America’s War On Sex:
The Attack on Law, Lust, & Liberty
The Right has successfully politicized our private lives. Questions such as who you have sex with, what you do with them, and what you fantasize about are now considered of legitimate public interest.
At the same time, the Right has demonized sexuality, transforming America’s cultural narrative about sex into one of danger and fear.
The U.S. bathes in sexual opportunity and sexually-oriented entertainment, but when America talks sex, it’s almost exclusively about how dangerous it is: unwanted pregnancy, the “homosexual agenda,” infidelity, kiddie porn, date rape, STDs, “porn addiction,” fetal pain, broadcast “indecency,” pedophilia.
After terrifying people with propaganda, of course the Right can pass repressive public policies around sexuality almost at will. But these policies don’t fix social problems--they make them worse. This makes people more anxious for themselves and their loved ones, so they ask for even more repressive public policies around sex. Politicians and “morality” leaders gladly comply.
The subject of sexuality may seem trivial, but the government and Religious Right are using it as the vehicle for transforming America’s secular democracy. Sexual crime and “indecency” are the pretext for dramatically truncating our right to see, hear, and write what we wish. “Harmful to minors” legislation demands that adults be limited to viewing websites that are fit for children.
The War on Sex is not just about eliminating abortion, sex education, HBO, and strip clubs--although those are some of its goals. Those who war on sex have been perfectly clear: they want to transform our secular democracy. And with their War on Sex, they’re succeeding.
