Nothing Is As Crazy As Reality

Some of the longest-running political blogs - Eschaton, Fire Dog Lake, Pandagon - began in Philadelphia, so there are sometimes discussions of local and regional issues. Yesterday on Twitter, Amanda Marcotte linked to a story about someone leaving their job in the Department of Social Services. Apparently, the person in question, while pulling down over $100,000 from the state, continued to publish a right-wing Christian newsletter. Nothing wrong with that.

The Philly City Paper made clear it wasn't that he was publishing. It was what.

Among the more interesting theories he's printed:

— that "condom use robs a woman of 'remarkable' chemicals found in semen
— that "birth-control pills weakened a woman's 'natural sense' of attraction to men who would be a good biological match
— that "semen-exposed women" perform better on concentration and cognitive tasks
— that women in the workplace may be causing childhood obesity.

As someone wrote on Facebook yesterday, she tried really hard to increase her concentration during college, and it didn't do much for her GPA.

While the jokes do write themselves, there is something sinister about all this. Advocating thoughtful commentary from a conservative Christian point-of-view on matters of human sexuality is one thing; turning seminal fluid in to a magic potion takes male dominance out of the suburbs and in to the beating heart of Crazytown. As for the other noted statements, it is clear that women are not viewed as free agents, capable of control over their own lives. Any attempt by women to have a say in how they run their lives, whether it be in matters of conception control or working outside the home is described as harmful. This is misogyny dressed up as "concern" for women.

With occasionally tacky, creepy frills added in.

There are moments it is important to stand in awe at how clinically insane some elements of the far right are.