't see how assisting someone in breaking the most solemn of pledges for money is deserving of respect.

Under Capitalism, most everybody is selling something of themselves that is precious. Should we all be shamed for this?

While I agree that under capitalism we all have to whore ourselves in some way or another, I think that there are degrees of degradation that one accepts. I think in the case of prostitution one agrees to an excess of degradation for an excess of money. Sorry.

Why such a divisive and personalizing post?

It's just like, my opinion man.

[Gos]

It's a legitimate question, I presume, although coming from a poster whose sole public interest in the board up to this point has been exclusively to seek out fellow member's sources for Cointelpro information, I must say it seems strategically a bit weird.

I've been reading this blog since 2003. I'm shy, and I don't like confrontation that much. That's why I haven't posted or contributed to the forum until now. I don't blame you for being skeptical, but I assure you I am a real, actual person without any government funded agendas.

But Peregrine's acceptance as a moderator here has very little, if anything, to do with her activities outside of the board. Her value is assessed according to her contributions and demeanor here, as you may assume is true of the contributions of any other anonymous poster. I'd hate to have the first stone thrown at me for my experiences or record in real life, outside of here, which have included any number of actions which might actually be deemed somewhat more than unsavory by somebody's hypothetical middle-aged mother. It just may be that this particular forum is not particularly geared toward your average middle-aged mother, unless of course she happens to be all about post-graduate research concerning the jellyfish invasion awakening of the transhumanist corporate UFO inevitable, or possesses a genuine interest in the world of MC-RA, or any of a number of topics rarely discussed at the bridge club.

It's not about the relative squareness of the average middle aged mother. It's about someone getting paid to fuck your lover behind your back. I may whore myself to the "octopus" (is it possible to be legally employed and not?), but I'm not fucking anyone's lover behind their back so that I can live a life of relative leisure and comfort. Newsflash kids. Prostitution is very lucrative. Just like assfucking people with your connections on wallstreet. What's the difference between profiting lucratively from cleverness or hotness? Either way you're screwing somebody.

In other words, take your conservative ideas about what constitutes appropriateness and place them about two inches to the left of your right hand pants pocket, and take a seat. And look out - the information on this forum, if properly used, may lead you to the understanding that you, yourself, are a willing prostitute to forces you consider to be beyond even your control or understanding, but succumb to nonetheless. Most people do.

Yeah, I know. I'm every bit as much of a whore as Peregrine, I just don't get paid as well. But I don't defend it either. Considering the nastiness which playing by the rules enables, I have a very hard time characterizing myself as anything but a coward unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices required to make real change possible.

As for my "conservative ideas" about prostitution maybe, possibly, not being the most moral of professions...I'm sorry you don't agree Barracuda. I'm glad to know though, that you're exceedingly liberal and humanitarian response to an opposing viewpoint is to tell me to "take a seat". I guess a dumb nigger like me should know his place, right? I don't know about you, but nothing says liberal to me more than condescending dismissal of opposing viewpoints. I would like to point out that my original post consisted primarily of questions, rather than statements.

And get that fucking log out of your eye while you're at it.

And here is where I will not defend myself. As I stated before, I am a whore, albeit a low paid one. I smile at people I find boring and tedious. I lie to them. I endeavor to charm those that I find repellent in hopes of getting a 20$ tip. I don't have kids, nor do I want them. I do it only to provide for myself, and my own selfish desires. Yet I do place myself morally above the sex workers of the world because I can honestly say that feigning interest in what one of my customers wants to talk about carries no risk whatsoever of causing the kind of existential pain that drives people to suicide. I don't fuck married people for money because I don't want to profit from the worst deception one human being can delude another into believing. Whoopty fucking doo, right? I'm just curious as to why someone that DOES do such a thing is an acceptable voice of authority on a board that I thought was about, among other things, morality and generosity of spirit. And again...would you really be so forgiving if you found out the poolboy was boning your sweet darling wives, gents? Not that I would ever want to imply that Peregrine being a hottie would affect your opinions or anything, I'm sure you're all above that sort of junior high bullshit.

[Jeff]

I know, it's your opinion, but I find it an odd one someone with such a low post count would feel compelled to share it so it so vehemently.

Peregrine is a moderator because she has consistently demonstrated goodwill toward the board and good judgement on it, and enjoys the respect of the administrator and the community.

[Gos]

I didn't know that I could still get fighting mad by reading "words on a screen," but you've just proven to me, Gos, that I ain't dead yet.

What do YOU prostitute yourself at, Gos? I'd like to know.

Why? Because just about everybody in the world does it, and probably you do, too. People "sell themselves" all the time to make a buck, doing things they'd rather not do, with people they'd rather not be doing it for, and in ways they'd rather not be doing it — and I'm not talking about "courtesans" of any kind! I'm talking about bankers, store clerks, soldiers, gas station attendants, priests, ministers, rabbis, and the schlep who sells vegetables by the roadside.

We ALL reward "bastards" of "high social standing" every time we pay our taxes, every time we buy goods or services from corporations wholly-owned or even partially-owned by the vile, disgusting dirt-bags that really run your country and mine.

Which one are you, Gos? Whose ass do you kiss to make a buck?

If you want to single out "sex workers" for your scorn, you're certainly not alone. Hypocrites are everywhere, and they come a dime a dozen.

Peregrine, on the other hand, is no hypocrite — she's honest about who she is. You probably don't even deserve to prostitute yourself by shining her shoes.

Stuff it.

I'm a chauffeur. My clients are mostly employees of large corporations that corrupt the democratic process in the U.S., and profit from the exploitation that the corruption of the democratic process provides. I'm not proud of the work that I do, but it's what I must do to survive. I don't defend it, and I hope to someday do something that actually contributes to society rather than perpetuating the status quo. I do take some small comfort in the fact that while I may be a whore, I'm not actually wrapping my lips around anyone's cock that I don't like.

That being said, I really don't want this post to about judging Peregrine personally. She has a child, and far be it from me to question the manner in which someone provides for their kin. Hell, I'd blow a goat if it meant my kid would lead a happier life. I'm actually much more interested in how prostitution has become an unquestionably acceptable profession. It seems to me a bit callous that something as intimate as one's sexuality (I can't think of anything closer to one's essence, or soul) should be so unquestionably accepted on a board such as this as a commodity. It's not that I'm saying that commodifying one's sexuality is clearly wrong. I'm just wondering why it is that it's considered clearly RIGHT.

[American Dream]

I think in the case of prostitution one agrees to an excess of degradation for an excess of money. Sorry.

In "quoting" my post on this thread, the inimitable Gos somehow added a sentence to my words that was not mine. I am not interested in engaging with Gos about this, as it does not seem that he/she is really operating in good faith, but I am going to ask the moderators to help see that the offending sentence, as quoted above, is moved or removed so that is is no longer falsely attributed to me.

We've had discussions about pornography and other things here that were not organized around a personal attack on one member of the board. I don't think the kind of fire that Gos is trying to light needs to burn on this thread, at all. I consider it to be a calculated effort to disrupt and sow discord and I urge Gos to take it somewhere else...




...

[Gos]

Yeah, AD, that wasn't meant to be attributed to you I simply am unfamilar with quoting people properly on message boards and I screwed it up. It was not intentional, and I hope that you will take that as an honest statement in spite of your skepticism about my sincerity or honor.