Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.

A friend of mine e-mailed me to say that she often disagrees with Dawn, but Dawn’s latest posting about Planned Parenthood made her wonder.

Today, Dawn writes about how if you’re 6 years old, you can get into Teenwire and ask questions about sex. Dawn has made other interesting discoveries, like the brightly colored “Size Matters” rulers that Teenwire created for kids to use at school.

I don’t like kids being sexualized. I don’t care what adults do, but kids should be allowed to be kids and grow up at their own rate without pressure. The purpose of Teenwire is to help kids who already are sexually active and have nowhere else to ask questions, and that’s good. But making a kid feel out of place because he or she is NOT ready yet for sex is dumb. And that’s what stuff like the "Size Matters" school supplies collectively does.

But that’s not why I’m bringing all this up.

I bring it up because Dawn writes at the end of today’s entry, “Is that the kind of world that you want to wake up to on November 3? A world where six-year-olds are encouraged to sign up to learn about rubber penises..?”

Here is the problem.

If Kerry gets elected, he is NOT going to support 6-year-olds having sex. That’s ridiculous.

If you are a good parent, you can teach your kid right from wrong. It is also incumbent upon you to teach your kid that the poor and sick shouldn’t suffer excessively just because they are broke. That’s part of family values, too.

Maybe both sides have to do a little more talking to each other and listening if we feel that our very way of life and moral values are at stake. To some, that's the emotional issue that is influencing them more than most others. Even if it shouldn't be.

There much bigger issues at stake right now. Terrorism. Health care. Stem cell research. People who are scared that their moral way of life is threatened are going to let that influence their vote, and I understand that. Maybe liberals should take a stand against extreme programs that contribute to the sexualization of kids. But also, maybe conservatives should not say ignorant things about certain adult lifestyles just because they’re afraid of them.

This election should be about terrorism first and foremost. It should also be about having our government work to make sure people have a fighting chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

But we have a lot of people who fear that morality is being threatened, and then the other side who fears that the government may threaten their right to do whatever they want in their bedrooms.

Joe Schmo who doesn't pay attention to what's really going on may fall for reductive statements like "Is this the world you want to wake up to on Nov. 3?", but it seems more complicated than that. Do people believe that if they vote for a Democrat, kids are going to have sex younger? Do they really believe that heterosexuals will suddenly “choose” homosexuality? Those who are against same-sex marriage have to come up with better reasons for their opposition than just that it scares them.

Maybe a little more discussing and a little less extremism. And better parenting. If you really are concerned that the president has control over whether your kid turns out gay, you are a dope. And you should also be worrying about your kid learning the values of selfishness and greed, or not being able afford health insurance if he's between jobs.

Readings

...On another note, travel writer and blogger Daryl Lang is reading at Barbes tomorrow. Amy Sohn and Jess Liese are also reading. Info here.