In adding to my checklist of reasons to speak out, here’s one I’d like to touch on:
- Because we talk about “the Man,” break it down to “us vs. them,” and treat politics and ideologies as abstractions instead of concrete realities. Who are “they”? Why, “they” are you and I and him and her. WE are THEY. WE are US. We’re not being invaded by alien lifeforms here; we’re battling concepts and ideas put into motion by PEOPLE not some distant, ambiguous, nonhuman (or superhuman) “they.”
Knowing people who embrace what I refer to as “neocon ideology” has helped me to see the humanity behind the mask. In knowing various clients and my own parents, I am better able to see why they are as they are.
First, what do I mean by “neocon ideology”? I’m referring to the economic teachings of Milton Friedman along with advocating (even to the extent of imposing) “free markets” and “free trade” across the globe with a tolerance (if not an outright appreciation) for war and conflict. (The link on the right tells more about neoconservatism.) None referred to themselves as neocons, preferring instead to simply say that they are Republicans who embrace “free markets” and “true capitalism.” Now, I know a lot of Republicans and I can say there is a BIG difference between those of old who maintain traditional, conservative preferences and advocate for a small, limited government and those who have been swept up in the new trend where Big Government and Big Business is celebrated and encouraged. Big difference. Enormous even, to where I don’t consider them as members of the same political party anymore.
“Neocon” is a term I’ve only become acquainted with and begun using in recent months, but it was apparent years ago that something weird was happening within the Republican Party and my clients were the ones who tipped me off to it, unbeknownst to them. I’d never met so many self-proclaimed Republicans who trusted and even appeared to admire Big Government as I did as an escort. Coming into “the industry” in 2003, this redefining of what it means to be Republican could very well have been partly a result of confusion in the aftermath of 9/11/01, though opinions expressed by the clients in question haven’t appeared to waiver any within the last 5 years.
So, what do the self-proclaimed Republican clients (with neocon leanings) all have in common? They all have money that they wish to protect. They were all middle-to-upper class (mostly middle-class), middle-aged (40+) and older, and the vast majority were white Americans (though occasionally I’d run into an East Indian who shared their views). Many described themselves as Christian (when the topic came up) and a few who come to mind were very active in their churches. Due to my lifestyle and work, I was mostly exposed to males, though it suffices to say that many of their wives likely embraced the same philosophy. By-and-large, they were all educated, some even very well-educated, many with children currently attending college on the parents’ dime. Many, if not most, of the people I met who expressed what I consider neocon views work in the fields of Business, Finance, Accounting, Law and Criminal Justice. They generally drove nice, newer vehicles and lived in large, though not necessarily fancy or overly-abundant, houses. For whatever reason, most of them loved golf and spent quite a lot on green fees and gear. That’s the gist of what I know about them.
By-and-large, they expressed feeling very proud of their accomplishments, earnings and personal success, though one might ask why then were they so inclined to see escorts? Good question, and it’s one I’ve pondered since the demographic of my clients became apparent back in 2004. I thought maybe the reason for being booked by a disproportionate number of white Christian Republicans was because of where I lived, but then the results were the same when I toured (i.e. – traveled) elsewhere. In Miami and Orlando it was the same clientèle as in Las Vegas just as in Omaha, Memphis, Missouri, and Southern California (had my bookings not been canceled in San Diego, that is). Not all claimed to be Republicans, but 60-90% did depending on where I visited.
I just adore conversation, especially with clients… I know this stuff because this was typical dinner conversation for us. They spoke of their careers, their families, and their political leanings quite openly (at my prodding of course), knowing that I would respect their privacy and never name names (a promise I intend to keep).
It was fascinating getting to know people who otherwise I might not come into contact with. In what other capacity, outside of academia perhaps, might a blue-collar Southern gal come into close, conversational contact with neoconservative middle-class business professionals? It was a gift, IMO, to learn about who they are and how they live, mostly because it forced me to view them as fellow humans rather than flippantly dismissing them as ideological opposition. We came together to have a good time so political sparring was off the table and reciprocal respectful treatment was required.
They winced and chuckled when I said I recommend for everyone to live in a ghetto at least once in their lives. A handful of them adopted Asian or white Russian children from overseas and stared at me blankly from across the table when I mentioned the number of Black and Hispanic children currently up for adoption or in foster care in the U.S. (500,000 at last check, btw.) *blink blink* That’s how so many of our conversations went, so I tried to restrict myself from saying too much for fear I would come off as controversial. (Apparently it came off that way despite my efforts to shut up, and I developed a reputation as not being the escort to see if you just want light, fluffy banter.)
Did I like them as people? Some of them. Overall (way back before I had any inkling of what a neocon even was), I found most of them shallow and consumption-obsessed, but despite this, plenty came across as upbeat and jovial. Ego-satiating was more important when dealing with these types of clients, in spite of their claims of being very proud of who and where they are in life.
They sound like a lot of other Americans, right? Yep. The difference doesn’t appear to be in how they live so much as how they rationalize that way of living. There was a lot of denial involved, and I’ve tried to make sense of it ever since though I can’t say with any certainty that I’m any closer now to understanding.
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