A Challenge to the Minnesota Heroes!

Minneapolis has seen a flurry of protestation against Village Voice's child trafficking ad business, backpage.com.  

And now a new hero emerges.

When asked: "Have you decided to part business ties with the child trafficking ad business?"

Hennepin County Bar Association President Thomas D. Jensen, didn't bat an eye and immediately discontinued the arrangement the Bar had with the Minneapolis City pages.

When the Bar Association was simply info'd that they had an ad in a paper owned by the infamous Village Voice Media, the child trafficking ad business people, the Bar jumped into action, even when Mr. Jensen was out of the country last week.

Congratulations Mr. Jensen!  It's people like you that still give us faith in the human race! 

There have been other heroic actions in the Minneapolis area recently:

-  The Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution calling for the closure of the adult section of Backpage.com.

-  The St. Paul City Council also called on Village Voice Media, to discontinue the adult section "because it serves as a platform to traffic minors for sex."

-  Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said, “This is disgusting. Far too many young women are being kidnapped and forced into prostitution. As a society, we owe them something better. People who commit these crimes should know we will vigorously prosecute them.”

- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says, "It is time that Backpage.com takes responsibility for their complicity in the trafficking of young girls, and ceases their involvement in this kind of activity. By its acts and omissions, Backpage.com is encouraging, causing and contributing to illegal sex trafficking of children in our community."

- Minneapolis Police sergeant Grant Snyder who has been vigorously arresting Backpage pimps had an ad denied by Backpage!  His ad submitted with his photo had this message: “Answer an ad and I’ll see you soon”.  But backpage deleted it!  Sergeant Snyder said he thought it was a good idea.  

- “Minnesota has one of the only organizations in the country, Breaking Free, Inc.  which provides services to women and children who have been sexually exploited – housing, food and support groups, according to Volunteer Manager Terry Forliti. 

- Even hotel employees are  being trained to spot signs of trafficking within their businesses.  Local investigators, prosecutors and women's advocates lead the training.

Although you are way ahead of the country, you Minnesota folks haven't sealed the deal yet.

The only thing that Village Voice understands is the jingle in their pocket.    They don't give a hoot about young girls sexually enslaved.

Therefore, VillageVoicePimp.com (your source for everything Backpage!) has an earnest request for you heroes in the State of 10,000 Lakes and the Land of Sky-Blue Waters.

Gently elbow the below advertisers of Minneapolis City Pages and whisper to them that they are supporting a child trafficking ad business.  

What do you say folks?  Can you Minnesota heroes arrange that?  If so, you will lead the country in talking to Village Voice in the language they understand.

And then you may start waking up some civic responsibility in twelve other cities that also have a Village Voice Media newspaper:

Village Voice / New York
LA Weekly / Los Angeles
Westword / Denver
New Times / Phoenix
Houston Press / Houston
Observer / Dallas  (Wake up Dallas! Backpage HQ is in your midst!)
Riverfront Times / St. Louis
New Times / Miami
New Times / Broward
OC Weekly / Orange County
Seattle Weekly / Seattle
SF Weekly / San Francisco

The advertisers are probably unaware that they are ultimately supporting a child sex trafficking ad business, Village Voice Media, its CEO Jim Larkin, the Executive Editor Michael Lacey, the ubiquitous defender of backpage, Editor in Chief Tony Ortega, a paid Madam (er, attorney) Liz McDougall and Minneapolis City Pages editor Kevin Hoffman, who heretofore has remained a hidden player in the child trafficking ad business.

Minneapolis City Pages advertisers:  (You can see evidence that City Pages is owned by Village Voice Media here:  http://www.villagevoicemedia.com/   (see bottom left)