Just in case you could not tell, this site is dirt

     Here we go again with obscured laws meant to make the household American feel safe and important. In reading the article on Cnet news entitled “Gonzales calls for mandatory Web labeling law,” I realized that the country is taking as many steps as possible towards anarchistic and totalitarian rule. While the aim of the new proposal by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales forces websites to put markings of warnings on their websites alerting people to sexually explicit content. The proposed law is called the Child Pornography and Obscenity Prevention Amendments and focuses in preventing children from being exploited through the internet.  

     While I agree with the concept of protecting people online, now that the internet has become a part of everyday life, I feel as though the current systems in place better embraced the culture of the online world. With software that enables people to set barriers for available content, people can be reassured and feel better about letting their children go online. The FBI and other organizations have been looking into the serious offenses that take place online dealing with petafiles and sexual predators. For instance, thousands of predators who aimed at accosting children online have been arrested and prosecuted. In a quote from an article on internetnews.com; James H. Burris, a deputy assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division told the Senate Commerce Committee, “The laws are pretty well defined.” This statement was made in January of this year and since then there has been no evidence or case making these changes necessary. In fact recent high profile arrests have led to more public exposure for online policing and in turn are deterring people from committing these offenses. However, there is still a problem with sites that supply child pornography and are considered illegal. An estimated 100,000 illegal websites are still in operation.

     This begins to beg the question of why such a broad law was enacted to govern sexual content on the internet.  Why can’t the government go after those in charge of these child pornography sites? What allows them to censor and generalize content and still let sites with such content exist? It goes back to the double standard that already exists with many products in the United States. While we want to keep up the image of family safely and protecting our children by policing the internet, we still readily make alcohol and cigarettes available because they are extremely profitable. With the internet being free along with many of its services the government is cut out from being able to make money online because they are unable to tax online content. Anyone can have a web page as easy to access as cnn.com and that puts our government in a pinch. While they are used to having pre censored content on television, the internet has always been a domain for smut and adult content. However, there have been technologies developed to accurately solve the problem. Adults and software owners and especially parents can set controls on their web browsers to censor the content they want to.

            While it is important to remember that they are not shutting these sites down and are simply labeling the content, it is still a step towards stripping away rights protected under the first amendment. By instituting a policy like this we are acknowledging that the government has the ability to force independent organizations to change the way they represent themselves online. By having a warning or this label they are taking the same approach as Surgeon General Warnings on cigarettes. Both are things looked at as negative and detrimental to people in our society yet instead of stopping these types of organizations they are simply censoring them. How long until the government starts to decide what’s appropriate for all people instead of just young people. Soon a ban on all content seen as obscene might exist or new more stringent laws might be passed based on the existence of this previous case. To show an example of how badly a society can be brainwashed by government censorship we look no further than one of the most advanced cultures and societies, the People’s Republic of China. Here the government has wiped away the records of the massacre that took place at Tiananmen Square over fifteen years ago. When searching Tiananmen Square on Google in China, one would only find pictures of the square and the long history of how it was built. There are no mentions of the massacre anywhere online or even in books in China. The government controls the knowledge its citizens have access to and in an interview for a PBS special I recently saw, four Beijing college students were asked about what happened at Tiananmen square: none were even aware that the massacre ever took place.

            While I don’t believe the government would ever go that far in the United States, the idea of censoring information and keeping your citizens ignorant is a great strategy for developing a totalitarian government. If more laws pass censoring or distorting online content continue to pop up and exist, the United States might eventually take the freedom and the ability for people to control the internet out of the public’s hands.

Question for Mr. Lucas

     In common human sexuality there are compulsions and fetishes people possess. The world of pornography has noted this and created genres satisfying these tastes. In advocating for gay pornography I find Mr. Lucas discounts the intentions and perceptions of how we look at female actresses compared to gay male actresses. While he looks at the sexism existing in the industry and feels that women are subjugated through dominant male activity, he is ignoring the outer perception of his own industry. Why when two men engage in sexual activity, specifically penetration, does Mr. Lucas feel that a male “bottom” or receiver isn’t being degraded because it fulfilling his fantasy? When a woman is on the “bottom” and is humiliated or roughed up in any similar way, why don’t we think of that as her fantasy or what she wants? Instead we see that and feel that women are subjects and are abused and distraught by this behavior. Why are gay men having a good time and women are being forced into this kind of sex? What turns one person on doesn’t do the same for another in some cases. Some women may feel turned on by rougher or aggressive sex and find that the women in porn help with their fantasy. In today’s society are women in porn still being abused and forced into behavior

Response to Chapter 10: Child Porn

     Talking about obscene material and legal cases regarding these materials has led to the discussion of a commonly heard of taboo in today’s society. Child pornography is the visual image of sexual acts being performed on a child or minor. As technology has improved in recent decades, child porn has found outlets through video and years later through the internet. However, with the increase in technology comes the increase in awareness of child pornography. As a result, the FBI and many other American police forces have been making efforts towards eliminating child pornography. While everyone can agree it is sick and exploitative, there are still unclear laws for how we govern this content.

 

     In America there are many different ways in which we decide how old someone is. Those under 18 are considered minors in America and are look at differently in many situations. However, the age for consent in America is looked at as somewhere between 14 and 16, further blurring the line distinguishing the appropriate age for consenting sexual behavior. In America, some states will allow marriage for those under 18 if they are given parental consent. In other nations, there are kids under 18 fighting in military’s and being killed. This has gone on throughout history most notably in the Vietnam War and in many nations still today. The point is that the lines to govern content based on age simply don’t work uniformly. The world is saying that while some individuals under the age of 18 being trained to use weapons are mature enough to kill another human being, but not old enough to interact sexually as an adult or with an adult. While I don’t agree with the prior statement, as I do not condone child pornography by any means, there is some disparity in how much and what kind of importance we place on different issues.

            In reading Mr. Jenkins article on Child Pornography, I found that there is a short history to the subject and that previous legal matters have helped the way child pornography is being eliminated. Extremely important in this history in the 1984 Child Protection Act, changing the age definition of a minor from 16 to 18. In doing so this changed the way people could afford to behave. As the situation was getting more publicity and attention, laws were becoming stricter and the battle against child pornography was being won. People were becoming too scared to purchase the material and the black market for the content was even drying up. By embellishing the statistics relating to this problem as NBC and other news organizations did in the late 1970’s, it elicited a response from the citizens demanding action to stop the vile problem. This is similar to the way the internet is being policed today. With the immense size of the web it is almost impossible to protect people everywhere and police all the content on the web. However, by making arrests public and showing that looking at child pornography will result in such public embarrassment you deter many individuals from the content. As the sting operations continue around the country and the problem is addressed, there will be less and less of a problem.

            While I do not agree with many of the ways we define age in this country, I don’t agree with taking the proper measures to protect our youths. In setting a number for something like this we are helping to prevent an evil from occurring. Though the way we define a true adult in this country is far to complex to be considered logical, however, the measure towards preventing the distribution of child pornography is a great service of our police and other protective organizations. In considering other situations; it is probably better that citizens can become legally married, die in a war for oil, purchase cigarettes and even buy legally pornographic material; and all this before you even drink a beer.

People will never learn in this country

     In the last few weeks we have seen numerous examples of people in power or in leadership situations be caught in inappropriate sexual situations. The behavior of people online is a big point for the security of our children online. Petafiles and sexual predators exist all over the country and they use the internet as a way of reaching out to young people all over the country. As a result many police departments and authorities are taking measures to police people online and keep them from preying on young children. Despite the fact that this problem has been brought to the media forefront in the last several years, people still go online and look to sexually solicit kids online.

     Just last week Homeland security official Brian J. Doyle was arrested for sexually soliciting a minor online. However, the minor just happened to be a Sheriff from Polk County Florida, who identified herself as a 14 year old girl online. Mr. Doyle was arrested and suspended indefinitely from his position with Homeland Security. What is most surprising in this situation is that he gave his personal information out during the conversation in question. He sent one nonsexual photo of himself in the Homeland Security headquarters, where he was wearing a pin that said “TSA” or Transportation Security Administration, the department Mr. Doyle previously worked for. To send a fourteen year old girl evidence that you are in an important government position doesn’t show good common sense when trying to commit illegal behaviors. By holding a position in this administration, we would think that Mr. Doyle would be fully aware of the policing that are going on online these days and how police are trapping and catching petafiles all the time. Homeland Security also oversees an Operation Predator unit, which specifically investigates child predators and pornographers. With all of these things being perfectly obvious to Mr. Doyle, he still took his chances in doing something he knew would get him in trouble.

     In another case, we a similar situation occurring at a local level, however this did not involve the use of the internet. Malcolm M. Watson, a teacher at an all girls school named Buffalo Seminary Academy in
Buffalo, was recently arrested after being found in the same car with one of his 15 year-old students. This story begins in February of this year, as the two were often seen together and aroused suspicion. After Watson was told to stay away from her, the two were still seen talking together in school. As a result he was suspended for two weeks. After stern warnings not to go near the girl again, the two stopped seeing each other, until last week. The two were found in Watson’s car together at the Walden Galleria Mall parking ramp in Cheektowaga, New York. Authorities arrested Watson and he was immediately fired from his position at the school. Despite the firing many have recently spoken out against the schools administration for how they handled and somewhat ignored the situation and the safety of the young girl. However, what all can agree on was that Mr. Watson was a great teacher. "He's the best teacher my kids ever had," one parent said, "absolutely the brightest.” (Buffalo News)

     In looking at both of these situations we see men in power taking chances with their careers and lives. What would provoke these men to get into situations such as these that they each knew would end badly for them. Buffalo Seminary is an extremely small school with an all female student body. To be a male teacher at a school like this, one would have to display an image of doing right and being respectful. Though Mr. Watson may have been a great teacher, he still continued to try to see this girl despite warnings not to and the previous suspension. Despite the obvious risks he still wanted to see this girl. Brian Doyle was part of an organization whose main concern is making the United States a safe place to live. They even have their own task force set up to investigate sexual predators online. Despite being involved in this organization, Mr. Doyle still went online and tried to involve himself with a young girl. He was aware of the girl’s age and what was going on. Why do people in these positions still take chances with their reputations, lives and careers?

     Were these two gentlemen so sexually frustrated or in such need of the attachment of a girl that they would do something both knew wasn’t right? They each took a chance because they were in need of some kind of sexual release or gratification. The fact that neither was engaged in sexual activity with either girl doesn’t take away from the reasons they did what they did. These people held positions of power and gave it away by making stupid mistakes. While we don’t know if Mr. Watson had sexual intentions, we can still recognize that what he did was inappropriate and the wrong thing for a teacher to do. For a man so well liked and respected, he should have exercised more responsibility for his actions. Whether or not he thought what he was doing was wrong did not matter in this case.

     Mr. Doyle did not come anywhere near the “girl” he spoke to online yet he will now be deemed a dirty predator for the rest of his life. The impact of the internet on the way we police sexuality in this country is profound. We created the internet, a network originally based on big business and pornography. Now today we must protect our families from the evils of the internet. The growth in the way computers act as a tool of communication has coincided with the way we must regulate and protect people online.

     The more we hear about people like Brian Doyle and Malcolm M. Watson, the more people will become aware of the consequences to deviant behavior in this day and age. We have become a nation built on wholesomeness and family safety. However, in the case of these two men, it is good to reassured that this is a nationally recognized issue. The more exposure arrests like this get, the more it thwarts those from similar actions.

Who’s kicking ass this semester

In looking at other interesting bloggers in the class, I based a lot of my decision on whose blogs were most well written and relevant rather than who posts most frequently. For true interesting content I found three people who have stood out to me when I am reading through others blogs.

 

The first is Umphreak, who has written several very interesting blogs that associate with the class and with social situations throughout the world. I especially liked his piece on the sexual culture in
Europe. Next is Buster Bluth who writes concise and well written essays and does so, on a consistent basis. He does well at expressing his opinions and intertwining them with what is going on in class. Nicole19 does a great job of research and incorporating outside information into her blogs. She always cites her sources and does a great job of research before she writes.

 

Hopefully someone can consider me one of the better bloggers, but these three are definitely doing a good job.

How can porn enhance your relationship. (Pro porn myths)

    

     Why in today’s society to we discount pornography as something weird, gross and looked down upon? We value sexual experience and throw away porn as being something for the losers or something for someone without morals. Today pornography has become a mainstream medium and is gaining acceptance as being part of American culture. However, despite its inclusion is the American lifestyle, many people still see it is a tool used to degrade women and pleasure men. A specific example of this is on the website entitled ‘Porn Myths’, where many so called myths regarding perception and the way porn is judged in society are presented.

            "I just wanted to let you know that I very much liked the information presented on your website, especially in regard to de-bunking the myths about pornography and porn use…” Dr. Sean Casey.

     Unfortunately I must disagree with Dr. Casey’s position on the site. On the website Myths of Porn, (http://www.oneangrygirl.net/pornmyths.html) there are several falsities concerning pornography listed. These myths are aimed at making pornography look evil and detrimental to society. However, the site simply assumes things about people’s personalities and behaviors, and states different things as being wrong or a myth.

     In America we put a lot of emphasis on image and how people come across. Religious and political leaders are constantly trying to engrave morals into the societal fabric and make people into good religious all-American families. The site discounts the way people really believe and the way people truly feel about porn. They state the things that people need to hear, not the way people actually feel. What is socially acceptable differs greatly from how people actually feel about pornography. One of the so called myths presented states, “Men like variety in women so porn use helps a man stay faithful to his woman.”            

     While it is easy for some to debunk this statement and say that porn makes a man more likely to cheat because of the element of change and variety, it is hard to defend such logic. Most individuals that are with someone, for the most part, want to be faithful and happy with their partner, otherwise they wouldn’t be with them. Pornography is an outlet for a fantasy and by watching a porn star do something or look like someone; it is simply just part of a fantasy. By watching porn and getting the value of the fantasy experience then you can avoid being unfaithful. Instead of finding another partner because a guy likes variety in women, he will simply observe another’s behavior and use that as a means to be turned on or fulfill a fantasy. Porn in turn keeps a relationship together by allowing men to experience their fantasy to a degree, while simply masturbating instead of actually cheating.                 

        “Everyone knows porn is just a fantasy so no one would try to apply it to real life.” 

     While this point may not be true, one must look at the dangers of applying porn to real life. If a couple sees something as a turn on in a pornographic movie and they decide to mimic or do it in the privacy of their home, then who are they really hurting? People aren’t killed and for the most part are not hurt in pornographic films today, yet it isn’t good to get ideas from the film? Movies today are more violent and disturbing than ever before, yet when violent acts are committed; no one blames Hollywood for making films in which buildings explode and people die. People criticize by deep down inside we realize that in today’s society violence in acceptable while sex is still getting there. Sex is an act based on love and pleasure, what would be the harm in applying it to real life?        

                “Porn is an outlet or safety valve for men who might otherwise do bad things.”

     Is this to say that those who watch porn are all angry and lonely men who want to hurt others? A sick person who is intent on hurting someone will do so regardless of the porn they watch and the ways in which they satisfy their needs. If a man needs to see some type of porno film in order to not to act out in rage, then so be it. In today’s society we are looking for outlets for anger and a medium in which we can be expressive of our rage. Why can’t porn just simply act as that outlet? Pornography is not causing people to have angry or aggressive sexual feelings, it simply acts as a medium in which people, men specifically, can let those feelings out without using violence on others.    

         Overall, these so called myths have validity to the way society and pornography interacts today. Women have more power than ever in the industry and the business is allowing actors more freedom and a safer environment to work. With so much money in the business, people are flocking for their chance. This website doesn’t distort people’s beliefs; it simply states the public perception of pornography today. In pornography today, women are safer from violence and everyone is safer from disease than ever before. The industry is giving power and responsibility to more and more women, who are now producing, directing, and becoming involved in the behind the scenes work.    

         These porn myths may have had validity in the 1980’s or early 1990’s when the industry was in its infancy and still dealing with many social problems like disease. In today’s society the prevention of the spread of disease and the safety of actors are a huge part of the business. The industry has cleaned up its image to the degree that the public can look at it as being more acceptable. Pornography today is acting more as a tool for safe sexual behavior than it is as a gross way for guys to jerk off. By changing its image and making it safer for women, pornography is able to become a major facet of adult sexual behavior in
America.

I guess you can have sex and sleep at the same time

I have recently seen a few articles online dealing with people performing actions in their sleep. However, these aren’t normal walking around and getting a snack in ones sleep. These cases deal with people performing sexual acts while still in a state of complete sleep. I was particularly interested in a video I found on cnn.com. In the video, CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta examined a condition called ‘sexsomnia’ which is a disorder causing people to initiate and perform sexual activities while still asleep.

The video follows a young couple known as Dave and Julie (not their real names) as they deal with this disorder. They are a normal everyday people with a young daughter and a nice home. However, Dave has sexsomnia, which causes him to initiate sex while in bed with Julie. As romantic as that sounds, it is a serious disorder that has been paired closely with parasomnia and sleepwalking. The disorder has been getting more attention over the last several years. Individuals who use drugs and alcohol frequently as well as live under a great deal of stress and fatigue have a greater chance of having sexsomnia. There are even drugs been created to help the problem specifically the drug Klonopin. While the appeal, innocence and comedic appeal of such a disorder are tremendous, it was interesting to see other examples tied to the topic of sexsomnia. (CNN.com/2005/us)

In May of 2005 a man in Lowell Massachusetts named Richard Anderson was given three years probation for sexually molesting two young girls, even though he suffers from sexsomnia and did not remember ever committing the acts. In November of 2005, Jan Luedecke was acquitted of sexual assault charges. Luedecke started having sex with a girl at a party in Toronto while both were still asleep. The woman woke up and found him having sex with him and immediately ran out. Luedecke later woke up in a bathroom with a condom on and admitted to committing the acts. Interesting it took to the point of actual sex before she realized that Jan was being a little too friendly. Luedecke previously had sex with four different girlfriends while asleep and has been diagnosed with sexsomnia. As a result, he was acquitted of rape charges. (CBC News, November 2005).

In another case of crazy behavior while asleep, a couple in West Bengal India found out the harsh reality of divorce. Aftab Ansari divorced his wife Sohela while the couple was asleep. Aftab uttered the word "talaq," or divorce, three times in his sleep, and as a result the couple has been forced to stay divorced for 100 days due to Islamic law. Also, Sohela would also have to spend a night with another man and be divorced by him in turn. The couple has refused to obey the order and the case is being brought up in a family counseling center, though no decision has been reached yet. (CNN.com/2006/world).

 It is interesting to see the culture differences governing people with the disorders behavior. In America one can molest or sexually assault another while asleep and unaware and they are ok. However, in India a man simply spoke in his sleep and as a result, he is forced to divorce his wife. Also, because of Islamic law, his wife in turn will have to spend a night with another man and be divorced by him in order to remarry. The culture and the ways we look at sex and behavior are so contrasting from that in India. It is astounding to see that those three words are legally binding grounds for immediate divorce while confessions and physical evidence of rape and molestation are looked upon as crazy and odd human errors. While in their defense there is nothing that can be done about it, it is sort of crazy to see how another culture looks at sleepwalking and these types of behaviors. Who knows, the sexsomnia defense might actually become as popular as pleading insanity.

 

1. Sexsomnia. 2006 video based on an incident from Mat of 2005. Video feed from cnn.com/us. Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting.

2. www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/11/30/Sexsomnia_051130.html. ‘Man Acquitted in sex assault because he was asleep’. November 2005.

3.   http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/27/india.religion.reut/index.html. ‘Sleep Divorce Counts.’ March 2006.

Porn and violence just don’t mix

Erotica and pornography has always been an industry in which women were objectified or used in some way. It is the public perception of many people that pornographers take advantage and use woman for whatever purposes they need them for. While the popularity of the industry is helping to erase these stigmas, we still see examples of violent pornography and violent sexual behavior in these films. In reading William Fisher and Azy Barak’s article entitled Internet Pornography: A Social Psychological Perspective on Internet Sexuality, I found the authors asked profound questions relating to this subject.

 

                        “Is it the case that what the researcher designates as violent pornography is spontaneously perceived and interpreted by the average male as an endorsement of the utility and normativeness of violence against women? Is it the case that what the researcher designates as erotica is spontaneously perceived and interpreted by the average female as a nondegrading sexual portrayal?” (Page 116, Barak and Fisher).

 

            It is interesting to examine these different types and levels of pornography as they relate to how society perceives each. It is also important to take into account personal beliefs and views in examining how people look at different types of pornography. Culture plays a huge part in how people interpret the behaviors of others. While some might see certain sexual acts as violent, degrading or unacceptable; another person might see it as erotica or intimate. Also, in looking at this from a cultural perspective we can see that in many countries pornography is looked at in a totally different light. In many European nations pornography, sex and nudity are more intertwined with the culture. Sex and nudity is more prevalent on television and pornography is more a part of the culture rather than dirty little secret. However, in the last ten years we have seen porn become more mainstream and as a result, the treatment of women within the industry has vastly improved.

                       

I feel that because of the attention being brought to pornography as the industry is becoming more popular then ever, there will also be more clear and defined standards for categorizing porn. As the industry has gained popularity it has also allowed more women to become involved with the porn industry. As a result sexual violence towards women has been consistently decreasing. The greater attention upon the industry is forcing this change, as production values and publicity for the pictures increase. The popularity of pornography is taking the industry away from the violent objectification of women. As society has changed and women’s rights have expanded, the images and messages of pornography must also change. As a result less violence towards women is occurring in porn films. The more public this issue becomes, the more steps can be taken towards ending the violence in pornographic films.

I just want to make porn star money when I graduate

The most interesting changes in the pornography industry relate to the way society has accepted the industry and acknowledged its presence through mainstream technologies like computers, DVD’s, pay per view and on demand television. These innovations allowed pornography a means to integrate itself within normal culture and allowed the industry to be as acceptable and tolerated as it is today. However, the most intriguing changes to date relate to the culture of the industry. The change in the way we perceive those who perform in movies and those in charge of the industry, has allowed pornography to exist comfortably in American culture.

           

            Women are objectified and forced into the industry. They are treated like garbage and reused over and over for the pleasure of certain men. The industry is dirty and filled with the opportunity to contract STD’s. These were all stigmas that existed from the inception of the porn industry until only several years ago. In making these issues public, the porn industry offered and implemented solutions publicly. By showing proper condom use in some films and making it public that all performers would take scheduled tests for STD’s; people began to trust the industry more. Also, sex was becoming more widely seen on television and in magazines during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Younger people and especially teenagers were becoming more comfortable with discussing and being comfortable with sex. No longer did the government take the approach that sex is something only adults can have and abstinence is the only way to be safe. Instead, the government is promoting safe sex and making people aware of the dangers associated with unprotected sex. Through allowing it to be a more comfortable subject to talk about, young people are able to learn more about how to be safe and what to do. With people being comfortable discussing sex, it allows the porn industry to have value and purpose for such a large section of people who are watching and buying it.

            The other stigma the industry has tackled is that men control everything within the industry and women are abused or treated in a demeaning fashion. For a long time people thought porn stars were just dumb, beautiful girls who needed money for school or to start a real acting career. While this isn’t necessarily untrue, it is a simple generalization. Considering the financial benefits associated with the business and the other fascists of the sex industry, it is a wonder to see why more beautiful and sexually extroverted women don’t try to get into the business.

“For fuck’s sake man, that’s the reason I’m in the business”, stated actress Taylor Wane when referring to the money she makes as an actress in adult films. “I get at least $500 a scene and with dancing around the country-which pays best- I can earn $15,000 a week.” (Page 95, L. O’Toole).

However, more than ever women are becoming a powerful entity in porn. No longer are women confined to being dime a dozen actresses. There are many women who produce and direct movies and have power in the upper levels of the organizations. With more women being in charge and being behind the scenes, the perception of how women are treated changes drastically. By seeing that the actresses are safe from disease and violence and the lucrative financial benefits, we feel more comfortable about watching the films. The fact that men are lower paid and far less the focus of any heterosexual film, gives women who watch the films a sense of empowerment while still being sexual. The more comfortable people are with discussing sex and watching pornography, the more mainstream and socially acceptable it becomes, for both men and women.

Whats wrong with being naked

I found the discussion on ‘Nudity in the US’ to be particularly interesting. Thought I would throw in my two cents.  

     It is interesting to dissect the cultural differences when looking at sex and nudity in a public forum. While in the United States nudity and sex are not uncomfortable subjects, they are still not things everyone is comfortable seeing and discussing. Why do people in the United States put so much special value on nudity and sex?
 

    America unfortunately is a conservative country. People like their Sunday church, their NASCAR and their homicidal vice presidents. The differences between America and most of Europe are in the way those in power want their citizens to think. Sex and nudity are taught and shown to younger people in Europe. They promote safe sex and are comfortable with showing sexual imagery on public television. These countries understand people’s natural desires and needs and seek more to educate its citizens on responsibility. In the United States young people are constantly being told to avoid sex and wait as long as possible. The sad truth is that no one does this by choice and as a result we have a nation of teenagers thinking sex is something cool that they cannot participate in, thus making them more interested in doing it. In Europe sex is shown and integrated as a natural part of life. By making it something social and public, people can discuss it and be comfortable with sex. This allows more young people to exercise responsibility and become knowledgeable on safe sex.             If the government of the United States can concentrate on simply teaching young people about having sex responsibly at a responsible age, then perhaps teen pregnancy and the spread of STDS among teens will decrease. Making people comfortable in discussing and talking about the subject will lead to people being more comfortable about sex and taking the measures to be safe. After all, if we can show people getting shot and blown up on television, I’m sure it would be ok to see two people making love. However, in today’s America, I cannot always be sure.