Sex vs. Terrorism, Here and Abroad

Last weekend, I cried hard at the English-Arabic wedding ceremony between the Jewish groom and Lebanese bride. I indulged at their reception where food and wine flowed, and the groom rocked with his band. And at the after-hours party in someone's crowded hotel room, I danced nasty.

Since The Attack On America, I hadn't huge desire to do any nasty, despite media reports of ramped-up humping nationwide. Sexperts predict a little baby boom in nine months or so. From urgent marital coupling to constant casual clinging to a surge in prostitution, "terror sex" has taken on a whole new meaning from drunken college days.

Apparently my mourning 9-11's senseless brutality hasn't been quite as sensate as others. Diminished, along with desire, has been my capacity to write my columns or book undressing sociosexual issues. So it felt good when the beat crept in past the post-wedding chatter, and lifted me off the couch to touch the music and myself. When my husband judged my dancing a bit "sleazier and sluttier," I thought just maybe I'm getting back to normal as President Bush requested. Now back to work.

Swept by such powerful need to serve my country, sharing sex stories seemed trifling. I actually considered re-enlisting in the Army. Yeah, my life views of today stand worlds apart from Sergeant Riscol's of 11 years ago. But I know how to lock and load. Trained for tank repair, finance and photojournalism, and ranked expert on grenades and M16s, I thought the U.S. military maybe could put me to use in this new war.

Then I learned I'm pregnant.

Whereas lives shattered by hate fueled my need to help safeguard our nation, life spawned in love drives me to help shape a better future. Whereas soldiers throughout time have sacrificed their lives to defend American freedom, warriors on the homefront have devoted their lives to breathe social justice into that freedom. Whereas U.S. forces must now focus intelligence and might so that America survives, civilians must continue to combat fear and ignorance so that America thrives.

Which is how I got into sexology in the first place. Before terrorists united Americans against an external enemy, we eviscerated each other in an escalating culture war, with sex as ground zero. In fact, before Black Tuesday, you'd think sex the number one threat to American security.

Fiscally responsible Republicans gleefully funneled millions of taxpayer dollars into sniffing out President Clinton's sex life. Ominous reports on blowjobs, semen stains, teen promiscuity and anal sex, and Condit conquests made nightly news indistinguishable from tabloids. Made the most open minded long for a shower.

With Biblical Bush's blessing, the family values crowd charged Capitol Hill to take America back to more chaste days. From their seat at domestic and international policy tables, theologians smart-bombed reproductive health services (including family planning for the poor), sexuality education, pornography and the erotic, and civil rights for homosexuals. Even condoms were declared the enemy.

Though the nation's attention has moved on to a threat seemingly greater than promiscuity, conservatives march on to root out the cause of America's moral decline. More than 400 ladies have united with Utah's porn czar, Paula Houston, to stamp out the saucy and suggestive. Targets include Abercrombie & Fitch catalog, Better Homes & Gardens magazine and LaQuinta Inn.

"The parallels between [smut and terror] are uncanny," says Women For Decency Director Janalyn Holt. "Pornography destroys families. It's not a one-time shot like an airplane flying into the World Trade Center. But little by little, blow by blow, it can be just as destructive. We are getting bombarded on all sides."

Yes, she really did say "blow by blow," presumably without cracking a smile. Lacking in both humor and irony is the American Life League, which took out a full-page ad saying, "Defend America ... De-fund Planned Parenthood ... Abortion is the ultimate terrorism."