No More Red Lights? Then How Will I Know Where The Prostitutes Are?

In an effort to quell the trafficking and pimping that takes place in Amsterdam's infamous red light distrtict, Mayor Job Cohen has organized and assigned committees to turn off the red lights. In effect more than a third of the these "shoppes" in the Wallen District of town will be ordered to remove their window displays. "The legalization of prostitution did not bring about what many had hoped," stated Cohen in a television interview. I on the other hand firmly disagree. The abundance of prostitution and marijuana have created their fair share of problems I am sure but nonetheless, no United States college student would be willing to visit an Amsterdam sans its exotic delights. This is not to mention the people really disadvantaged by the situation, the sex-workers. With daily business depending on their opportunity and ability to show off their wares, sex-workers take the largest hit of them all. Sex-workers are able to rent these windows for about 100 euros a day, and with that, in one evening, make hundreds in return. Now the lights are being turned off and it's a travesty to see the worlds's oldest profession take a hit like this in its world epicenter. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by this legislation, worker or customer.