South Florida Gay News has exposed a massive five-year undercover operation in Palm Beach, FL, that’s seen the Sheriff’s Department arrest more than 600 men allegedly looking for sex in public parks throughout the region.
But as editor Jason Parsley discovered, of the hundreds nabbed only four were actually found in flagrante delicto (that’s “with their pants down,” for the non-Latin speakers). The rest were propositioned and arrested by one of the two undercover officers involved in the operation, Detectives Peter Lazar and Van Garner.
In at least 74 of the reports, it appeared the officers were the ones who first approached the defendant and struck up conversations. Parsley’s report includes statistical revelations of the age range of defendants, where they lived, and what techniques the officers utilized to effectuate the arrests.
“Many of the other reports are vague, but scores of the reports reveal officers themselves volunteering what sexual acts they prefer to engage in,” Parsley stated.
Obviously these guys weren’t in the park to play ultimate frisbee—and with the advent of Grindr, Manhunt, Craigslist and eighty gazilion other ways for men seeking men to hook up, we kind of wish public cruising would go the way of the hanky code.
But entrapment is entrapment—and this clearly looks like entrapment.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“It is clear from a review of the files that the police tactic is to approach, lure, and entice guys who are sitting alone in their car, or on a bench, start a sexually charged conversation with them, and then look for a way to arrest them,” lawyer Russell Cormican told Parsley.
SFGN‘s investigation was actually started after one of the detectives involved in the Palm Beach stings bragged to Cormican that, “this is all we do… we wear shorts and a tank top and we go after lewd acts.”
Gee, officer, we’re sorry you’re job is so dull. Maybe you’ll get lucky and someone will rob a bank or go on a shooting spree.
Photo courtesy of South Florida Gay News
Cam
The issue is, the police think this is an easy way to make money for the city. They think that most of the men will pay a fine to avoid going to court over it, even if by going to court they could get the arrest thrown out.
Also, I’m curious, do they also send female officers to walk along the street and arrest straight guys who come up and chat them up and proposition them?
Wtf
While the entrapment part sickens me, here’s a clue–DONT F’ING CRUISE PARKS OR PUBLIC RESTROOMS! Jeez Louise how many times does this have to happen before people get a clue!! And to the people who want to defend this behavior or tell me how many straight couples would get away with public sex, kindly STFU.
Isaac C
They all got what they deserved.
jason
This is how men operate when they are at their most base sexuality-wise: they will have sex with total strangers, emit a few grunts, and then go back home. How sad, how utterly sad. It’s the orgasmist principle behind male sexuality – ie men need to have orgasms to achieve mental happiness, regardless of the consequences to public morality.
Therefore, I’m glad they’re arresting these perverts. They should be locked away as far as I’m concerned.
David Aventura
This is going to get interesting. I don’t know why gay men continue to make the argument that “cruising is just a part of our culture” and that public sex is too. I call BS. These guys deserved to be arrested, and it is hardly entrapment. These scumbags should not have public sex. I don’t care what straight people do. Anyone who thinks differently need not argue with me. They can take it up with their local legislators.
JAW
I worked in a dept store and these married guys would come in looking for a quick BJ… kids would come running out to their Mom telling what they saw.
Very sad that a Mom could not send a 7yo into the men’s room without worrying that they would be molested.
And like I mentioned… most were straight guys giving us Gay Men a bad rep.
Kurt
If these idiots want to have public sex with strangers they should just go to a sex club or bath house instead of a public place outdoors.
Chopper Man
@Cam: Um, yes, the cops do set up stings against female prostitutes. Frequently. Like, all the time. What, you never saw a single episode of “Cops”?
As long as we insist on playing the victim, we’re always going to be victims.
cminca
I’d like to know when the Palm Beach cops are going to start entraping, prosecuting and publishing the names of hetrosexual johns looking for hookers?
David
JAW guys who cruise restrooms and have sex with other men are NOT straight at all. They’re usually gay and completely closeted or in denial of their sexuality.
Furthermore someone who is into having sex in public bathrooms with other adult men is not the same as a ped0.
I don’t think that it’s a good thing to have public sex I mean c’mon this isn’t the 70s or 80s anymore and if you want to get it on right then and there just go to a hotel or motel that charges by the hour.
B_FTL
@jason: kindly stfu. You have no idea what you are saying.
Lou Scunt
I’m surprised by the comments. A lot of self righteousness – like YOU never did it? Stop lying to yourself and just sit down.
Isaac C
@B_FTL: He is actually right.
pedro
@Lou Scunt: Umm…sorry but in my 23 years on this planet, I have never had sex in a public park,wood, or bathroom…sorry, but some of us have self-respect! Others…not so much!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
Ugh. Cruising. No.
Dallas David
@pedro: LOL . . .
Stuart
It all depends on the kind of entrapment they are doing. It is not illegal to talk about sex in public, it is only illegal to engage in sexual acts. If a hot guy is hitting on you and pressuring you for sex, would you not potentially eventually consent even though you know its wrong? My experience cruising was met guy at park, we talked, we kissed, we went back to my place, fucked and than he left. Does that still count as cruising?
but most importantly of all, you mentioned ultimate frisbee, which is AWESOME. Yay for ultimate and all gay ultimate teams. There sexy and they buck it
Martin
In Denmark we have police in the most popular cruising park in Copenhagen. They are there to PROTECT the cruising guys. The municipality has put out free condoms in bins round the park…
I guess you guys in America know what you are doing but it sure sounds like you have messed-up relationship to sex and sexuality. Quite frankly i feel sorry for all these moralistic people here who are so estranged to sexuality. Of course theres a time for sex and a time for being aerious but come -entrapment by police in tank tops LOL
I dont go cruising, i dont need to BTW
pedro
@Martin: Are you fucking serious? Martin I’m glad you Danes are so liberated that fucking in public is a-ok… Good for you ja! But this here is the U.S. of A and we ain’t never gonna be down for turning our public parks into fuckzones…sorry, now go jump in a lake or fuck some loser in a public park!
Martin
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: wow big words… Well at least we have those rights you talk about all the time, maybe theres a reason for it? Could it be tolerance???
jason
Martin,
I’m sorry but I think Denmark is full of perverts. Men with fetishes. There’s a very disturbing trend of skinny men with bad skin and gross fetishes in Denmark.
I am not estranged to sexuality. I am estranged to sleaze. There’s a big difference. Perhaps you should look it up in the dictionary.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Martin: Ugh. I felt kinda bad after I posted my reply, but no, my first instinct was right, you really are a blowhard.
Martin
@jason: You think you have the right to define what is acceptable sexuality and what is sleaze – guess what? So does Rick Santorum. Have fun over there if republicans win next election…
Lance
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: As if the opposite is never seen.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Lance: Well, yeah. But that’s a whole other issue.
Martin
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: Oh im crying my eyes out. You actualy felt bad when you called me a retard i guess that makes you an honorable person. You get what you dish out. You dish out morality and may get republican president…
Actually we are quite normal in Denmark germans are more kinky. But we make space for people
pedro
@Martin: Why do Europeans and Canadians feel the need to constantly pontificate on all matters American…? The average American won’t even think about Denmark or Danes in their lifetime, yet you Eurotrash bastards can’t seem to get through a day without yapping on and on about how much better you fuckers are than we stupid Americans…If you’re so much more superior that us troglodyte Americans, why aren’t you satisfied in that wonderful knowledge? Why do you bastards have to harp on it so much…Get a fucking life and leave us in peace!
Lance
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: Seems pretty pertinent to me – I’m just drawing parallels to show that there are douchebags from both sides.
Lance
Societies that fully accept and comprehend that sex is an inescapable fact in humans are now wrong and perverted?
It’s hilarious how all of these sex-friendly and “disgusting” countries have less sexual abuse, less teenage pregnancies and less STDs (all per capita, obviously) than the more “correct” ones.
pedro
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: Umm…what are you going on about…did I piss you off?
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@pedro: And that, of course, was meant for the gaping asshole (I believe he goes by the name of “Martin”), and not for you 🙂
Martin
@pedro: The avarage american also might also think gay sex is sodomy…
So if the avarage american is the god standard stop whining about your rights…
Isaac C
@Martin: Apples to oranges comparison with Rick. That’s called a red herring.
Martin
@pedro: The avarage american also might also think gay sex is sodomy…
So if the avarage american is the gold standard then stop whining about your rights and bigotry…
Lance
@pedro: You don’t even know this person yet are trying to imply that they are alien to every other country’s political state. Perhaps they are knowledgeable about Germany, France or Canada too? Who the fuck knows.
JDubbs
Pedro,
They feel the need to comment on our affairs due to that very American sense of exceptionalism that we can’t seem to shut up about. Most Americans believe this is the best place to live in every conceivable way. I think its justified that a subset of the european population would like to remind us (on relevant news articles) that this is not the case in several circumstances.
Jason,
Note that your morality (and other opinions without relevant facts) are meaningless in public policy. Martin may be spotty on a few things but he is spot on in saying that your definition of what is “moral” or not is just as meaningful as that of a conservative who wants nothing more than for you to “pray the gay away” for public morality.
pedro
@Martin: Umm…A lot of gay sex is sodomy…what’s your point exactly…? OH I think you mean to say the average American might think sodomy is wrong…well what does that have to do with my comment about the European obsession with all things American, or the fact that a lot of Eurotrash build their very self-esteem on a foundation of anti-american sentiment…WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU…STOP STALKING US! If you really want to get our attention fly a plane into one of our buildings…or find oil deposits under your feet…Until then fuck off!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@JDubbs: Mnn, no, they feel the need to comment because they don’t realize that they’re ignorant douchebags. I’m not saying that foreigners can’t offer thoughtful critiques of American society, but saying “Here in Denmark we do it differently, therefore you Americans suck,” that’s him just being a dick.
Martin
@Isaac C: No it isnt. Its exactly the same. People who feel they have the right to judge others sexuality, and i just dont like it.
All these touchy queens pour abuse at me, but i think it is important point ot that you have to be tolerant yourself before you can ask for tolerance from others.
Hyhybt
Why is it not easy to find out whether they arrested only people who did or were going to *have sex* in public, whether encouraged to do so by the police or not, as opposed to people who, after meeting, would have gone somewhere private?
Martin
@pedro: I guess this is what an inferiority complex looks like in real life
LOL
Isaac C
@Martin: It isn’t the same. You are talking about someone (Santorum) who condemns a minority population and wants them stripped of rights and humanity. The people here against cruising are discussing whether or not a public sexual *act* is appropriate in a public space and whether it should be protected. Just because morality *may* factor into both cases doesn’t mean they’re in any way equivalent. You are making a HUGE leap between two separate issues and it is completely baseless. Sorry, it’s a red herring.
Wow
Why isn’t there an undercover police op. for public hetero sex? Oh right, our fair society deems public hetero sex as kinky and public gay sex as stinky.
pedro
@JDubbs: Why should the fact that Americans think that they’re exceptional bother these fucktards…? It’s not like we denigrate the Danes..As I said most Americans will NEVER think about Scandanavians, why can’t they return the favor!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Martin: You do realize that people are “pouring abuse” on you because you came here and decided to take a shit on America and let everyone know how superior Denmark is, don’t you? If what you wanted to talk about was tolerance and sexual freedom, you could’ve done that and most people would’ve been on board. But instead, you decided to make your point in the douchiest, most dickheaded way possible. So quit yer whining.
Martin
@Isaac C: No we are talking about whether it is cool that sexy young police officers dress up in tank tops to entrap gay men in order to arrest them for immoral behaviour. Those who have pity for the entrapped people are essentially of the same make as Santorum.
I dont like public sex. I feel sex is nobody elses business but it shouldnt be forced on ppl.
However i hate when people start to moralise because other ppl like this or that, and i remind everyone that this is why homosexuality used to be illegal
jason
Denmark is an awful place. It’s nowhere near as gay-friendly as you might think.
In fact, I think allowing men to have sex with men in public parks actually hurts gay men. Imagine if you’re a gay man wanting to have a picnic in a park the day after men have spilt their semen and dropped semen-filled condoms all over the ground. As a gay man, you’ll be spreading your blanket and your food cans all over a semen-soaked ground.
I think that hurts, not helps, gay men.
jason
Martin,
You’re equating an innate orientation like homosexuality with a vile, disgusting, chosen behavior like having sexual intercourse in a public park. There is no moral equivalence between the two. Therefore, your argument is fake.
I do, however, agree with the notion that police should also pursue the sleazy straight guys and their girlfriends who have sex in public parks. They should be arrested too.
GeoG
Wow, I can’t believe there are so many bitter queens out here. The more I read these comments, the sadder I get about being an American. Entrapment is entrapment, no matter the sex or sexuality of the person being arrested. Martin, ignore the ignorant. Not all gays are as judgmental or bitter as these Queerty readers are. And please don’t assume that we are all alike in America. Sometimes the worst critics are these I-know-it-all queens.
Martin
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: Im not whining! You are being touchy…
You have no pity on the repressed sexuality of your older countrymen. Id say thats a stinker. Thats why i commented as i did. I didnt take a shit on america, but id ridicule the ludicrous idea of sex entrapment by morality cops in tank tops
JayKay
Good. It’s a gross practice for gross people.
And guys, I think it’s sweet how you’re making the europoor feel like his opinion is actually relevant in a real country.
pedro
@GeoG: I may be bitter, but I certainly ain’t no “queen”…I AM A MAN…YOu know those signs black men used to hold up at civil rights rallies back in the Jim Crow days, I feel like a lot of gay men who don’t succumb to silly gay stereotypes need to do the same, maybe I should get a t-shirt printed…I like cock, and that’s all. I don’t listen to lady GaGA or wear pink or sip on martinis with my little pinky in the air. So the whole “bitter queen” comments are like 20 years out of fashion, lose it, and address men like men…Otherwise their are trans blogs where you might feel more comfortable mingling with your own!
Isaac C
@Martin: You are really too thickheaded and dense to discuss this with.
Let’s take this line: “I feel sex is nobody elses business but it shouldnt be forced on ppl.”
If you feel that way, then why do you support the rights of people who have public sex? *Public* means it’s everybody’s business, and when public sexual *acts* are protected and encouraged, they are in effect being forced on people. So, you are contradicting yourself.
And again, you cannot make a comparison between condemnation of a homosexual minority and a public sexual act on the grounds of “morality.” It doesn’t make any sense…unless you are saying that homosexuality basically comes down to a sexual act. And if you are saying that, you’re more ridiculous than I imagined. That is right-wing “logic.”
Do you understand the difference between an act and a minority population? It doesn’t seem like you do.
GeoG
I call a duck a duck and a bitter queen a bitter queen. Grow up!!!
Wow
People. Heteros have sex in public washrooms and BRAG about it. Don’t you guys see the double standard?
Martin
@GeoG: Hey thanks 🙂
I like America in many ways and danish people do generally. Actually we even try to be good allies of America even if we are a small country. But this isnt about Denmark.
This is about being tolerant of other peoples sexuality, and its so comical to read how Jason talks about innate sexuality vs. “vile, disgusting chosen behaviour” and cannot hear the Santorum echo…
pedro
@Wow: What heteros do you hang with…This is the fucking same bullshit argument that gay men keep making to justify their filthy habits…Let’s get this right: Straight men and skanky prostitutes have sex in public places and they also have stings that bust their asses and put them in prison…Every skanky hoe on the corner has seen the inside of a fucking jail cell on multiple occasions. So stop playing the victim. If you have sex, or try to have sex in public expect to get fucking stung, end of. I highly doubt much of the public will weep over any of these fools getting thrown in the sty! I sure won’t!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@GeoG: Nah. Pedro is right. “Men” like you think everyone else ressembles you. You’re a queen, so you think all other gay men are, too. Kind of a pathetic mindset.
LandStander
They need a nude park, like they have nude beaches.
I am an American, and I think about Denmark.
I have never had sex in a downtown park, but I have been camping with my boyfriend before. We may have strayed from the tent a time or two…
Cops in tank-tops. Yes please.
— There was a lot to respond to.
Martin
@pedro: Aha thats your problem, self hate…
Youre a real Man who happens to like cock but shit scared of femininity…
the crustybastard
The Crustybastard Theater presents: “Entrapment (or Not Entrapment)”
Act One:
LEO: Hot enough for you?
PUB: Haha. Nope. Anyway, I hear it’s gonna rain.
LEO: Wanna buy some pot?
PUB: What…? No.
LEO: It’s good stuff, cheap. I gotta get rid of it.
PUB: I said ‘no,’ okay? I don’t smoke pot.
LEO: Look, if you don’t give me $20 for this bag, I’m gonna beat the shit out of you and leave you for dead.
PUB: Jesus Christ! Okay. Here’s $20.
LEO: You’re under arrest.
PUB: That’s entrapment!
JUDGE: You’re right. Case dismissed.
Act Two:
LEO: Hot enough for you?
PUB: Yes, you sure are.
LEO: Wanna fuck me for $20?
PUB: Hell yes!
LEO: You’re under arrest.
PUB: That’s entrapment!
JUDGE: Um, no.
The difference is that Pub had no intent to engage in the crime of buying marijuana, but was clearly already inclined to engage in the crime of prostitution. The fact that law enforcement officials may facilitate Pub’s criminal act does not constitute entrapment.
For reading that, you are one step closer to your online GED in Law.
GeoG
Let’s hope none of these angry queens work for the ACLU, otherwise we’d all be in deep trouble. America is filled with great open-minded people, unfortunately they, for the most part, are not Queerty readers.
Martin
@LandStander: Thanks! We think about america too
Good night to all positive Americans and FU to the bitter ones…
pedro
@pedro: …there*…
GeoG
Good night Martin, and stay positive about this country. Hopefully our country will one day become more like yours.
tazz602
#1 – All of you decrying the behavior of the men, take a step back and think. First of all, most of the men doing this are not out Gay or Bi men, they are closeted men who are married, have girlfriends, etc. It’s the same old story, because society makes it such a stigma that they would “god forbid” come out as gay or bi, they seek out anonymous encounters to get their rocks off. Anyone working as a counselor with AIDS services, STD testing, etc will tell you the same. The issue isn’t our community, it’s men who have sex with men for whatever reason – and until things change in society or people decide it’s better to be honest about themselves these kind of cruising places will always have people looking for action.
#2 – It is easy money for the city because of #1, most of these men will pay fines for reduced charges rather then go to court and have it a public record and possibly get branded a sexual predator for life. Shame on the police department for taking advantage of people like this. And I will say it – WHAT ABOUT THE STR8 PEOPLE HAVING SEX – do they do anything about them? Not like I haven’t seen that in a public park or in a car where kids can see.
pedro
@Martin: LOL, I’m not shit scared of femininity. I have my mom and 2 sisters…Why the fuck should I be scared of femininity? I just happen not to be especially feminine myself…If that’s your thing then have at it, just show some humility and don’t immediately expect that every gay man you encounter will be a fem, liza loving queen…I had a father who thought me how to act like a man…Maybe it’s a latino thing…maybe not, I just act like I feel and would like to be addressed as such…that is all.
Wow
@pedro:
You missed my point. I am not justifying public sex.
Russell
With SO many places for gay men to go meet now (bars, restaurants, bookstores, internet dating and hook up sites …) it’s hard to have sympathy for those who continue to beat the bushes knowing full well the police are lying in wait.
Jim Steele
I wish the men who were busted in this sham form of law enforcement would hold their heads up high, plead not guilty and tell their critics to take a rocket ship to the moon.
Elmwoodmac
Can’t say I’ve ever had sex in a public park , bathroom or deep in the woods. I did jerk off once by myself in a Greyhound Bus washroom while it was moving when I was around 17.
Not sure I qualify as one of these public sex pervs.
jim2008
Everybody gets up on their high horses and slams gay guys for this so-called form of lewd behavior. Well I know plenty of straight men and straight women who have sex in public on the dance floor in clubs, in restrooms and even at their high school proms. Do I condone this type of behavior? Nope. But who the heck asked me? What two or more consenting adults do, is their business–in public or in private.
B
No. 62 · the crustybastard ‘s example:
Here’s where I’d have a problem with this sort of police operation (I’ll modify the
dialog and insert “me” instead of “pub” since I can be more of a wise-ass).
Act Three:
LEO: Wanna fuck me for $20?
Me: How about $50?
LEO: You’re under arrest.
Me: For what? Bidding up the price for fun to see how much someone would be willing
to pay? At my age, it isn’t often that someone wants to pay me to have sex so of course I wanted to see how high you would go. It’s false arrest, if not entrapment! It’s not like I’d want to do it with someone who’s obviously OD’d on donuts as much as you have!
JUDGE: Um, no – its “contempt of cop” even though you didn’t know he was a cop at the start. We have zero tolerance for wise guys, and even less for people who actually want to use their First Amendment rights.
The problem – these are often high-turnover operations where they arrest people as fast as possible, knowing that most of their victims will be too embarrassed to complain. If you do something out of the ordinary – not following the usual script – you might be innocently trapped. They can assume that, if you aren’t obviously horrified, you must be guilty of something.
michael
I’ll play the devil’s advocate… I like cruising. However I don’t have sex where somebody can just walk on by. If I want to pick up a guy for sex and do it somewhere secluded then its NOYFB. I would place any wager the guys here saying how I would deserve to get arrested are the guys I would never ever hook up with.
TASTEY GOODIES
@pedro: Dude, I am PROUD of my NORWEGIAN-SWEDISH heritage and I DO happen 2 care about the Nordic countries. DENMARK, SWEDEN, NORWAY, FINLAND, ICELAND, AND GREENLAND. I visited norge (Norway) 4 yrs ago and I NEVER felt more at home than there. I LOVE the Nordic culture and its peeps. Why do Americans feel the need 2 b so self-important, smug, and superior? The Nordic folk are very self-effacing and maybe we Americans can swallow a dose fo humility for a change. Just sayin’.
HM
Wow. I’m glad I was born long ago enough to remember when a snog on the beach or some fun in the bushes off the bike trail was still in bounds….before some of the pious little shits that post here came along….
First, this article talks about guys who were busted for just SAYING they wanted some, and maybe unbuttoning their flys in their CARS. I know you youngsters are the Patriot Act generation, but guess what? That shit’s called ENTRAPMENT. If thats no big deal to you…well it may be some sad old closet case today, but it could be you tomorrow for any number of things.
Secondly, lots of these guys come from a different time. You got married, had kids and buggered guys when the urge hit. Or..you became a priest. Or a coach at Penn state. They’re too old to cast off the yoke of oppression and discover the world of appletinis and Katy Perry. They are what they are. At least they aren’t feeling up kids in college showers. In Key West, most of the cruising areas are social places. Where conversations are started, and the real action is off in a remote parking lot or in a porno store video booth. Cops busting gay men for simply being gay in the wrong parking lot or footpath is an evil practice of a very dark past.
Finally and maybe most importantly…..DONT THEY HAVE BETTER FUCKING THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT? I live in South Florida…..the headlines here range from pathetic to comical. Every week there’s some new abused kid, some child forgotten to die straped into a 130 degree car’s back seat, some millionaire drunk killing someone with his Bentley, gangs, crack, insurance fraud, pill mills……there IS a reason two thirds of the cases on COPS happen here. Is the rest of Palm Beach Fucking County so safe and secure and law abiding you have to worry about lonely old men in parks at 10pm? I dont fuckin think so.
Mike UK
yes there are loads of other places for guys to hook up, bars, on-line etc but what some of you have overlooked is that some of these guys will be getting a thrill from the possibility of getting caught hence why they go to parks and public toilets.
as for all the bitching about where is best to live, I was once asked by an american friend of a friend when i was on holiday in the US if i’d like to live there, when i replied NO she couldn’t understand why anyone and in her words “wouldn’t want to live in the greatest country in the world”, when asked if she’s ever been to the UK, Europe or have indeed ever left the US she said “no, I don’t have a passport” enough said!!!!!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@HM: “lots of these guys come from a different time. You got married, had kids and buggered guys when the urge hit. Or..you became a priest. Or a coach at Penn state.”
Wow. So pedophiles are just closeted gay men? Thanks for keeping that old myth alive.
TASTEY GOODIES
@Mike UK: Yeah, dude. I just wish Americans that have never been 2 a foreign country state that the US is THE best place 2 live. A person like that has NO base for comparison. I went 2 Norway and wish I could live there cuz I would be w/ my peeps and I felt more at home there than anywhere else. I would love 2 visit the UK and most of Europe sometime. Even France. I feel that a lot of Europeans have a more open-minded view of sex and sexuality than most Americans. They are soooo prudish here.
todd
Hmm, people who engage in public sex are looking for the high provided by the possibility of being caught. It’s a given risk which supports the high they feel from it. So, I can’t feel bad for these guys because they get off on what could possibly happen. So it happens…they got caught. They should quit their bitching. Entrapment? I still don’t get it. If someone I don’t know starts talking me up I am already on guard. In a park, where I have never met this person before? I’m walking away from this person. With so much gay bashing happening every where, why aren’t these guys using their street smarts and avoiding scenarios where this could be a possibility?
Hyhybt
@todd: There are other possibilities besides enjoying the possibility of getting caught. For example, I suspect it’s safer than letting a total stranger know where you live, much less into the house, and hotel rooms are expensive.
If you go for sex with total strangers in the first place.
Steve
Two things don’t seem right:
The two officers worked full time for five years, and produced 300 arrests? That’s one per week. What were they doing the other 39 hours per week?
The descriptions of the cases in the SFGN article, sure do read like entrapment to me. In each case, the officer propositioned the guy, and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.
And, of course, Internal Affairs needs to have a good look at those two officers paperwork.
james_from_cambridge
@B_FTL: “@jason: kindly stfu. You have no idea what you are saying.”
Jason never lets the fact that he has no idea what he’s talking about get in the way of his insane rants. He’s the crazy-uncle-shackled-in-the-attic of Queerty.
larry boy
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva:
You re just the classic poor american bigot.
I live in london and as Martin from Denmark said in Europe we have much more freedom and less moralistic attitude.
Come on guys don t be judgemental.
We feel sorry for you guys living a boring life in a moralistic boring Palm Beach, next time come to London .
I am so proud about what we have achieved here compare to the States.
Bye bye From the satanic Europe
larry boy
@pedro: @Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva:
You re just the classic poor american bigot.
I live in london and as Martin from Denmark said in Europe we have much more freedom and less moralistic attitude.
Come on guys don t be judgemental.
We feel sorry for you guys living a boring life in a moralistic boring Palm Beach, next time come to London .
I am so proud about what we have achieved here compare to the States.
Bye bye From the satanic Europe
Bye the way Pedro, your comments about the plane are disgusting. I don t know what the Other american think about that, you re a miserable man. Feel very sorry for your lfe full of hate.
Tommy Shepherd
The sex-negative and “my country is better than yours” attitudes on this thread are so dreary.
I agree that gay men shouldn’t be cruising in places where children are likely to be around. When I was much younger, I went through a phase of cruising – and all the guys involved made sure they were as discreet as possible.
There’s nothing morally wrong with it – there’s no “victim” here. The police should be out catching real criminals – drug dealers, violent people, thieves etc. Gays are easier targets though. So every gay man caught cruising means that a real criminal is having an easier time of it as police resources are deployed elsewhere.
And there is nothing “filthy” about sex, unless it involves coercion. Some of you people could do with therapy to sort out your attitudes.
And Queerty – once again you disappoint me.
jason
Tommy Shepherd,
Cruising is sleaze, not sex. Context is important. If you do it furtively in a public park, it’s sleaze. If you do it behind the walls of your bedroom, it’s not sleaze. It is such a simple thing to understand, I’m surprised that some don’t.
Let me give you an illustration of the difference. If you are at your neighbor’s house and need to go to the toilet, you don’t undo your trousers and take a dump in the middle of their living room. You do the right thing and go to the toilet. Context makes all the difference. Same applies to the sex act.
iDavid
Martin and Larry Boy,
Thx for your cool input. The types of shitbags here that are tossing their bling is why Americans have such a bad rap abroad for being pompous assholes. Hopefully the ignorant freaks here will never travel outside their back yards. You both handle yourselves with class and dignity as do Canadians. Many Americans have the manners of a raging obbnoxious unsupervised 2 yr old. Fortunately the majority are in your league of higher communication, but we still have to deal with the Ameritrash.
.
Europe is awesome and you are of course correct, America is still in it’s sexual adolescence. We have such a strong puritanical religious right here, the same
mental metaphorical template the judgmental twerps have on tn this blog, and it’s
all out war. Europe has outgrown much of Christianity but we are really struggling.
iDavid
Martin and Larry Boy,
Cont …….
But thanks for coming here with your generous concerns and information. I really get your sadness at what we are going through, and it is really sad here right now.
I’d give anything to be in your shoes and not have to deal with all this political sex war business, it’s very rough on many many people.
Anyway, keep us in your prayers cuz this country is in a fucking mess!
Martin
@iDavid: Thanks!
So great to hear from all the open-minded Americans…
n900mixalot
@pedro: Hah, with a name like “Pedro” you’ll be deported soon enough so we won’t have to worry about you for much longer.
… see how someone else’s arrogance feels when it’s applied to you? Not that great, is it?
Kylew
@jason: Jason, I appreciate your point about context, but it seems here, that context is based upon the same moral standards that define homosexuality as a sin. There’s nothing inherrently wrong with sex out in the open – out on empty sand dunes, with soft music playing, exactly the same act plays as romantic or passionate rather than sleazy.
I would agree that performing sex acts in the plain view of families and others is extremely inconsiderate and distasteful, but is that primarily what we’re talking about here?
I’ve never cruised, so I don’t have any experience of the scene, so I might be totally missing the point here. However, how is one man going up to another man in a park and talking about sex in the hope of intercourse, any different to a guy going to a nightclub, plying a young woman with alcohol, in the hope of lowering her inhibitions, and talking about sex in the hope of intercourse? Yet the latter is the stuff of movies and popular culture, whilst the former is the stuff of pious condemnation and arrest.
I’m really surprised that a community so unhappy with moralistic prejudice against itself, is so quick to make moralistic (read religious originated) condemnations of the sexual habits of others.
What is so terrible about the sex act, that everyone acts as though people are only allowed to pursue it if there is deep emotional meaning behind it?
Elmwoodmac
92 comments so far about basically, sucking dick in the woods. Good to see some people are passionate about something.
Kylew
@Tommy Shepherd: Well said Tommy.
Frank
I’m an American living in Germany and I almost never want to go back to the states. The United States was founded by puritans, people so uptight with their morality that they got kicked out of England. It seems, not much has changed in 400 years. And for those of you who are familiar with Berlin all I’ve got to say is I’ll always remember Tiergarten
.
Frank
I’m an American living in Germany and I almost never want to go back to the states. The United States was founded by puritans, people so uptight with their morality that they got kicked out of England. It seems, not much has changed in 400 years. And for those of you who are familiar with Berlin all I’ve got to say is I’ll always remember Tiergarten.
B
No. 97 · Frank wrote, “And for those of you who are familiar with Berlin all I’ve got to say is I’ll always remember Tiergarten.”
For those of us familiar with German that is a pretty funny statement given the point you were trying to make: the English equivalent of Tiergarten is “Animal Garden” – i.e., a zoo or zoological garden. The idea of going to an “animal garden” to have anonymous sex like various animals do is rather funny. But then, German is not a language where euphemisms are the norm. Where in American English we’d say “health insurance”, the German equivalent translates literally as “sickness insurance” (they are insuring you against being sick, but in marketing-ueber-alles America, we have to make it “health insurance” because “health” sounds more positive).
pedro
@n900mixalot: That’s not arrogance, that’s stupidity…My father’s family’s been in these here United States since long before they were the United States…Most of you bastards came here travelling steerage, through Ellis Island…in the last 150 years…And I’ve got dual citizenship anyways, since my mother is Argentinian…So whatevs asshole…Buenos Aires is a very cool city…especially the night life! Chau pendejos!
Hey Cunt
I Ditto that to anyone else that attacked our foreign supporters.
Mike in Asheville
@jason: The only “fact” in your comment is very arguably not even a fact. In fact, the only “fact” you espouse, is, that you “think”, as in, “In fact, I think….” I say arguably, because, in fact, I think you don’t know how to think, you fart your comments.
Mike UK
@Mike in Asheville: that’s going to rot his brain thinking about that one!!!
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@iDavid: You silly queen. You watched one season of Downton and suddenly you think you’re the Dowager Countess, looking down on the plebeian Americans? Guess what, princess: Putting on airs doesn’t make you European. And even if it did: Who gives a fuck? Europe is a place like any other, with some good stuff and some bad stuff. It’s only half-educated nitwits from either side of the Atlantic who think they’re being “sophisticated” by pretending otherwise.
Mike in Asheville
@Mike UK: Oh, I know — my petty devil’s pleasures!
Mike
@Martin: Jeg er en amerikaner og jeg elsker Danmark og danske kultur, men deres indlæg lyder som at du har et unaturligt høj tanker om dig selv og dit land. Mit spørgsmål er, hvad siger du om Janteloven “Du skal ikke bilde dig ind, at du er bedre end os”, eller gør amerikanerne ikke får den samme høflighed?
Translation for non Danish speakers: Martin, I am an American and I love Denmark and Danish culture, but your posts sound like you have an unnaturally high opinion of yourself and your country. My question is, what do you say about Jante’s Law (a Scandinavian set of morality that most people in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, etc. still identify with and follow at least subconsciously), “Do not delude yourself into thinking you are better than us.” …or do Americans not get the same courtesy?
TASTEY GOODIES
@Mike: Hei, hei! Jeg er norsk et svensk. Jeg snukka norsk liten. Tusen takk par the Danish. So refreshing! Jeg elsker norge et norsk! Ha det!
Tony Montana
Good fucking god…Jason sounds like the most joyless homosexual ever. I can almost picture him in full Amish dress fucking some other joyless homosexual in the missionary position, with a pinched expression and holier-than-thou attitude. And Pedro, we get it, you’re uber-macho. You aren’t a sissy boy. No, really, we get it.
Now really. I have cruised, been cruised, fucked in parks, train stations, department stores, rest stops, bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and on the roof of a movie theater. And you know what, I had FUN!!! I grew up in the 70s and 80s, when it wasn’t as hip to be a homo, and you did what you did. Part of the fun was the secretive nature, part of it was the HOT guys of all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. I’ve never done it in front of families, or children, or anyone who wasn’t there for the same reason. I haven’t cruised in a long time, except that night last summer when I fucked a gorgeous guy in Central Park, but I don’t regret any of it. I’m negative, only play safe, and intend to stay that way. If you don’t approve of the way I fuck, don’t fuck me. If you don’t want me or anyone else to judge you for what you do, return the favor. Judge Judy is alive and well, she doesn’t need a replacement. Sorry, Pedro, if you feel I have compared you to a woman. I know how that irks you.
If you think it’s “vile” or “immoral” or whatever, guess what? DON’T FUCKING DO IT. Just remember,
Tony Montana
cont:
If you think it’s “vile” or “immoral” or whatever, guess what? DON’T FUCKING DO IT. Just remember, someone thinks the same about what YOU do in the bedroom
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Tony Montana: If nothing else, that was very charmingly put.
Martin
@Mike: Wow some Americans seem to think about Europe and even Denmark. In answer to your question:
Janteloven “the law of Jante” (a town from fiction modelled over a tiny fishing town in Denmark) is not my starting point for meeting the world, in fact I couldn’t recommend it for anyone (but it seems the ideas of little danish fishing societies find parallels in surprisingly many places, even here of all places…!?!).
This is not about me, but I work with people and study psychology and philosophy (which is of course only essentially european theory, but still…) as a hobby and because its really useful. This is a gay blog and I come to have fun here, not to intellectualise, HOWEVER if challenged, or faced with views which are essentially inhumane, such as the first few posts in this thread, i REACT.
Human beings all contain ALL the highest virtues and all the lowest instinctive behaviours. We contain both Heaven and Hell; we want to do good, act on principles etc, and still carnal desires burn in us and egoism seizes us from time to time.
Society ought to take this into account and make space for human nature as it IS, and not seek to punish crimes of thought alone through entrapment. I can EASILY make every single person here the desire to commt a crime in legal sense, it is just a matter of finding the right trigger, discover your motivation or play on your deepest fears. Hell, why would advertising exist if people were inaccessible to temptation.
As several posters have said here, if hot young police women were enticing straight males to have sex in public they could have no end of arrests. So please, don’t construct laws that makes it illegal to think in a particular way, or if that can’t be helped then let us at least acknowledge that the perpetrators of these thought “crimes” are only acting human and feel for their being irrationally persecuted so insensibly.
INSTEAD laws should aim at preventing INJURY to anyone as is the natural object jurisprudence. It is difficult to see how my thinking can injure anyone else, right? Of course the police should arrest any cruisers having sex next to picnicking families. no big deal.
SECOND we as a sexual minority with a long history of persecution and discrimination ought to understand that sexual behaviour is deep seated in the human behaviour and mind and cannot be REASONED with. So much is beyond the control of our frail ego-consciousness, and if you dont believe that then go pray the gay away and the live the happy straight family life and vote for Santorum.
It is USELESS to make universal moral rules about sex, except as noted above, that there must be no injury to anyone (so no kids, no coercion, by consent only!) Sexuality is diverse and subject to “colouring” from our life experiences mostly by way of compensation and complexes formed be repressed desires, feelings etc. I like apple pie, You don’t So fucking what! Mind your own business in relation to how others like their sex as long as no one is hurt!
Those bitter people here must have serious issues with themselves. pedro is so scared of expressing his own femininity, but guess what? It will come out in a grotesque way at a later point in life because human nature will not be violated in the long run… (All men have an autonomous woman in their heads, this is not bad. It is a source of creativity, empathy intuition and all that is good in women). I don’t gloat, i feel sorry that it has to be like that and I get only mildly amused when confronted with behaviour that speaks so clearly about a persons inner struggles (it was something with your father teaching you how to be a man, right pedro? Well did he teach you about cock? Or was it a disappointment to daddy that you couldn’t be a real man and fuck the girlies…)
Mike UK
@Tony Montana: well said!
pierre
@Tony Montana: Totally agree! And thanks for last summer…..
iDavid
@Martin
Pedro is living lower in the food chain than Escolopia as you may have noticed.
I reread your post and I can’t see one shred of holier than thou present. Noone has quoted.
I’m not sure what these guys are smokin, but it is definitely boring holes in their heads, (more than they already had). To try and engage them to actually look at themselves, IMO they would need to download new brainwave, which is beyond their comprehension.
I do agree with you that trying to make rules about sex for everyone is a bit like trying to herd cats. It’s gonna happen anyway. The best amo any cruising guy can have in these park situations, is to ask if the guy is a cop upon meeting. That busts the entrapment possibility right there. In our country the officer must tell the truth and seems they always do in this case. If the guys a cop, game over. The cruiser may be asked to leave but that’s it.
As they say, knowledge is power.
iDavid
PS. until we grow out of our “Majic Underwear” we have to be ultra savvy about our sexual actions. And speaking of majic underwear, the state if Utah is the Mormon capital of the world. The Mormons all but killed gay marriage in Calif w intense funding. The Mormon state of Utah is also the highest user per capita of online internet porn in America. On the other side of sad, hilarious abounds.
hyhybt
@iDavid: “Knowledge is power.” True enough… but false knowledge is dangerous. If you want to go on believing undercover police have to admit who they are if asked, go right ahead, but don’t spread that nonsense to others.
iDavid
@hyhybt
In cases of entrapment where the officer approaches, setting up the situation, such is the case. In many jurisdictions, entrapment is a viable defense to have the case thrown out. If the officer is asked if he is an officer and he lies, that would seal the deal for dropping the case. Now granted, there may be a judge that doesn’t care, but then appeal is in order.
In a case of non-entrapment, then asking is of no consequence, a police officer can lie. But that is not the subject here as we are talking about entrapment on this thread, but best all angles be explained regardless.
Either way, this is a sticky situation on all fronts for the cruiser if anonymity is the focus.
corbie
@David: hi, i was reading your comment, and I personally don’t want to get into the back and forth on the notion of cruising, I have no position on it. However, being very new to Palm Beach County, I have no idea of any pay-by-the-hour motels or short stay motels, as they call it in NY. Can I ask you, where are these motels/hotels in this area?
I would appreciate any feedback, thanks much!
corbie
Hi, I am very new to Palm Beach County, and I read your comment with interest.
Can you please let me know where the pay-by-hour motels are in this area? Thank you.
repl@David: