Olbermann vs. (Bristol) Palin

[xerox78]

Bristol Palin Strikes Back At Keith Olbermann For 'Worst Person' SelectionBristol Palin struck back at Keith Olbermann after the MSNBC host dubbed her the "Worst Person In The World" for her role as a spokesperson for abstinence with the Candies Foundation

Comments

[schexyschteve]

Advocate for birth control pills, condoms, knowing your cycle, whatever, but it's incredibly stupid to keep pushing abstinence when you know it doesn't work.

[tmlforsyth]

It does work, but few people have the self-discipline to carry it out, so it's not a realistic approach. I prefer the old cheer:

Sex can wait. Mas-tur-bate! That is the safest sex one can have, unless they accidentally grab crazy glue :)

[art_house_queen]

But sometimes abstinence is not a matter of personal choice. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but realistically speaking, it's not just about having "the self-discipline to wait".

[tmlforsyth]

You mean like hormones and other teen-age stuff? I am not certain how consensual sex is not a personal choice, but I may be completely missing what you are saying.

[art_house_queen]

No, I mean, in certain situations and cultural practices, sexual activity, especially that of women, might be heavily mandated and regulated. In some cases, it is not up to the woman to "deny sexual relations".

In some instances, abstinence is seen as a denial of affection or love, or not performing a sexual act might mean that a marriage is invalid, etc. In some cultures, pressure to perform a sexual act might go beyond the level of normal teenage "peer pressure".

Do you get what I am saying? I admit this is not an entirely coherent argument, as I've been up a great deal of the night.

[tmlforsyth]

I fully understand what you are saying, and was thinking that you were referring to rape cultures. I fully understand now, and that wasn't what I am thinking about at all, but I should think about that, as it is a very serious issue.

In some cultures, pressure to perform a sexual act might go beyond the level of normal teenage "peer pressure".
I definitely see the point there. I have met some (male) neanderthals who think like that, and they need to meet a rusty cigar cutter.

[zoram]

It does work, but few people have the self-discipline to carry it out

Ok, so teaching it doesn't actually keep kids from having sex. It doesn't reduce teen pregnancy or rate of STDs, or do anything that actual education can help them with. In what way does it not suck?

[tmlforsyth]

I mean abstinence itself (the act or non-act) does work. Abstinence only is a failure and some fundamentalist denial. Yes, it is an unrealistic policy, and it does suck. It's too bad you can't teach a knucklehead teenager about the emotional issues that come with sex and can cause great discord when mixed in with teen hormones and adolescent emotions. I'm not saying wait until marriage, but that sex should be approached rationally, which won't happen for most teens.

I went to Catholic school and they taught about birth control. The official rules were stated, but we weren't kept in a bubble. I was taught in religion and science class, and the different subjects had different points to teach, but it was much more inclusive about information than Bristol's message.

[zoram]

Again, I have to answer "?". The topic was abstinence only education. Whether or not anyone's personal choice not to have sex works for them is completely irrelevant when the topic is what we will be teaching all of the youths in school.