War trumps sex in Bush's U.S.

According to Bob Greenblatt, Showtime's entertainment chief, "Male genitalia has always been the last taboo [on TV], and I think for good reason." (TV Guide, August 20-26, 2007).

It's a very strange society where many people are more disturbed by a penis on TV (heaven forfend, an erect one) than with sending thousands of young American men and women, not to mention the many thousands of Iraqis, to their deaths in a country that never did anything to us.

I can't help but wonder what it is about penises that scares them so much.