Now there's a potential consequence I hadn't considered...
In the debate about whether prostitution should be legalized or not, there's one possible consequence I hadn't thought of, particularly given various welfare reform proposals that require work. Sadly, it's difficult to argue with the brothel owners' logic in this case, given that in Germany they operate a legal business.
Go to "Snopes", this has all the hallmarks of an urban legend.
ReplyDeleteAh, my own words (or close enough) thrown back at me. I like it. It means I'm getting through.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, the story's listed as "undetermined" at Snopes, as I check now.
See http://www.snopes.com/media/notnews/brothel.asp
(Hmmm, is this question the revenge of Dr. Bob, I wonder, for my questioning of the thwarted hijacker story? Even if the story does turn out to be an urban legend, my tendency to accept it should prove exactly what I said about urban legends,)
I actually did have some skepticism over the story, but apparently not enough. The fact that it was reported in the Telegraph eased my skepticism, perhaps incorrectly--which again just goes to show how easy it is for an urban legend to be accepted as fact in a usually reliable source, if urban legend this is. I should have remembered my own rules.
And, in fact, technically, the possibility raised by this story is still indeed a possibility I hadn't considered. (Yes, I'm hiding behind technicalities, but so what? It's my blog...) As Snopes says, "The thrust of the article [an original German article upon which the account in the Telegraph seems to be based] seems to be that there is a loophole in the law which has not yet exploited and should be closed." And, indeed, even if it is an urban legend, the logic of the possibly fictional brothel owner is still hard to argue with.
In any case, mea culpa if, as seems likely, this does turn out to be an urban legend. Sometimes when the blogging frenzy takes over, even I forget to be sufficiently skeptical. I would be hypocritical if I didn't take my own medicine upon screwing up.
I'm glad I'm not the only one out there falling for these on occasion! Welcome to the club, and thanks for the clarification. Good catch, and even better lack of hubris.
ReplyDelete