YouTuber 'Edward Reyna' wants to know why JohnTV's creator, Brian Bates, does what he does...
Asked via YouTube in the comment section of a JohnTV video on May 24, 2014.
“I don’t get why you do this. Who or what are you trying to protect with this kind of activities?”
Answer: Almost 20-years after first picking up my video camera and I still get asked this on a regular basis - mostly by people who’ve only viewed a handful of my videos and have no idea what my activism actually entails.
“Why do you care about what’s going on outside your bubble?” “Why have you allowed yourself to be defined by the worst humanity has to offer?” “Why do you fight a battle that can not be won?”
To this I say…. I’ve never played by anyone else’s rules, I’ve never understood the desire to be anonymous and I could never comprehend the comfort others find in not rocking the boat, not questioning the ‘norm’ and not making my opinion known.
Fortunately I found a best friend, partner and wife 17 years ago who is my most steadfast supporter, compass and companion on my journey.
Why do I do what I do?
Because nobody else was, very few do, and there will always be a need.
As for "Who are you trying to protect?"
Below is a photo and a video of ‘Rose.’ In this photo, she turns 30 the day after Christmas...
Rose suffers from lifelong physical and mental disabilities that are compounded by her addictions. Rose may be an ‘adult’ but she has the mind of a child. Her mother and only caretaker was killed after she was struck by a car. Rose is now pregnant and prostitutes herself day and night around South Robinson Ave. – not because she’s ‘too lazy to work,’ or ‘too stupid to have self-respect.’ Not to buy fancy cars or to get her nails done.
She walks along our streets in freezing temperatures and blistering heat in her contorted gait, all too aware of the prison in which she tries to survive.
Rose is not alone. The victim's of street level prostitution in my area are many. I've personally seen them range in ages from 11 to 70; the child prostitutes, the drug addict prostitutes, the forced or coerced prostitutes and the mentally ill prostitutes.
And to the ‘men’ – who are mostly married and all too aware of these women’s plight – I say you disgust me. You fail your families, you fail your morals, you fail us all and your actions do not deserve to go unnoticed or unchallenged.
While many people have created their own reality of prostitution in their minds, the video below is how street level prostitution exists in Oklahoma City and these images should make it pretty clear why this criminal activity needs to be stopped and who within our community needs and deserves to be protected…
JohnTV primarily focuses on prostitution that can be defined by one or more of the following features;
Underage/Child Prostitution (considered human trafficking by law if the individual is under 18-years old),
Prostitution that is the result of force, fear or coercion (aka, Human Sex Trafficking under Oklahoma law).
Public Prostitution (regardless of consent).
Prostitution at the hands of a Pimp (regardless of consent).
Prostitution that is part of an organized criminal effort (utilization of a third party).
JohnTV does not focus on and supports the decriminalization of prostitution that meets ALL of these requirements;
Individuals over the age of 21.
100% Consensual.
100% Conducted in Private (aka, Behind Closed Doors).
100% unorganized (no pimp, no madam, no organized criminal ring).
JohnTV does NOT support the legalization of prostitution in any form.