Abstaining From Reason - Part 1 - Overview

There seems to be so much to talk about when it comes to Abstinence Only programs that are being taught all over the country. Regardless of what some groups may say, nearly ALL of these programs' core ideology come from their Christian roots. In fact, I don't know of a single Secular sex education program that teaches Abstinence Only. Why? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK!!

It's very easy to see why this is the case when you look at the facts: Abstinence Only teaches children to wait... and wait... and that's about it. No information is provided for these kids about condoms, the pill, etc. So, when they do eventually have sex... And they WILL have sex, it's fucking inevitable. And inevitable fucking.... When they do have sex, they are less likely to use protection resulting in higher cases of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Here are some facts to show I can do a google search:

''There is nothing in any peer-reviewed scientific journal to suggest that teaching abstinence-only is effective in getting teens to delay sexual activity,'' said one expert, Cynthia Dailard, a lawyer and senior public policy associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization devoted to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.

In contrast, Ms. Dailard has reported, considerable evidence shows that sex education promoting abstinence, but also providing information on the benefits of contraception for those who do not remain abstinent, does delay the start of sexual activity. Such programs also reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancies and S.T.D.'s, she has found.

Furthermore, she and others who have reviewed the findings of many carefully done studies are worried about the effects of the abstinence-only approach on teenagers who do become sexually active. If teenagers are given no information about birth control, or only negative information, the studies indicate that they are less likely to use any method of protection, and are thus more likely to become pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted disease than are teenagers who are well informed about condoms and other contraceptive options.

One national study, published in 2001 in The American Journal of Sociology, found that while some teenagers who promised to remain abstinent until marriage delayed sexual activity by an average of 18 months, they were more likely to have unprotected sex when they broke their pledge than those who had never pledged virginity in the first place.

And Columbia University researchers reported in March that in a national study of teenagers who pledged not to have sex before marriage, a majority did not live up to their vows. The adolescents also developed sexually transmitted diseases at about the same rate as teenagers who had not made virginity pledges.

See? Not only does it not work, it's actually BAD for teens. And you know what the best part is? YOU are paying for this to be taught to children! That's right, open your wallet and hand over some of your money to these ignorant puritans! How much money? Well, let's check. Last April, the Washington Post stated this:

The federal government spends $176 million a year on abstinence-only education, and millions more are spent every year in state and local matching grants.

That's a lot of our money spent on something that actually does more harm than good. I wonder why it's so much? Only a president with extreme religitical (that's religious and political together, clever huh?) views would allow that, right?

President Bush is asking for $273 million for fiscal 2005.

Oh.

Well, maybe he just got confused about what he was pushing. I mean, he does get confused...

President Bush, in speaking to high school students in South Carolina two years ago, said that ''abstinence works every time,''

Now why didn't your Dad say that?

SO... thats where we are on the whole subject thus far. I've got quite a few things lined up for the follow-ups. We'll see how it pans out. Stay tuned for the next installment: Condoms.