I'd like to start this entry the way far more blog entries should begin: w/a George Carlin quote. Regarding prostitution, Carlin asked "selling is legal; fucking is legal; why isn't selling fucking legal?!"

I say yes, indeed, why isn't selling fucking legal. Why is it illegal to sell something which is perfectly legal to give away? I look at this from the perspective of what is called harm reduction. This says that, if a given activity will go on no matter what the authorities do, it makes sense to arrange things so that this activity can be done with the least harm possible, both to society and to the individuals engaging in the activity. Drug legalization overseas is often cited as a perfect example of harm reduction: rather than having addicts + casual users get their fix from criminals, they do so from clean, regulated stores. As a result, you reduce the crime rate which inevitably co-exists w/drug prohibition, + reduce the rate of health issues which can result from use of unclean drug paraphernalia. And, as a side benefit, the government gets another legitimate business to tax. Look @ the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for an example of how this can provide a reliable revenue stream.

How would we apply this to prostitution? We don't need to look overseas for an example. The state of Nevada has had legalized prostitution for more than a century. Street prostitution is illegal; all acts of sex for money must be in state-licensed brothels. Regarding health issues, "State law requires that registered brothel prostitutes be checked weekly for several sexually transmitted diseases and monthly for HIV; furthermore, condoms are mandatory for all oral sex and sexual intercourse. Brothel owners may be held liable if customers become infected with HIV after a prostitute has tested positive for the virus (NRS 041.1397)." (thanks, Wikipedia). It's not wild supposition to suggest that a man would be safer visiting a legal brothel than picking up a woman at a bar or nightclub. And, just as with alcohol or legalized drugs, legalized prostitution would provide for a significant revenue stream.

Whether we like it or not, prostitution exists in Philadelphia, + will continue to exist into the future. Why not legalize it, cut off a money source for organized crime, redirect that same revenue into the public coffers, and improve public health all at once? Would this piss the hell out of some people? Oh, yes. Would it be worth it? Frankly, I find legalized prostitution to be a less offensive way to raise public funds than casino gambling.

-Z