The Return of the WTF Files

OK, there's a Newsweek article about Congressman Paul Broun calling for a crackdown on soft porn (like Playboy) in our military PXs. The rational? "Sexual assault is going up within the military, and I certainly think there's a very high likelihood that pornography being sold in military PXs is contributing to that."

Did this guy fall out of the stupid tree? Yes, and video games lead to violence. Let's ban those in military PXs as well. Let's see, we put men (and women) into a high-stress, rotating stop-loss, endless war with the endless threat of death (if you're deployed) or deployment if your state-side. But it's Playboy's fault that they assault someone? There's nothing "creative" in Playboy. Let's not forget that there lots better AND worse porn online (pointed out by the article.) No, this is a "think of the children" sound-bite for his constituents.

I'd also like to point out that sex has always been a part of war. GIs (on both sides) in WWII carried pinup girls in their pockets and tried to make time with the French ladies. Go even further back. What did you think the real duties of squire/stable boy are for his Knight while out in the field all those long nights?

The morality of soft porn in the PX should be secondary to the driving to the actual problems. But, we can't get into a discussion about moral behavior with soldiers who may be called upon to defend our liberty. Such a discussion might lead us to a more important discussion about the morality of the war we are fighting And we certaintly can't have that.

Then there's the other frightening notion that nobody will admit to: Perhaps there's no harm in a small circulation of Playboy in the PX. Men get urges. Men are visual by nature. Put us in high stress situations day-in-day-out, and we're going to want to get some release. A bit of softporn may actually prefent something worse from happening, not drive it happen. Good grief.

And that's why the WTF Files are back!