Confessions of a convicted human trafficker....

in life •  8 years ago  (edited)

First and foremost I would like to explain that I was forced/coerced into accepting a plea bargain that has classified me as "Human Trafficker for financial benefit".  I have mentioned around that I am a felon.  This is my story of how my constitutional rights were violated.  This is my side of the story and how I will forever be a less than human being in the eyes of society.  I know many people constantly judge me due to this and I accept it, I do not try and hide it and now forever will be my side of the story in the steemit blockchain.  To me at least my part of the truth will be out in public and not the fake news story that was pushed to the public when my friends and I were arrested.  



How I came to work for an Escort Agency.

        I lost my wife in 2001, about 4 months later I lost my job as an auto mechanic and also my apartment.  My father in law was nice enough to house me so I could try and get back on my feet. I was constantly battling some of the worst depression in my life trying to keep on living for the sake of the Elizabeth's legacy of fighting for her life, instead of succumbing to the feelings that I would be better off joining her in the afterlife.  For a few years afterwards I crashed on friends couches and worked odd jobs in roofing/home remodeling.  Around 2004 or 2005 I moved into another friends house with his mother and her husband.  This time I actually had a room to myself, the first time in a few years, all I had to do was help keep the house clean and hand dig 4 foot deep footings for a huge garage they were going to build.  The husband did construction and I had gained some experience and was helping him for pocket money.

        One day we were working for a contractor who was looking for someone skilled in computers.  There is not much that I could not do on a computer so Adam introduced me to Mike.  Mike explained that he and a couple of other guys had a local production company were they did photography, web design, video editing and such.  He also explained how their last tech guy robbed them of a bunch of money and equipment.  Adam vouched for me that I was a stand up, trustworthy guy, who had just fell on hard times.  I agreed to meet Mike at the company.

        A few days later Mike was showing me around the building, I admit I was impressed.  They had about 5 areas of sets setup, each having its own set of lighting.  There was a nice conference room with seating for 12,  a larger waiting room with a few desks and such.  Then he takes me to the computer room, what would be my office.  When I walked in I had to contain my excitement.  Hanging from the ceiling was a bank of 8 CRT monitors stacked 4 on 4, a huge wraparound desk, 10 or so computers, mixing boards, cameras.  I felt like I was being presented with a hell of an opportunity.  Mike went on to explain that I had to meet the rest of the owners and would be on a tryout period if I was interested.  I agreed and the next day I would meet them.

       The following day I met old man Bill.  I was told he had a larger stake in the company than Mike, after talking with Bill he asked me to fix a couple of computers they had that were acting up.  A couple hours later they were running fine and Bill was impressed.  Throughout this time I was constantly being reminding of how they got previously screwed out of large chunks of money from the last tech guy.  I assured them I was just interested at getting my life back in order after the passing of my wife.  I was told then that there was one more owner I had to meet and to come back the next day.

        I arrived to be greeted by Mike and Bill, was told to wait in the conference room for the last owner who would be there shortly.  After ten minutes or so walks in a 26 year old black gentlemen in a fur coat and introduces himself "Mustafaa" he says, "Jason" I say and we sat down.  Before I continue, I would like to clarify somethings; Mike was in his mid 50's, old man Bill his 70's.  So when I met Mustafaa I was taken aback.  It seemed a bit out of place.  I was quickly to learn why.

        Mustafaa went on to explain he held the most shares in the company, that in fact his other company funded most of the production company.  He went on to explain to me what Detroit Pink was.  It was in fact a registered escorting business.  For those who do not know, escorting is when females are paid for their time and companionship.  I was told how Bill was a retired lawyer and the business was run in the fullest extend of the law, however it was more of a 'gray' area of the law.  Nearing the end of the conversation Mustafaa asks "You smoke weed?", a smile crosses my face "of course" I said.  We both stand up shake hands and he says "Why don't we hang out and smoke down tonight, I am the real reason this place is here, those white boys don't really mean much".  "Sure" I replied and we headed out.

         After driving around getting to know each other a bit and picking up an ounce of weed and a handful of ecstasy pills we pull up to a hotel.  In the room were a couple of females waiting and I was then introduced as the new "computer guy".  In my mind I was like, sweet I guess I got the job. That sweet office was mine.  Mustafaa asked if I played monopoly and if I liked Family Guy.  "Hell yeah" I exclaimed.  "You pop pills" he said.  A smile from me and he looks at me, "I knew I liked you when I saw you".  Mustafaa and I were the same age.  We had grown up around the same parts of Detroit.  Only a few miles apart.  What followed that night was some of the most deep philosophical discussions I had had with another human being since loosing my wife.  Her and I talked about everything on every level from the macrocosm to the micro.  It was the same with Mustafaa his intelligence rivaled mine and that night we had become very good friends.


Why would you work for an Escort Agency?

        My parents were good parents, they raised their children to have morals, to know right from wrong, to have manners and respect for others.  When Elizabeth and I started dating she explained how she had lived in New York for a while had fallen into hard drugs and worked prostitution to support her and her boyfriends habit at the time.  When I met her she was clean for some years and changed her life around.  I never judged her for it.  It was never my business, it was her past and that was that.  So when I came into this situation my stance was a women have a right to choose.  Not just about abortion but what she does with her body, period.  If she wanted to sell her time for money or hell even her body, who the fuck was I to say otherwise.  Imposing my beliefs or morals on someone else was not how I was raised.  After all I was only going to be the tech guy, working on computers and designing websites.  Surely nothing seemed immoral to me about that.  These were just adult oriented websites with women in lingerie or even nude.  We always took model release forms and picture ids for our records, posted the USC 18 law and legal disclaimers.  

        To me it was as legit as it could be.  I never felt like anyone was being forced as the women came and left as they pleased some stayed till the end, others gained money and left.  That was that.  It was just people looking to gain easy money quickly. 


The beginning of the end.

        A few months after working for them; Mustafaa, Mike, and Bill had a falling out.  The production company would be no more.  It was a huge blow to us all.  Our goal was really to start a webcam site similar to chatterbate or myfreecams.  Without the building and equipment we were back to square one.  Mustafaa said that we needed to change how things were because Mike and Bill had a stake in Detroit Pink as well.  That he would need a new set of websites.  Up until this point I had not made a dollar still, the production company never took off like they thought it would.  I was more or less along for the ride.  The place I was staying before got raided for selling weed out of their house and I was staying at the hotel with the group anyhow for fear of another raid.  So I made an agreement with Mustafaa that I would give him his websites to be able to have a roof over my head and food.  I never asked for cash. 

        If I never made money from it how did I get money?  Well I had stumbled upon San Andreas Multiplayer a multiplayer mod for the GTA San Andreas game.  It had a coding language built in and allowed people to create a game within a game (gamemodes).  I had been teaching myself how to code for this game and was starting to create a pretty popular gamemode called Los Santos Apocalypse.  It was a zombie gamemode and zombies were beginning to be all the rage.  I literally spent day and night working and playing this game while living rent free for 5 or 6 years.  My pocket money came from LSA and Infinite-Gaming the gaming community I had started.

         Around the last year before everything had come to an end.  Mustafaa had a good friend that had gotten involved with a 17 year old female that was wanted for bank robbery.  He expressed his dismay for such an action and had cut ties with him.  I remember the argument where it was said "This would be the end of us".  His friend was indeed raided, the girl found and we learned that the F.B.I and Michigan State police were investigating us.  Some females were also picked up and questioning ensued.  All the while I just tried to keep out of what was going on working on my game, ignoring the inevitable.   

        It was a cold November day, I had awoken early. I was working on one of the largest patches for my game for about a week.  We had no internet at the time and I was taking a cellphone to use free wifi.  I was planning on going that morning to research something I needed to complete my patch.  When I awoke and looked outside it had started to snow.  I thought "ah screw it, I am going to bed".  So I did.

        I was awoken to the sound of someone hollering "Jason come downstairs".  "Jason come downstairs" and then again.  I was rubbing my eye's thinking to myself who's voice is that and why are they yelling.  I then proceeded down the steps.  Upon arriving to the ground floor I was facing a line of 5 or 6 F.B.I agents in full riot gear with shotguns pointed at me.  I quickly turned around with my hands on my head.  I was then restrained and forcibly placed into a squad car.

      It was absolutely nerve racking.  We were taken to the state police station and the first thing to happen was an F.B.I agent taking Polaroid pictures of us.  Anyone who has been arrested knows that this is not how you are booked.  In fact I later learned these were the picture given to the newspapers.  Also when we were raiding the news trucks were on the scene already.  I never seen them with everything going on.  I found all this out much later on.


The rigged Justice System and how Fake News plays a role.

        While being questioned we all learned that we were being accused of having an underage girl escorting.  This was the biggest bold face lie, ever.  We had kept records of every female posted online past and present and corresponding paper work to go along with it.  However this was the story pushed to the papers and the news stations.  The big prostitution ring brought down that had underage females.  No, No, No!  Every time I think about these accusations I get so pissed off.  It was the absolute farthest from the truth.  Yet when you don't have much of a reason to raid a place suspected of running a prostitution ring, what is the next best thing to getting a warrant for peoples arrests?  You see in Michigan a female gets charged with a misdemeanor for prostitution.  At best Mustafaa was Pimping and Pandering and you need solid evidence not circumstantial for a warrant.  What judge would refuse when underage women are involved?

        Unbeknownst to us we learned the investigation had gone on 2 years.  The F.B.I had dropped the case against us for lack of solid evidence after all they wanted RICO charges.  However Michigan had too much money invested into the investigation and in 2006 the State Attorney General had just passed new Human Trafficking laws just to come after Detroit Pink and other escorting agencies operating in the state.  So we were to be known to the public as the big bad human traffickers of underage girls, WELL BEFORE WE WERE EVER CONVICTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        Yes this is how justice works now, you are guilty before proven innocent.  Your constitutional rights (privileges) stripped and your slandered in the media to persuade public opinion just in case you are smart enough to want a jury trial.  The perception is already set in the public's eye.  Your guilty that is that.  


The Trial and Jail.

        The trial was a mess, here in America your supposed to have the right to an expedient trial.  They put 5 of us together in one trial to avoid this.  Never did the 5 lawyers schedules coincide quickly enough for our pretrial.  In fact it drag out to 6 months.  All the while they left us with hundreds of thousands of dollar bonds so we could not be let out.  Knowing we would sit in jail.  We were in Oakland County Jail for all that time.  O.C.J while I was there was completely over crowded.  So much so, when the fire marshal would come for head count to make sure they were following fire code, they would hide prisoners.  The food often times had rocks in it.  People were catching MRSA bacteria infections.  It was outrageous.  I did met plenty of fine people who were in for longer times for simple crimes, some repeat offenders and such.

        Finally coming near the 6 month mark, we were offered a plea bargain.  A bargain it is not.  In fact around 94 to 95% of convictions in America are plea bargains.  When you leave people living in a jail under such conditions and then tell them you can have freedom just take this charge.  They just want to get out, go home and live life.  Most of the women involved jumped right away at the deal.  I however was very leery,  they wanted me to accept Human Trafficking for Financial Benefit.  I exclaimed to my court appointed attorney "I got free room and board, made no money".  Hardly this charge could not be just!  They put me back into the holding cell of the court for about another hour or so, then take me out and put me into a room.  The lawyer walks in with a law book.  Shows me the very vaguely written law and says "Look your a smart guy, they will have you sit for a year and a half more before going to a jury trail".  I later learned this was coercion.  I read the law, asked him "So if I went to burger king and a prostitute buys me a meal while the cops are watching her, I committed this crime".  He nods.  Feeling so defeated and wanting to move on I accepted the charge.


Conclusion.

        In total I got timed served 6 months for a human trafficker.  No one ever got convicted of any underage anything.  We never got our other constitutional right to face our accuser, this underage female.  That was all hog wash just to get us taken down.  So what does this have to do with #PizzaGate?  Well as I have seen and read the research of others I see way more proof of actual evidence of possible Human Trafficking!  It is an outrage to me.  Someone wrongly accused to see high profile people continue the actual abuse of children and teens.  After all we were just a bunch of 20 something year olds just trying to make an easy living.  Fake news stories created to sway the public's opinion and now they even hide the truth.  To me it is relevant.  

        I understand I am not innocent in the eye's of many others.  Many people believe escorting or prostitution to be horrible, that all the women have mental problems.  They are abused and constantly mistreated.   In my experience this is not the case every women was free to go at any time.  I met some very strong women with good heads on their shoulders.  They were all my friends.  We took care of each other, looked out for each other.  Now the lot of us are Human Traffickers while the real criminals roam free.

Welcome to America!      


P.S.  

I know many people here might think I am full of it, that is fine.  Everyone is free to think what they will.  No one is forced to accept what I say, ever.  If your wondering if my life has improved since all this.  Sorry I wish I could say it did.  One hardship after the next.  I could with around $5k to $10k worth and seven years time try to get this felony removed but alas I don't have money like that.  In fact I have none.  I am still trading work for room and board, this time for a construction company.  It sucks, but its my doing.  I am forever blacklisted from getting a regular job due to background checks.  Such is a life as this and I accept it, what else can I do?


Proof: 

The news story, I am the computer guy.  Jason Sherrill.  

News stories

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/11/30/ag-busts-detroit-pink-prostitution-ring/

http://www.candgnews.com/news/bonds-decreased-five-charged-human-trafficking-prostitution

Official government statements....

Before convictions:http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-46849_47203-266408--,00.html

After convictions: http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-46849_47203-312386--,00.html

Image Source: pixabay.com

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  ·  8 years ago (edited)

The fact that most criminal convictions come from plea bargians is the dirty little secret of the american criminal justice system. Its a cycle of over-charging crimes, setting unreasonable bail (based on the seriousness of the overcharge) then waiting for the defendents to crack. There are actually a lot of reasons why the system works like this. The biggest one, as you found out, is that many of the laws are parsed broadly enough so that multiple laws, of varying severities, apply to most individual criminal situation.

I once had a client who was charged with burglary, grand-theft auto (in zona its actually called theft of means, but its the same thing), posession of stolen property, theft and embezzlement. Know what he did? Messed up some dates and kept a rental car 4 days longer than the contract specified. You know what happened to him? Nothing. Because he had $30K to hire me and a house to put up for bail. The DA dropped the charges in exchange for him agreeing to pay for the 4 extra days. But if he had a Public defender like you probably did, and had to sit in jail with a bunch of murders and rapists for want of bail money like you did, he would have taken the first offer they gave him (which would have been something like a gross misdemeanor for theft and 2 years probation with no criminal record.)

Also, i will tell you this as a warning in case you ever have 10K to blow and come upon a dishonest lawyer. A lawyer who wants 10K as a retainer to do this for you is looking to get your 10K, file a motion, have the judge say no, and shrug his shoulders and say "hey i tried my best". Not trying to piss in your cornflakes, just giving you the real scoop.

A felony like this (especially one thats in the papers), if you had a quarter of a million to spend on lawyers and image building, and were willing to spend 5 years working the system (not 5 years in court, 5 years before you even did anything in court doing shit like volunteering in womens shelters and making yourself look like mother teresa): Then you'd be looking at a hail mary long-shot. And maybe not even that. It depends on the sentencing judge (who makes the decision to seal the record). I don't practice in michigan, but in the states where I do practice, even if you hauled a suitcase full of money into my office, about 2/3 of the time, id pull up your case on my computer, see the name of the sentencing judge, and say something to the effect of "sorry, you have literally zero chance. I cant take your money".

Wow, thank you for information. Yes it was a public defender. I had a feeling about trying to get this cleared from my record it would be something like that. Which is why I have come to accept it.

just as a side note after reading the news stories -- not at least making an attempt to sever your case is borderline malpractice, IMO.

Yes I thought it was strange none of the lawyers even asked.

The problem here is that "the people" think that the lawyer is working for them.
This is not true.

The lawyer first owes fealty to the bar. Then the lawyer bows down before the court.
After that, the lawyer is free to work for you.

What you just stated, if the lawyer tried, would be a violation of the who they worked for first, and so, only the most honest lawyer would put their neck out for such.

Yes I have since educated myself better in the law. Learning that Codes and Statues law is not really what the living breathing people of USA are subjected too. We are in fact subject to Common Law. There is not one common law practicing court room in America. It is Maritime/Commercial law. I also learned that B.A.R itself is a foreign entity operating in our court rooms. We can thank the terrible 14th amendment for classifying us all as citizens of Washington D.C and not the people of the state we are born in.

Boy that rabbit hole of research went deep into history of this country, presidents I used to be brainwashed into thinking were so great sold our souls and country many times over. However what did we expect when we came and stole the land anyhow destroying many a great civilizations that were already living here.

Jason, thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry you lost your wife so soon. I hope things get better for you. Don't let your felony define you. I hope you can find some good people here who won't judge you for your past.

Thank you. I was so nervous I would get ridiculed from the start after posting this. To see 2 kind comments first is a testament to the open hearted nature of steemit. It has brought tears to my eyes.

Don't accept it, move on....do good! Great and brave blog post! You can't always trust the media, and if what you say is true then I wish you the best in your ventures! Everyone deserves the right to justice.

I would argue that you can rarely trust the media.

Thank you for the kind words. I have been debating about writing this for a while. I felt I needed to get this off my chest. I never hid what I was doing either throughout it. My parents were well aware and I commend them for always being by my side. Amazing people they are.

Everyone has a past. How you deal with it defines you. You have been brave and honest in your blog. Don't let your past define who you are today. I certainly am not judging you, your parents aren't or the other person who has commented. That's a good handful of decent human beings!

You are right, thank you again for the encouraging words.

I agree with @sarahewaring. Everyone does have a past. I'm glad you feel better after getting it off your chest. Keep going putting one foot in front of the other.....and soon you'll be far from your past. It doesn't define you. You can learn from it but don't let it keep you from moving forward.

Thank you. It is a very challenging thing to do. The hurdles one must jump after a mistake like this is very hard in today society. Again steemit has completely surprised me with the comments given here. I wasn't to know what to expect really. After the backlash I have had looking for work, to lose friends and distancing from others since all this has left me in a weird feeling of limbo. It is hard to know how to come out of it.

The other difficulty is when people say "it doesn't bother me" and then proceed to treat me differently as they would treat others.

Shame is what I think you are carrying - meaning "I am bad" . You aren't bad. You had a tough go and made some poor choices–we all have to one degree or another, but now you are trying to get yourself together in a more positive way. Our society is full of compassionate people and those who hold stigmas towards things they disagree with or uncomfortable with. I think we all know people who say one thing and do another - and really, it's a good thing when that happens. It tells you whose good for you and who isn't.
Remind yourself that you will be okay. It might take longer than you want or it might happen sooner. Just be okay and content with each step. We are here in this community at any rate.

Most people on here are telling you the same thing in so many words. You can do it. I won't be easy. Life is difficult and it is good. Hold your head up. Do good. Do well. Know you are worthwhile. Keep those close who listen and understand. Make others earn your trust.

Edited for spelling errors, some clarity on weird sounding sentences and punctuation.

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If you think prostitution is no biggie, as you suggest. Then I would ask you here and now, When did you try it? Why didn't you just sell your ass after your wife died? You would only have had a misdemeanor as you said! You could have been making your own money for selling your body-I guess that would be more honest according to what you said, that prostitution is just fine. If so, then why didn't YOU become a prostitute? Men pay for other men as much as they pay for women. Would love to hear your reasoning as to why you don't need to sell your ass to men when you were "depressed and desperate", but it's cool if women do it and you profit from it. I'm all ears.

  1. I am not that attractive
  2. Not interested in men
  3. Money isn't that important to me

Now when I end up homeless which seems like it's going to be inevitable and haven't eaten in month I may have too. Then that would be karma wouldn't it.....

Kudos to you, sir, for answering that judgmental poster. Best of luck to you in finding employment.

Thank you.

Is this supposed to make sense?

@psychanaut you believe in a world that never actually existed. I used to believe the same.
Just like I used to believe in a fair trial, and innocent until proven guilty.

The kind of world you would like, (and me too) will not come about by throwing around words the like you have. Nor will it come about with the govern-cement that we currently have.

Welfare was supposed to keep women off the street. What it did was anything but. It turned ALL women into prostitutes. Getting knocked up every 3 years to keep the checks coming. Making baby-daddies a thing, because you can't have a man in the house... And making it possible for women to make the worst choices in men and not pay for it; These baby-mamas go after the bad boys, because they are exciting, and they don't need the money. The good men are shoved to the side, and may only enter the picture after she is over the hill.

Furthermore, welfare is for someone who has an address. When you find yourself on the street, getting through govern-cement bureaucracy is a pain in the ass. It usually cannot be done by an 18 year old runnaway on her own. It is fucking easy to do if you are the baby of a baby-mama. You already know the papers to fill out, which lines to stand in, and you have an address. So, the welfare makes the welfare class, and doesn't help the needy.


Or, I might turn the tables on you and say, "so you would prefer these runnaways to starve?" We do not live in a society where you can just get out of highschool and get a job that pays a living wage. A lot needs to change in our world. Yelling at the men who keep these escorts safe while they earn a living is not going to help. ... however, it is the way the mainstream media has programmed us. (they are the boogeymen)

Very true words @builderofcastles thank you for the insight. I really like the term govern-cement that is clever.

No clue what you're babbling about. I think you must be speaking to yourself.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

If you think prostitution is no biggie, as you suggest. Then I would ask you here and now, When did you try it?

This is poor logic.

I personally wouldn't be willing to have gay sex for money. Or eat poop for money. Or read luke stokes posts for money, but my unwillingness to do so doesn't mean that I give up my right to advocate that others, who are willing to endure these things, be allowed to do so.

I also don't smoke pot. But i think it should be legal... i just don't see how it makes sense that you should have to committ a crime to think it shouldnt be a crime.

ALso, i should point out where the "trafficking" charge came from, because some of you might not have picked up on it in the article.

One of these prostitutes was underage. The mustafa guy "trafficked" her in that he gave her a ride to and from her dates, and transporting her makes it fit the elements for human trafficking under michigan statues. AFAICT, no one was ever alleging that the prostitutes were being held against their will and compelled to do this (as the term trafficking might lead you to believe)

Not that employing an underage prostitute is necessarily a stand up thing, just that the charge itself is misleading.

No one said anything about anything you just said. No one mentioned pot, no one mentioned poop, no one mentioned any of these distractions in your reply.

You just proved my point. You yourself would never sell yourself for money and have ZERO experience doing so. Therefore, you really don't have shit to say about what other people are doing or how other people feel about it.

How about you stick to what you know, and leave the commentary about other people's experience, that you don't know jack shit about, alone?

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

You just proved my point.

No sorry, i didn't. My point stands. If you have a problem with prostitution, take it up with a prostitute.

In the mean time, you don't have a monopoly on relevant opinion just because you have somehow cultivated some (as far as i can see entirely meritless) sense of moral superiority

I downvoted your post below for being a ridiculous and wholly unwarranted personal attack. I also downvoted your replies to modprobe and sarah, for much the same reason.

Youre entitled to disapprove of what OP did, but youre definitely not entitled to make accusations about people being sexual predators and a danger to women and children and call people names. Personally, i think it took a lot of guts to post this and

If you want to continue to shit on it, and can't restrain yourself from meritless accusations, I will continue to downvote you. I get that in a lot of the "pizzagate" type threads, the "anyone who questions my views is a pedophile and anyone who objects to being called a pedophile is trying to censor me" line of reasoning plays, but its not going to play with me.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

@sigmajin I came to your page to see if you'd decided to start posting again, and sadly no but the title of this was too intriguing to pass up...very kind of you to back him up like this. I agree it was brave to put it out there. The thing that bothers me most about these types of convictions is the fact that they continue to haunt you. Shouldn't the point of 'serving time' be that you paid your dues and it's done? I have a friend who was charged with statutory rape many years ago-he was 20, she was 16, they were a couple and it was consensual but the parents pressed charges. Because of this he's a registered sex offender and has to check in when he moves, can't live within so much distance of a school, and if people check out that site where they track sex offenders there's a big fat red dot on his address. It's awful.
P.S. Those with meritless moral superiority issues almost always lack empathy and will not come around to another's point of view no matter how logical.
P.P.S Your gif made me snicker

I don't have a problem with anything but men like you. Can't you do any better? What do you want? Praise for not being able to handle your business on your own? You want praise for that? Get in line buddy, life is tough. I have no sympathy for old men who can do whatever they please and instead of manning up and doing honest work or taking care of business, they make excuses for themselves and then expect an ego massage afterwards. Get over yourself. Learn something. Build something. Help children. You know, be a man?

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

Just incidentally, i don't know you, and unlike you, i don't presume to make judgements about those I don't know.

But i find it very unlikely that you worked harder for what you have than i ve worked for what i have , or that you "handle your shit" better than me.

Its incredibly presumptuous of you to assume that you know what my life is like, or what i've accomplished, or what i expect.

I think everyone here would be interested to hear about the provenance of your moral superiority. Because when you just talk about how shitty everyone else is, it sounds like empty, meritless surquedry.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

I don't have a problem with anything but men like you.

  ·  8 years ago Reveal Comment
  ·  8 years ago (edited)

We may find it aesthetically or morally displeasing to consider the fact that there are women out there for whom sex-for-money isn't in the least bit offensive; that there are women out there who may quite enjoy that line of work. But by what right do we impose our preferences or morals upon them, to determine that we have rightful censorship over their free will because we regard certain transactions as unpleasant? That is dehumanizing and harmful to those women; not only does it rob them of legitimate choices, but it casts aspersions upon them, arguing that they are lesser quality humans for regarding sex as anything but dirty and evil. We have no such right.

With that being said, we may rightfully regard it as tragic and unconscionable when women feel like they have no other option than to sell sex. That is, indeed, a horrible thing, and we ought to do our utmost to create a world and a society where women (and men) do have better options, that they don't have to accept a role they view as demeaning in order to make ends meet. But raging online about how @cyber-punk is a terrible person because he worked with people who gave women a safe place in which to exercise their option to sell companionship and sex does nothing to help provide more options to them. It is necessary to conclude that our energies would be better allocated in some other way.

If we're looking for the real offenders who rob women of better options, so that we can look for real solutions to help those people, we would do well to spend some time meditating on @builderofcastles's comment.

  ·  8 years ago Reveal Comment

That's fine, you're welcome to do that. But if you ever decide to leave your safe space of emotional solipsism, there's a real world out here waiting for you, and we'll be happy to welcome you back into it. :)

Really? That's the best you can come up with?

It's about choice dear. The guy is opening up and doing good now. Give him a chance don't hate.

  ·  8 years ago Reveal Comment

Instead of asking "why" it happened - because that brings condemnation, try asking of the "how" it happened which brings compassion, empathy, forgiveness, kindness. Ask with your inside voice though.
@cyber-punk candidly shared what he shared for himself not for debate purposes.
It was a huge struggle if you heard him.

Hi, I'm sorry that you think your opinion means anything to me, when it doesn't.

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Upvoted,Resteemed and Followed

Thank you, I have followed you as well.

I very much admire you sharing your story, it is brave and I believe that opening up like this helps heal the past. As many have said don't let this define you.

If it is in your heart, strive to do good.

Sorry im going to comment again on this as it really got me thinking yesterday about how brave you were to post this. If every person who had gone down a wrong path, or had a history that was tarred by the media, actually stood up took the wrap for things they have done wrong and defended what they needed too, then set set out to do good, how amazing would our world be? Good on you Cyber Punk . P.S i hope you find justice in where you were wronged. What goes round, comes around :-)

Due to the amazing comments on here, the condemnation I got elsewhere that had my judgements of myself dissuaded feeling like I wasn't to belong anymore and has already shown me how amazing this world is becoming, how we can stop being so judgemental of others and instead welcome them as who they are flaws and all. I found steemit by accident browsing youtube videos about other people opinions of our broken system and the person advertised it. I am blessed to have joined it and met you all!

I guess you are just one of the thousands of victums of this corrupt system and
world we all live in. We were raised to believe and trust and we are turned into
fools. It is such a shame that a talented guy gets involved in so many things
just because he is trying to survive and get his life back on track. I hope you
meet the right people who will appreciate you and your work, and see past
your bad luck. Here's wishing you better luck in your future.

Thank you.

Your story is all too common these days. The legal system is a racket where prosecutors are paid per conviction but defense is paid per case so both have a vested interest in plea bargaining regardless of what is good for the defendant. My advice to you since you are good at coding, etc is to do some freelance development work where your criminal history isn't checked and put together some of your own websites. I also might know of some projects that could use a good hand or too that I could possible get you on.

Yes it is a huge scheme every judge who presides in a criminal case is "on the take" and highly illegal. Funny how it takes having to go through this to learn law. I imagine if I had known these things back then and fought the system I probably would have ended up in a FEMA camp with no case at all. At least I am more aware now.

I have looked into some freelance sites but they all seemed to want money up front before you could actually get any work and seemed very scammy to me. Your right about the websites and regret to this day why I took down my gaming community and servers, but that is a whole other woe is me story that isn't worth speaking of anytime soon. Since they have been down I have made about 3 decent video game prototypes in Unity3d but I am not an artist so every time I get so far into making them and end up needed an artist for character design and 3d modeling/texture work so I stop till I get the next idea that I might be able to just do it all myself (my ego hard at work). One I wish I could have gotten done was an idea to throw fruit at Trump and Hillary. I got all the touch controller working, a decent scene to work in, the whole fling/flying fruit mechanics done but never could create trump or hillary LOL.

I am interested in hearing about these projects @jphenderson, I have seen you on steemtrail, I am sure we can talk more there to see if I can possibly lend a hand. I am not well versed in every language (who is) but do not seem to have a hard time picking up new ones. If it is coding related.

I don't have anything new to say that hasn't already been said, but just wanted to add my voice to the support you've already had.
I want to acknowledge the grief and loss from the death of your wife, the decisions you made to start getting your life back on track (even though it went horribly wrong) and the injustice you've been through. I honour your bravery in sharing. I wish you the very best for the future.

Thank you.

Your story moved me. I'm so sorry to hear about your misfortune and wish you the best of luck going forward. I grew up in a drug-infested neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio in the 80's. Many people don't realize how easily this kind of thing can happen in our law enforcement/ justice system. I saw many people I grew up with end up in jail or dead. My brother and I got away from there as soon as we could and were just a handful of the lucky few who did. Keep your head up and do your best to live a positive life.

Thank you.

You're welcome.