Sex and Guns

It occurs to me that the liberal attitude toward guns is very similar to the conservative attitude toward sex.

Conservatives fear teaching kids about sex openly in the schools will lead to a rash of orgies and teen pregnancies. They want to teach abstinence and nothing else in the mistaken hope that keeping blinders over the kids’ eyes about sex will prevent them from having sex.

Liberals fear keeping guns on the market will lead to a lot more gun violence than we already have. It’s a valid fear, to their credit, but we also have to remember there are 70 million people in this country who bought legal firearms, many of whom even went through the trouble of strict licensing regulations. There is always going to be a black market for guns, and I wonder if the statistics show those legal firearms being the culprit in more gang killings than the illegal ones you can buy in back alleys.

Conservatives worry about too much sex being shown on TV in front of the kids and want it regulated. Liberals frequently point out statistics on how many acts of violence kids are exposed to on television and worry about the impact it will make.

For both parties, nostalgia for the good old days is very rampant. In the god old days, no one ever talked about the subjects in public, the good and bad aspects of either one.

Liberals play up the argument that sex is a natural, healthy act between two consenting adults. It feels good and helps keep the planet populated. They will admit some of the bad aspects of sex, like STDs, but I wonder how much thought they put into certain circumstances in which sex can occur. Will the partners in a polyamorous relationship be ready for the emotional aspects of it? What happens in a marriage if there’s cheating?

Conservatives can counter with the fact that target shooting in a controlled environment is a healthy way to let out excess anger or aggression. They’ll admit to the bad, like gang violence, but prefer not to hear vital bits of info like the fact that gun owners are more likely to kill a family member than a criminal.

If I’m king, I’m treating both of these things the way liberals treat sex: Something to be educated about, so kids know just what they’re getting into and all of the responsibilities that go with it, and how to enjoy sex or firearms in the safest possible manner.