Turn Out the Red Light? (Amsterdam Closing Brothels)

Newsweek ^ | 8 Feb 2008 | Thijs Niemantsverdriet

[gobucks]

Amsterdam plans to close down its most famous district, citing sleaze, criminal activity and human trafficking. Not everybody is happy about it.

Two weeks ago a young Dutch fashion designer named Bas Kosters opened a new store. His colorful and sumptuous creations—skirts, handbags, sweatshirts—merit attention. But the most striking aspect of his new venue is the location. Kosters's work is on display in Amsterdam's Red Light District behind two tall windows that until recently were used as a brothel. The ladies have vanished. The red lights and curtains have been removed and replaced by Kosters's hyperfashionable clothes.

Kosters found this studio thanks to an ambitious plan by the Amsterdam city government. Arguing that too many brothels and sex bars are linked to criminality, the authorities plan to all but erase the Red Light District. If the plan goes through, the peep shows, sex shops and prostitute windows that line the small alleys and canals will have to go, giving way to galleries, boutiques and upscale restaurants and bars. Goodbye to the big neon signs advertising every possible form of sexual indulgence.

[gobucks]

"And what about the ladies? The Red Light District has about 450 windows where women offer their services. The majority of those will be closed down. Where will the inhabitants go, once they're forced out of work? Asscher says most of the prostitutes are part of international human-trafficking networks that draw on women from Eastern Europe, and they will most likely move on to Antwerp, Hamburg and other European cities. For those that remain, the city administration may start certifying pimps and require that prostitutes who work for them to be 21 years old.

The Dutch Sex Workers Union fears that many women and girls will be forced to start walking the streets. On its Web site the union calls the city's plans to certify pimps "bizarre.""

Can it actually be that sanity can be learned?

[OB1kNOb]

Roooxanne......

[snarks_when_bored]

Turn Out the Red Light? (Amsterdam Closing Brothels)

The end of an error?

[Question_Assumptions]

Gee, even legal prostitution draws in sleaze, crime, and the illegal trafficking of women. Could that possibly be why it was made illegal in the first place?

[SoCalRight]

“Bas Kosters opened a new store. His colorful and sumptuous creations—skirts, handbags, sweatshirts—merit attention.”

Sounds like Thijs maybe got a couple of free handbags.

[Resolute Conservative]

There are many here that try and use the same argument to drugs, legalize them and all will be well.

[snarks_when_bored]

(laugh)

[Izzy Dunne]

behind two tall windows that until recently were used as a brothel.

I've never been to a brothel, but can you really make one out of two windows?

[MrB]

Follow the rules on the second tablet, individually and as a society, and you’ll be 99.99% of the way to success.

[wideawake]

Oh, I thought that if you legalized prostitution, the problems that have always followed it would magically go away.

Who could have imagined?

[taildragger]

They ought to move all the Ladies to "K" Street...

Then the Lobbyist and Attorney's would have some real competition.....

[Always Right]

I've never been to a brothel, but can you really make one out of two windows?

Only if they have curtains.

[wideawake]

There are many here that try and use the same argument to drugs, legalize them and all will be well.

The argument made for legalization is that drug prices will drop, and the cheaper drugs will be more affordable for addicts so that they will not have to kill or steal to support their habits.

But no one has yet explained to me why an unemployable addict will magically be able to afford a $100 a week heroin habit instead of a $200 a week habit.

His base salary is still $0 a week.

Also, no one has explained to me why there is a brisk and violent traffic in legal drugs like oxycontin.

[fella]

There are many things that an old street-walker won’t do that “K” Street lobbyists and attorney’s do on a daily basis. Let us not demean the ladies.

[microgood]

The argument made for legalization is that drug prices will drop, and the cheaper drugs will be more affordable for addicts so that they will not have to kill or steal to support their habits.

One need not make that argument. The fact is that the drug war is a 100% complete, absolute and unequivocal failure at every level and it has resulted in the corruption of our police, judges, politicians, the militarization of our police, and the curtailment of our constitutional rights.

One thing is going to give, the drug war or freedom. The two are mutually exclusive.

[wideawake]

One thing is going to give, the drug war or freedom. The two are mutually exclusive.

A common histrionic claim.

I wonder how free people in neighborhoods o0verrun with addicts will feel when hard drugs are legalized?

[DesScorp]

It took the Dutch 50 years, but maybe they’re starting to learn...

[Moleman]

Tis a shame...

[r9etb]

I wonder how free people in neighborhoods overrun with addicts will feel when hard drugs are legalized?

They can move -- they have no right to not be offended.... /libertinarian

[DesScorp]

"The fact is that the drug war is a 100% complete, absolute and unequivocal failure at every level"

That's a completely silly argument, and I'm tired of hearing the Libertarians parrot it. The fact is that any prohibition against social ills is a failure if your criteria for success is complete elimination of those ills. We'll never eliminate rape, murder, theft, etc. Yet by your definition and standards, we should just eliminate police because we'll never be rid of those things?

Fighting crime (and that includes drugs and vice) is truly a never ending battle. You'll never "win", but if you don't try every single day, the tide of evil will overwhelm you. That's why we continue to fight drugs.