Why glorify all of this illegal behavior?

To the editor:

In his Tuesday Vegasland column, Doug Elfman writes, "During the annual porn convention and awards show, some actresses go to fans' rooms for a few dollars, hint hint. A source who is in-the-know told me midlevel porn stars (not A-listers) were charging $800 per hour -- the same price as last year. 'The economy has not affected the going rate,' he told me, but added: 'It was worth it.'

Wow.

After I read this, I had to sit back and stare at my monitor while shaking my head side to side in disbelief. I believe in the First Amendment, free enterprise, markets and all that warm and gooey freedom stuff. But the people at the porn convention are abusing the rules of not just the city but also the state.

It's bad enough what goes on without the convention here. But this is just an open slap in the face to those who try hard to keep this off the streets and out of businesses it does not belong in.

Look guys, the lines are already blurry enough with the illegal prostitution prolific at conventions and such. If this is part of your marketing strategy, then may I suggest a nice, safe spin -- not more than an hour's drive -- to Pahrump, where this is all legal.

Just think of the advertising possibilities that would open up for you.

The tie-ins with the brothels? Legalized prostitution? Maybe even find some new talents? Who knows?

Let's have fun, but let's be responsible about that fun. Otherwise -- the way things work -- society will try to take our fun away.

Mike Smith

Las Vegas