Brody's Scribbles... America's War On Sex: Controversy surrounds a store that sells adult sex toys in historic Alexandria

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) Nov 7 | As I settled in to watch the 11 PM newscast and the wrap-up of the day's events, the following report from ABC7News reporter Richard Reeve regarding an adult themed retail store caught my eye:

Now, I live and work in the greater metropolitan Washington D. C. area. Parts of which can be considered fairly liberal and then there's Virginia. Actually, I am not going to point fingers as that would be unfairly casting assertions that the state was too uptight about sexual matters. Hmm, on second thought, yeah, Virginians are uptight about sexual matters.

Actually the problem is that Americans in general are wound too tight regarding sexual matters. Everytime I travel to countries in Europe and see adverts on television or in magazines and newspapers I am reminded of this fact. American's profess to be filled with free speech, yet you bring the topic of sex up and you can watch a majority of them cringe and immediately change the subject.

Not long ago, I read Dr. Klein's latest book, America's War on Sex, which I highly recommend. Here's a blurb about the book and then a video of Marty talking about the problem with sex and politics in the United States:

"If you're uncomfortable about blacks, you are a racist; uncomfortable about Jews, you are anti-Semitic. But today, if you're uncomfortable about sex, you're a civic leader."

That's Marty Klein at his finest: brutally honest, scathingly funny. The President of the ACLU introduces this powerful book, which shows how the government and Religious Right use the regulation of sexual expression, entertainment, information, and health care to undermine our secular democracy.

Marty's meticulous research shows how today's public policies attempt to solve the wrong sexual "problems"--guaranteeing more of the real sexual problems with which American individuals and communities continue to struggle. These drive the demand for more repressive "solutions" which, of course, don't work either.

"Although every Alabaman has a legal right to own a gun, they don't have the same right to own a dildo," says Marty. 

Untangling myths about "obscenity," porn's actual effects, and so-called "activist judges," this fast-paced, thought-provoking book addresses:

• How the Right has demonized sexuality, creating a cultural narrative of danger and fear
• The relationship between repressive public policy and personal sexual problems
• Why anyone who defends everyone's sexual rights is perceived as attacking "morality" and safety
• How the Sexual Disaster Industry harms us every day
• Why sexual rights are as important as our other freedoms 
• What must be done to stop this war on your sexuality