Futility of Bans

As a rule, we all want to be happy and comfortable. As a rule, our beliefs are very precious to us. The english expression, “may you live in interesting times,” points to our desire to prefer the status quo over change. It is as true socially as it is in business.

We see such an attitude acted out in things like anti-gay laws. Such laws do not actually reduce the number of homosexuals, but it will reduce the exposure that people have towards them and it also gives people a feeling of justification when they treat victims of such laws badly or violently. After all, they must be bad people deserving of such treatment since they’re breaking the law. Yeah, right.

Slightly off-topic: There was a stupid statement regarding gun regulation in this respect – that if handguns were criminalized, only criminals would carry them. *duh*

when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns
– Jeffrey Miron

If it’s criminalized, anyone who owns one is automatically a criminal. What a self-fulfilling policy, but in the end utterly useless.

You may as well ban alcohol and we all know how well that went in the US during prohibition. It neither removed the incidence nor the knowledge of the drug, merely drove the supply of it to mostly violent and unethical suppliers.

The same thing with the polyamorous possibility or with any other idea, political view or opinion. You can try to ban it from your life. Some day though it will crop up. It does not effect you directly, only that you hear about it or see someone embodying it. It’s just an affront to personal sensibilities. Nothing more.

Why not learn to live with it, even if you disagree? If you don’t, all you’ll be doing is artificially creating extra stress in your life and those around you.
Trying to ban it on the legal level is only going to cause unrest and violence on top of the initial oppression.
Take Christopher Street Day… aka Gay Pride. Founded in one of the most homophobic states in the Western hemisphere as an uprising against abuse, unlawful arrests, unjust laws and killings. Try to ban something completely natural and commonplace and you will end up facing your demons.

The Stonewall Riots would never have happened if homosexuals were treated respectfully rather than being violently oppressed.
The Soweto Uprising would never have happened if Africans were treated respectfully rather than being violently oppressed.
The Autumn of Nations would never have happened if citizens were treated respectfully rather than being violently oppressed.

So, in my opinion, banning homosexuality or polyamory is like banning women or blonde hair. People simply exist. Traits simply exist. Banning them will only drive the people with those traits underground and give a false sense of non-existence to the others while laying the foundations for future upheaval.
I really don’t see why we can’t just accept the wide variety that is humanity and let the diversity work to our advantage.