Theocracy Update: Bush's $1 billion "abstinence only" program fails miserably
- Thread starter Cypress
- Start date
This would actually be very funny, except for imagining how many kids you could have fed with one billion dollars.
a billion is a lot of money.
You know what bums me out? The Bush admin pushes their theological agenda on other countries, where lives are in the balance. I understand that they try to push these "abstinence only" programs on african countries ravaged by HIV. Which, of course don't work. More comprehensive solutions, and condom distribution programs are what work.
It's fine for theo-cons to play with their pet theological theories - but not when people's lives are on the line.
Condom distribution promotes out of wedlock sex. It's satan's work. We have to teach those africans to fundamentally rely on abstinence.
IHateGovernment
Is this your homework?
A good argument for federalism I shall say.
HIV/Aids doesn't recognize State or Provincial boundaries in any given nation.
There needs to be a national policy based on science and facts. The problem here, is that the Bush policy is based on theology.
IHateGovernment
Is this your homework?
But put a theocon in charge and your one size fits all approach works in reverse of that.
If different states ran different programs it becomes more clear whos system is working and which isn't.
Let New Jersey run their schools the way Jersians want to and let Texans run theirs their way. We can see which ones work better and allow states to make good decisions from that.
If different states ran different programs it becomes more clear whos system is working and which isn't.
Let New Jersey run their schools the way Jersians want to and let Texans run theirs their way. We can see which ones work better and allow states to make good decisions from that.
Thorn
Member
It's already evident. The "just say no" philosophy is in full tilt here, and this region has one of the highest teen pregnancy and STD rates in the nation.
Yes, I think that is the problem. Facts do not trump ideology. Does anyone think that the fact that abstinence only does not work is going to stop the religious right? I don't.
I was more specifically speaking of Foreign Aid. The U.S. has to have a policy to help fight AIDS in africa, that aggressively promotes condom distribution. This abstinence only stuff is crap to placate bush's religious base. It's not based on any medical, or empirical facts.
I agree that the Feds can't wholesale takeover sex ed in public schools - that would be unconstitutional. But, there can be a federal policy on AIDS/HIV and STDs with respect to research, data, and grants.
T
TRGLDTE
Guest
Try reading the article you posted. The miserable failure of the abstinence program is that it achieved a result indistingushable from the standard comprehensive program.
Nice cherry-picking Mr. Wolfowitz....er, I mean Trog. Try reading the entire context of the article:
But even in 1990s Texas, where Mr Bush spent $10m a year on abstinence education, the state had the fifth highest teen pregnancy rate in the US....
In the context of findings like this, health workers and statisticians conclude that it is far better that children have safe sex, with knowledge of and access to contraception, than that they are preached a message of abstinence only to ignore it.....
Now, as for the quote you cherry picked:
The MOST important thing is not to stop sex, trog. That's what theocons are most concerned about.
The MOST important thing is to stop STDs and unwanted pregnancies- with info about condoms, etc.
T
TRGLDTE
Guest
And you're assumnig that every teen who ignored a abstinence program failed to use a "safe Sex." Got any proof?
trog, you seemed singularly concerned that an abstinence only kid is having sex at the same rate as a comprehensive ed. kid is.
that's how Theocons think. Its all about sex to them.
The point is, yes we should tell kids not to have sex. But, we should ALSO tell them about their options with regard to contraception and sexual health.
At least arming them with that information, could reduce the chances of STDs and pregnancy.
And isn't STDs and unwanted pregancies really the issue? Surely, you not suggesting that the real issue is merely the act of sex itself?
that's how Theocons think. Its all about sex to them.
The point is, yes we should tell kids not to have sex. But, we should ALSO tell them about their options with regard to contraception and sexual health.
At least arming them with that information, could reduce the chances of STDs and pregnancy.
And isn't STDs and unwanted pregancies really the issue? Surely, you not suggesting that the real issue is merely the act of sex itself?
T
TRGLDTE
Guest
We need to get Damo to install a "spinning top" in the emoticons option, to denote someone trying to spin their way out of a debate.
