do we have to shock people all the time just because we're so darn liberal?

One year, Salon commemorated Mothers' and Fathers' Days by publishing a litany of stories about people being abandoned and abused by their parents, choosing to have abortions, etc. Eventually, some people wrote in to complain and they cut it out.

I was reminded of this when I read this week's Savage Love -- for Christmas (in commemoration of the Virgin Mary), Dan Savage decided to write about "virginity horror stories." They're pretty terrible, and, indeed, funny. But also sort of a loud, pottymouthed cry for attention (headline: "Jesus Busted His Own Mom's Hymen!" Ahem).