America's war on sex : the continuing attack on law, lust, and liberty / Marty Klein ; foreword by Nadine Strossen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Klein, Marty.

Series:

Sex, love, and psychology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sex--United States--History.

Sex.

Sexual ethics--United States--History.

Sexual ethics.

Sex and law--United States--History.

Sex and law.

History.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxi, 226 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, Calif. : Praeger, [2012]

Summary:

In the second edition of his thought-provoking book originally published during the Bush administration, Klein attempts to unravel just what it is about sex that places it at the core of American politics and the debate about civil liberties. He discusses the obvious battleground issues including abortion, contraception, and pornography while focusing on the struggle between groups on the religious right and civil liberties organizations like the ACLU over the meaning of constitutional rights and how they should be upheld. The book summarizes the historical perspective in which Americans have tried to balance the needs of individual freedom and community responsibility; however, the argument remains that this balance is being upset by fundamentalist political and social forces. Klein argues that these organizations have declared a "war on sex" as they attempt to control behaviors by using fear, a narrative of sin, protecting children, supporting marriage, preventing disease, and a long list of psychic arguments in an attempt to present sex as a clear danger to society. The current political debate is being shaped by these issues, particularly in terms of women's rights and specifically the right of a woman to terminate her pregnancy. Nadine Strossen, president of the ACLU, provides a moving foreword. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

You're the target : why a war on sex?

Battleground : sex education-where children come second

The most powerful "minority" in the United States

Battleground : reproductive rights

The sexual disaster industry

Battleground : broadcast "indecency"

Yes, they really said that

Battleground : adult entertainment-feverish dreams, real estate nightmares

How they do it : ammunition in the war on sex

Battleground : the internet

America does not guarantee your right to be comfortable : the lowest common erotic denominator project

Battleground : the war on "pornography"

Extreme religion and public policy

Battleground : sexual privacy and sexual minorities-civil rights or immoral privileges?

Revolutionizing american government-bad news for democracy.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [215]-216) and index.

ISBN:

9781440801280

1440801282

9781440801297

1440801290

OCLC:

749873289