At the time of this writing, it is three in the morning, and I have just returned from enjoying a cigarette on a nearby park bench, enjoying the nearly full moon and the distant cityscape below me. The night is cool; a light scattering of clouds periodically floats across the sky, a mere wisp against the great emptiness of the heavens. The city lights beckon in a ceaseless flood of promise. Despite the allure of such urban beauty, my mind drifts to other aspects of my surroundings. The neighborhood that I am in is neither good nor bad – it simply is. There are those who wish to profit off the harm of others, and those who generally desire the best for their fellow man. It is the former that occupy my thoughts this night.
The park that I sat in was not one known for housing packs of roving drug dealers as the sun falls below the mountains, nor is it renowned as a place of violence. I myself am rather well built and armed with a dangerously sharp knife, as well as the knowledge and practice required to use it effectively should the need arise. Given these very real reassurances, why is it that my mind still actively considers the distant fear of being accosted? Why do I constantly check over my shoulder, watching for the silhouette of an approaching man who, despite all probabilities, is going to attempt to injure or rob me?
Earlier in the day, I took a walk through that same park. Children were playing, various rabbits and squirrels ran through the grass, and it was as safe and peaceful as any place could be. I felt no fear while the sun was out and shining, yet my return hours later left me anxious and distrustful of my very shadow. Is this the proverbial fear of the dark, the terror that grips the child's heart as a shadow falls across the floor? The icy knot that forms in the stomach as a noise startles you from sleep – surely it came from the closet, or perhaps under the bed. Is a grown man, one who prides himself on strength both physical and mental, truly apt to fear the unknown horrors that inevitably rise from the depths of the night?
I simply cannot believe that the mere occurrence of darkness is capable of such radical shifts in a man's heart. Yet it could indeed be more; darkness is the absence of light, ignorance in a world once filled with answers readily available. The human mind cannot independently verify that no monsters lurk just out of sight, and as such it conjures images of what could be there, literally willing into existence that which it fears most. In any aspect of life, whether it be walking through a park at night or facing 'the talk' with a girlfriend, that which is unknown seems to be replaced by the darkest terrors our mind can conjure.
However, as there is such ample fear in not knowing, what of those who do know? Is the apprehension greater if I know that a man is waiting around the corner to murder me? That thin line between realistic supposition and actual knowledge is a broad one, yet perhaps is one that most do not wish to cross. Take the classic example of Wile E. Coyote; we have seen countless times when he runs off a cliff, and the fear is apparent on his features. Yet he is still emotionally aloft until the point when he looks down, cementing his quiet fears into a reality, at which point he plummets to a painful end. This is precisely what I believe happens when a man turns from belief to knowledge.
In simplest terms, knowledge is terrifying. The phrase 'ignorance is bliss' aptly describes the relationship between our level of certainty and our emotional state; the possibility of a fear being without cause leaves open space for realistic doubts, cushioning the psyche from the inevitable blow. Yet when that cushion is stripped away, the remaining choices are vivid, exact, and generally incomplete. We are forced to realize that an action must be had, even if that ends up being an inaction. To recognize the terrors that beset us is to recognize that we can no longer return to the place of quiet fears and lingering doubts, blanketed by the insincere comforts of possibility.
To the average man, knowledge is a terror far beyond that which is imagined in its stead. If my midnight stroll had resulted in a violent confrontation, the fear – which might not have gripped me until after the event was over – would far surpass the disquiet in my gut. Those who stand ignorant of the world around them dot the earth, while others attempt to awaken them to the truth of reality. Yet to those who attempt to force knowledge upon the hapless and weak, they are perhaps doing more harm than good. A man who cannot handle the ugly truth of his existence is perhaps prone to irrationality – dangerous, unpredictable, and the antithesis of that which we should strive for. If a man confronts his ignorant fears willingly and with full knowledge of the horrors he faces, then he stands a much higher chance of recognizing and accepting that which is seen; it is rare that forced knowledge works as well or efficiently as knowledge that is sought for.
As I look out the window to the darkened vista beyond, I do not know what awaits for me in the black. I am as untold numbers of humans in the world around me; unknowing, gazing out and wondering what might be in store. Yet perhaps I will make one more excursion beyond the safe confines of my home, to see with finality just what stands beyond my bubble of safe ignorance. While it may be that I face utter terror in doing so, there is also a quiet safety in knowledge; should my fears be realized or not, I will know what the world beyond holds – and that is worth whatever risks may come.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
A Whoring Shame
For over two hundred years, the government of the United States of America has faced a running battle with prostitution. Owing largely to a sense of Christian moral outrage, the act of trading money for sexual acts has been stigmatized in nearly every aspect, resulting in its current illegality across the majority of states. Various organizations, groups, and individuals with specific ideals – religions, conservatives, feminists, etc – have all spoken out about the negativity associated with sex work, relying primarily upon useless and outmoded concepts of morality and decency to prove their case.
Before going into the specifics of legality, detriment, and benefit, it is useful to recognize the existing double-standard prevalent within America concerning sexual acts. Until the landmark decision of Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, sodomy was illegal in every single state at one point in time or another. The Supreme Court finally ruled the statute as unconstitutional, yet the fact that such laws existed throughout the majority of American history is indicative of the American mentality concerning sexual acts. Provided reasonable concessions to safety – many of which are necessary for coitus – anal and oral sex are exactly the same as vaginal intercourse save for the possibility of procreation; despite this lack of substantial differences, it was still illegal.
In a facet of sexuality that is only scarcely divorced from prostitution, pornography is a massively successful industry within the United States. This is relevant to the prostitution double-standard by virtue of the fact that it is an industry centered around paying others for sexual acts. It is worth noting that the illegal act of payment for sexual intercourse does not state that such acts are legal if the transference of currency is not from the one receiving the act to the one perpetrating the act; this means that a man cannot have another pay a prostitute for the first man to utilize. The double-standard occurs in the fact that pornographic acts include the consensual intercourse of two or more individuals who are being paid to have sex with the other person(s).
What are the precise differences between prostitution and pornography? Legal status, taxes, testing for venereal diseases, and government oversight where applicable. Therefore, the legalization of prostitution mandates taxation, testing, and oversight. While this article is not intended to delve into the specifics of what would be needed to make legalized prostitution a reality – as its focus is instead on the various impacts and circumstances surrounding it – it is a simple matter to list the basics required. First would be an officially designated and inspected facility; this would serve as a hotel of sorts. Second would be regular testing for the prostitutes, and a required pre-visit on-site test for patrons, as well as enforced condom rules and limitations on the acts that may be performed. Third would be a constant tax on gross income for a company, rather than taxation for specifics of the service. Fourth would be regular physical inspections of the facilities, medical evaluations of the employees, and audits of the revenues.
With that said, there are numerous concerns that have been raised regarding the negative results and impacts of legalizing prostitution. Aside from the inane belief that prostitution is immoral – a ludicrous claim, given the fact that morality is dependent upon the individual rather than an objective system – the least plausible argument comes from feminists. The conjecture that prostitution is inherently degrading or exploitative of women does not take notice of the fact that males are also prostituted, or the fact that women often volunteer themselves to industries such as pornography, which – as mentioned above – is virtually identical to prostitution. The fact that men and women alike have been historically exploited due to the sex trade is something that happens with or without legality. Much as prohibition fueled the black market in the sale of alcohol, the illegality of prostitution fuels the illegal sex trade, reducing oversight and increasing risk to all involved.
Consider the fact that many strippers in legal clubs run by honest citizens accept money for sexual intercourse; such people often use stripping as a way to find customers. The escalation and ineffectiveness argument, which states that even legalized sex work would result in pimps and illegal control of funds and activities still existing or flourishing, again does not take into consideration that this is already a given fact in much of the legal sex industries of the U.S., partially due to a lack of oversight. Returning to the example of prohibition, the legalization of alcohol has since resulted in a vast reduction in the illegal making and selling of alcohol. Though moonshine is still produced and sold in parts of the country, the overwhelming majority of citizens buy their alcohol from legal sources, as it is safer, cheaper, and often of higher quality than the illegal alternatives. Those most likely to resort to illegal prostitution would be those who either are unable to purchase sex due to a disease or similar condition, or those who cannot afford the prices of the legalized alternative.
There is no effective solution to this. It is regrettably true that prostitution will likely always exist in an illegal format, even if legalized versions are created in the future. However, a program put into place in Australia with the intention of educating the populace has shown considerable success. As sex work is largely legal there, the education program has resulted in the sex worker portion of the populace to be amongst the lowest at risk for HIV within the nation, a feat that flies in the face of many who oppose legalized prostitution in the United States. While there will always be a black market, a safe and legally-run organization would inevitably increase the safety of both parties. Given the current political climate of the U.S., it is not likely that this will even be considered within the foreseeable future. Perhaps that time will be sufficient for the concerns for be formally addressed and resolved, with a solid foundation providing legality and safety to America's true national pastime.
Before going into the specifics of legality, detriment, and benefit, it is useful to recognize the existing double-standard prevalent within America concerning sexual acts. Until the landmark decision of Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, sodomy was illegal in every single state at one point in time or another. The Supreme Court finally ruled the statute as unconstitutional, yet the fact that such laws existed throughout the majority of American history is indicative of the American mentality concerning sexual acts. Provided reasonable concessions to safety – many of which are necessary for coitus – anal and oral sex are exactly the same as vaginal intercourse save for the possibility of procreation; despite this lack of substantial differences, it was still illegal.
In a facet of sexuality that is only scarcely divorced from prostitution, pornography is a massively successful industry within the United States. This is relevant to the prostitution double-standard by virtue of the fact that it is an industry centered around paying others for sexual acts. It is worth noting that the illegal act of payment for sexual intercourse does not state that such acts are legal if the transference of currency is not from the one receiving the act to the one perpetrating the act; this means that a man cannot have another pay a prostitute for the first man to utilize. The double-standard occurs in the fact that pornographic acts include the consensual intercourse of two or more individuals who are being paid to have sex with the other person(s).
What are the precise differences between prostitution and pornography? Legal status, taxes, testing for venereal diseases, and government oversight where applicable. Therefore, the legalization of prostitution mandates taxation, testing, and oversight. While this article is not intended to delve into the specifics of what would be needed to make legalized prostitution a reality – as its focus is instead on the various impacts and circumstances surrounding it – it is a simple matter to list the basics required. First would be an officially designated and inspected facility; this would serve as a hotel of sorts. Second would be regular testing for the prostitutes, and a required pre-visit on-site test for patrons, as well as enforced condom rules and limitations on the acts that may be performed. Third would be a constant tax on gross income for a company, rather than taxation for specifics of the service. Fourth would be regular physical inspections of the facilities, medical evaluations of the employees, and audits of the revenues.
With that said, there are numerous concerns that have been raised regarding the negative results and impacts of legalizing prostitution. Aside from the inane belief that prostitution is immoral – a ludicrous claim, given the fact that morality is dependent upon the individual rather than an objective system – the least plausible argument comes from feminists. The conjecture that prostitution is inherently degrading or exploitative of women does not take notice of the fact that males are also prostituted, or the fact that women often volunteer themselves to industries such as pornography, which – as mentioned above – is virtually identical to prostitution. The fact that men and women alike have been historically exploited due to the sex trade is something that happens with or without legality. Much as prohibition fueled the black market in the sale of alcohol, the illegality of prostitution fuels the illegal sex trade, reducing oversight and increasing risk to all involved.
Consider the fact that many strippers in legal clubs run by honest citizens accept money for sexual intercourse; such people often use stripping as a way to find customers. The escalation and ineffectiveness argument, which states that even legalized sex work would result in pimps and illegal control of funds and activities still existing or flourishing, again does not take into consideration that this is already a given fact in much of the legal sex industries of the U.S., partially due to a lack of oversight. Returning to the example of prohibition, the legalization of alcohol has since resulted in a vast reduction in the illegal making and selling of alcohol. Though moonshine is still produced and sold in parts of the country, the overwhelming majority of citizens buy their alcohol from legal sources, as it is safer, cheaper, and often of higher quality than the illegal alternatives. Those most likely to resort to illegal prostitution would be those who either are unable to purchase sex due to a disease or similar condition, or those who cannot afford the prices of the legalized alternative.
There is no effective solution to this. It is regrettably true that prostitution will likely always exist in an illegal format, even if legalized versions are created in the future. However, a program put into place in Australia with the intention of educating the populace has shown considerable success. As sex work is largely legal there, the education program has resulted in the sex worker portion of the populace to be amongst the lowest at risk for HIV within the nation, a feat that flies in the face of many who oppose legalized prostitution in the United States. While there will always be a black market, a safe and legally-run organization would inevitably increase the safety of both parties. Given the current political climate of the U.S., it is not likely that this will even be considered within the foreseeable future. Perhaps that time will be sufficient for the concerns for be formally addressed and resolved, with a solid foundation providing legality and safety to America's true national pastime.
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