Decapitation Vs. Two Heteros Bonking

While I don't put much stock in unscientific polls, one conducted by the parent-oriented video game site whattheyplay.com provides a glimpse into the taste-barometer of Americans. The question: "As a parent, what would you find most offensive in a video game?" Nevermind the barrage of violent, aggressive, and sexist images that permeate the minds of youth from video games (and movies, television, etc.) during key developmental years, American parents are most concerned about heterosexual sexual intercourse. Amazing.

In some ways, this is not too surprising. We are just a year away from the anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, we are currently involved in a bloody war in Iraq, and we live in a country with one of the highest homocide rates in the industrialized world. Violence is practically an acceptable aspect of our society and thus, it should come as no surprise that we have a higher tolerance for graphic images. GamePolitics.com, a video game consumer watchdog site contends that the findings tie in with the "traditional American view as well as U.S. legal precedents. First Amendment protections, for example, are extended to violent content while sexual material is subject to greater legal scrutiny." It makes you wonder what our country would be like if we were as accepting of sexual expression as we are of violence.

The bright spot: Two men kissing is only slightly more offensive than a graphically severed human head. A sign of progress indeed.