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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!js2j
From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Family Planning
Message-ID: <684@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Mar-85 13:55:14 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.684
Posted: Thu Mar 14 13:55:14 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Mar-85 04:03:22 EST
References: <557@ahutb.UUCP> <967@cbosgd.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 29

> > 	My question for the listening audience is this: Do you think
> > planned parenthood programs that provide contraception and education
> > to teenagers are the cause of the high teenage pregnancy rate in this
> > country? Or are there other things that convince teenagers to have
> > sex early and without any contraception?  This argument is important;
> > the current administration bases a lot  of its stand on family planning
> > programs on the premise that these programs are responsible for the
> > high teenage pregnancy rates.

     This has got to be one of the most ridiculous questions I've ever
heard.  Does providing contraception and education to teenagers cause them
to have sex early and without any contraception?  Does providing books and
education cause illiteracy?  Does providing food cause starvation?  
     What's the idea here?  Maybe if we left the teenagers ignorant about
sex and contraception, they wouldn't find out about sex until they're
safely married?  Suuure.  Maybe if people would stop letting teenagers
have contraceptives they would stop getting pregnant.  Somehow, I find
that *very* hard to believe.
     Does the current administration *really* believe this?  I knew they
were doing some really stupid things, but discouraging planned parenthood
programs as a way of lowering the rate of teenage pregnancies seems even
more stupid than the things they normally do.
-- 
Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j
    "If you see her, say hello.
     She might be in Tangiers.
     She left here last early spring,
     is livin' there, I hear."-Dylan