In yesterday's New York Times, Frank Rich gave us a great piece about the current state of the culture wars and how we Americans don't have the time or patience for these arguments over "moral" issues (that the right has used quite effectively to keep us divided over the past thirty years or so). When you think about it, it was rather impressive that they were able to mobilize and had such stamina to keep folks fired up on both sides of issues like reproductive choice, gay rights, and abstinence-only education for so many years.

Over the past few months, we've watched as the result of years of greed, fiscal irresponsibility, and unnecessary risk-taking on Wall Street have nearly completely collapsed the global economy. In the back of our minds, we knew this would happen someday; it was impossible that such a level of grotesque consumption and consumerism could sustain for the long-term.

If you think about it, this is very similar to what has happened to the social conservatives as well.  We all knew that their holier-than-though messages regarding their version of "family values" stank to high heaven of...

Conservative lawmakers are up to their old tricks of scapegoating and creating moral panics around sexuality. In response to the current financial crisis, legislators in Florida and Georgia have begun attempting to cut sexuality studies, queer theory, and women's and gender studies courses and research at state universities.

Read and sign our petition to support sexuality studies and the role of scientific research in sexuality policy and interventions right now.

As our nation struggles with the greatest economic meltdown of our time, rather than deal with real issues, these legislators have decided to create the illusion that they are making budget cuts and cutting wasteful spending; in reality, they are trying to eliminate courses and research that does not meet with their moral standards.  It is not unprecedented for disciplines that are seen as unnecessary or unimportant to be the first to get the axe when times get tough - the arts, ethnic studies, women's studies and feminist theory classes have been regular victims...