THE TRAGIC REBIRTH OF THE APE	


	In the 70's, the humorist Allen Sherman wrote a book called "The
Rape of the A*P*E" recounting the sexual revolution and the reactions to
it.  A*P*E stands for American Puritan Ethic, and though it's
tongue-in-cheek, the term has real meaning, now as much as then. 
Evidently, the APE rears its head into public dominance on a cyclical
basis, much to the chagrin of librals, libertarians, and progressives.
	American Puritanism is a unique cultural pheonomenon, and it's
been a shadow suffusing and inflecting the United States government since
the founding of the republic.  The Ethic itself is pretty well known: 
work hard, earn money, don't be frivolous, forget sex (except to
reproduce), keep your nose clean and to the grindstone.  The U.S.
government relects this origin and often passes laws to support the APE.
	Unfortunately, there are some serious problems that result from
the shadow of the APE in the American psyche and lawbooks.  Besides the
fact that not every American, and possibly not even a majority of
Americans, buys into the APE, there is the question of separation of
church and state.  The APE definitely reflects one religious orientation,
and when it seaps insidiously into the justice system, a good argument
could, and one day will, be made that it is very unconstitutional.  So, as
much as Iran, America can be seen as a subtle theocracy.
	But the problems are more serious than even this, especially on a
human level, because the APE is not just a religious and ethical
philosophy, it's an actual mental state that, it may be argued, is pretty
damn close to neurotic.  It supresses what we are discovering are natural
human needs, like sex, touch, fun, and flexibility, and that the result of
this supression can be psychosis, individual and institutional.  In other
words, it can hurt. And when some people are hurt, especially inside, they
can do mean things to themselves and others.  This describes Puritanism,
and, unfortunately, neo-puritanism, perfectly. 
	Puritans were a sect of Christianity, and a strict one, so there
are characteristics which are shared by fundamentalists and cults
everywhere.  They are very down on sex, except for "Biblical" sex, meaning
for reproduction, and then in the "missionary position".  Until recently,
there were laws making it illegal to fuck in any other position.  So,
they're against any sexuality that isn't their sexuality.  You can be
arrested by the APE-infested government for sodomy, consensual pedophilia,
orgies, prostitution, or anything else that offends the APE's
sensibilities.
	Because of it monotheistic roots, Puritans were also evangelistic. 
Along with a superior and wholly arogant attitude, Puritans want everyone
to be like them, on pain of civil punishment and eternal damnation.  They
really have a sweet deal going:  demonizing difference and the
competition, the police and military at their disposal, the mass media in
their pocket.  Reward and punish, the original Big Brother long before
Orwell.  This causes Puritans to be highly intolerant.  Not just of those
who are different, but anyone who appears to pose of threat to their
dominance and hedgemony in North America.  Conclusion:  they can be
dangerous.
	Centuries of misery and suffering have followed in the footsteps
of fundamentalists, wherever they've trodden, including Puritans.  The
fact is that, for them, ideals are more important than people.  You can
see this on every level you examine. 

[to be continued...]