The oldest profession in the world has become the newest issue in the race for governor of Minnesota. \n Jesse "The Body" Ventura, a former professional wrestler and the candidate of the Reform Party, answering a question during a campaign appearance in Forest Lake, Minn, said the state should consider legalizing prostitution. \n Ventura, a former mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn. and now a radio talk show host, told a luncheon of business owners that prostitution was a crime that prostitutes commit against themselves. Later, he said Minnesota should consider the model set by Amsterdam, where the red light district is known internationally. \n He said it was time to look at new solutions for old social problems. "It's a lot easier to control something when it's legal than when it's illegal," he told reporters. "I think it's something that we certainly should look at in the interest of getting it out of (residential) neighborhoods." \n Though he is only a third party candidate, polls show Ventura has considerable popularity with voters. A recent poll taken by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and KMSP-TV said 21 percent of likely voters would select Ventura. Most of his followers might otherwise have backed the Democrat, Hubert Humphrey III. With Ventura in the race, Humphrey and Republican Norm Coleman are practically tied. \n Both Humphrey and Coleman immediately distanced themselves from Ventura's idea. A Humphrey spokeswoman called it "terrible public policy." She also said a closer examination of the Amsterdam red light district would reveal significant gang and drug problems in the area. \n Coleman said Ventura's notion was outrageous. These problems won't be solved by opening the floodgates, he said. \n An ex-prostitute who now runs a Minneapolis organization to help women who want to quit being hookers, also weighed in against Ventura. Said Evelina Giobbe: "I'd be appalled to go to downtown Minneapolis and have naked women sitting in a window like puppies for sale," a reference to a typical street scene in the Amsterdam district.
All models were at least 18 years old at the time of their performance. 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement.
