Thursday, January 22, 1998
‘Sex, Drugs and Democracy’ exposes Holland’s alternative
FILM: Nation has legalized some drugs, prostitution, porn to
help regulate problems, educate
By Aimee Phan
Daily Bruin Staff
While our government is still arguing over the best ways to
fight the apparent drug problem, teenage pregnancy and abortion
rates in the United States, another country is basking in what it
feels is a solution to those very same goals.
Holland has implemented laws that would make Newt Gingrich and
the rest of his GOP posse scream in horror.
From an American’s point-of-view, Holland must seem like the
liberal’s ultimate paradise and then some, with the nation’s
legalization of prostitution, some drug use (like marijuana and
heroin), pornography and abortion. Some other laws include
government distribution of syringes and methadone, sex education in
schools and government-funded abortions. Adopting the philosophy
that people only want what they can’t have, Holland’s answer has
been to give them what they want, regulate it and educate the
people to make well-informed decisions for themselves.
The results, as portrayed in American filmmaker Jonathan Blank’s
documentary "Sex, Drugs and Democracy," have been phenomenally
successful. Holland currently has the lowest crime, teenage
pregnancy and abortion rates in the world and also low rates of
sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS and violent crimes toward
women.
Blank, whose documentary enjoyed a successful run in the
independent film market and is now going to be released on video,
believes that America could learn a lot from our European friend’s
policies. He compares the two countries’ distinctively different
ideals about democracy and points out why Holland has been more
fruitful in fighting these vices.
"I view (Holland) as an open democracy, like ours, except
they’re doing it differently," Blank says. "They created a value
system that is different from ours and … their’s is achieving
results that we want. Over there, they have much more of a
quality-of-life approach."
"Their policies react to the idea of reducing harm and reducing
the problems associated with these different issues as opposed to
spending money to wipe them out."
Filmed over two years from 1992-1993, the documentary features
interviews with drug dealers, prostitutes, exotic dancers,
government officials, policemen, religious clergy and scientists
who all basically reaffirm the positive aspects of living with
Holland’s very progressive regulations. Blank was inspired to
document the Dutch people’s lifestyles for a film after stopping in
Holland several times during business trips to Europe.
"Coming from the United States, you’re always struck by how
different (Holland) is," Blank says. "It’s a truly unique approach
to democracy and society as far as Western society knows it."
Director Blank and his producer Barclay Powers introduce the
audience to the seedier side of Holland, complete with brothels,
"coffee shops" (a euphemism for cafes that sell marijuana and
hashish along with trendy coffee drinks) and live sex shows.
But instead of portraying it in a darker and more disturbing
light, as it might be portrayed in America, interviews with the
prostitutes and drug dealers reveal the safe and business-like
atmosphere. Since their trades are actively regulated, they are
able to live peacefully and safely inside the community
mainstream.
Hanneke Gelderblom, a Dutch senator, comments in the documentary
that the legalization of prostitution provides a better lifestyle
for the people who choose the world’s oldest profession.
"It seems the world can’t do without prostitutes," Gelderblom
says in the film."That’s not my wish, but it seems that this is a
fact. Let’s have them in a system where they are controlled, where
they can go to (a hospital) if they are sick and where they can go
to if they want to get out of this job."
In addition, Camille Johns, the owner of Camille’s Pleasure
Tours, a brothel in the documentary, says, "This is not a country
where you feel sorry for prostitutes. These girls do it because
they like to do it."
Blank strongly believes that Holland’s strict regulation of the
drug trade is a much better strategy to fighting drug abuse in
comparison to America’s unending battle with drug lords and their
illegal business. He argues that Holland works with people to help
them through these problems instead of working against them.
To further his point, Blank cites a poster from the organization
Partnership for a Drug-Free America that shows a frightening
picture of a former model and heroin addict, but no information on
it for those reading the ad to get help.
"There isn’t a single phone number to call if you’re an addict
and you need help. There isn’t any information on what to do. There
isn’t anyone offering assistance," Blank says. "There isn’t
anything except a scare tactic. (America) has this huge
misinformation campaign going on."
Blank believes this tactic is only one of the missteps that
America has made in tackling the continuing drug problem, treating
the epidemic as if it were a war instead of a problem that needs to
be solved.
"When you have a war, you have an enemy and you can send your
troops in and you can blame everything on this enemy," Blank says.
"It gives people a lot of excuses to behave in unethical ways
because it’s a drug war. That shouldn’t be the way public policy is
carried out."
He then relates the very different philosophy of tackling crime
that has been adapted by most of Holland’s citizens, recalling the
video’s interview with Barry Dekoningh, Amsterdam’s police
commissioner.
"He says his job is to make sure people don’t commit crime, not
to just arrest people," Blank says. "The goal is to solve the
problems before they occur. The idea is, ‘This is a fellow human
being, if he does something bad to another person, I have to stop
him, but if there’s something I can do to set him right in life,
why wouldn’t I do that?’"
Blank hopes that the documentary will open people’s eyes about
the other alternatives available in government policy and stimulate
discussion about our current laws.
"The idea that knowledge is in some way dangerous is something
that needs to be confronted," Blank says. "Clearly, knowledge is
power. And the more knowledge you have, the more power you have.
That’s another reason why the people in charge like to keep the
people as ignorant as possible. If people knew about the policies
that they’re implementing, people would freak out."
While it doesn’t seem possible for the United States to
immediately adopt Holland’s laws without causing chaos, Blank
suggests perhaps experimenting with these policies on a state
government level.
"State by state, it could work," Blank says. "One of the great
things about America is that you’ve got 50 little democracies that
can try things and then the nation can use these as experiments.
It’s simply a question of whether people want to go about creating
that society as opposed to the way it is now."
FILM: Jonathan Blank will give away posters at Tower on Sunset
Boulevard in West Hollywood Saturday from 2-4 p.m.
Jonathan Blank
Jonathan Blank’s film explores Holland’s
liberal (by American standards) laws.