Friday, July 18, 2008

America’s War on Sex: The Contraception Battle

Truthdig presents some questions for John McCain from Dr. Marty Klein, author of “America’s War on Sex: The Attack on Law, Lust and Liberty.” Apparently McCain fumbled a question about Viagra versus birth control last week - watch the video:



From Klein's website, Sexual Intelligence (I added more text than Truthdig porovided):

In response to a statement by one of his top campaign advisers, John McCain was recently asked, “Is it fair that insurance companies cover Viagra but not birth control?”

As this video shows, he said, with a nervous laugh, “I certainly do not want to discuss that issue.”

It’s an answer begging for a punch line:
* He’s too old to need birth control, and too hard to need Viagra.
* His campaign pays for the Viagra.
* Politics gets him hard, and no one on the left OR right will sleep with him anyway.

But since we’re on the subject, Senator, here are some other questions about fairness and sex we’d like your opinion on:

* Is it fair that teens can be jailed for having consensual sex with other teens?
* Is it fair that teens having legal sex with each other can be jailed for taking and sending photos of themselves doing it?
* Is it fair that some people become licensed by the state to be pharmacists, and then insist they don’t have to do their job if they hear voices telling them they shouldn’t? (that’s called “religious freedom” or “morality” if you agree, “discrimination” or “disqualified to do your job” if you’re a consumer trying to get your medicine)
* Is it fair that hundreds of hospitals licensed by their states refuse to offer certain legal medical services—based on “moral grounds”? (what if those “moral grounds” precluded giving blacks blood transfusions from white blood?)

Here’s a challenge to all presidential candidates: Commit to every American’s right to effective contraception. Unless, of course, you can name a private event that shapes a person’s life more than becoming a parent. Of course you can’t.

Interesting questions that neither candidate will ever go anywhere near.


No comments: