Anger at abstinence

By Tom Quiner

The thought of abstinence riles up folks.
Quiner’s Diner reader, Olivia, was upset with the subject matter:

“Why is birth control the focus of your article? If your point is that young people are so morally depraved, how will keeping birth control away from them change anything? It won’t teach them morals – that takes actual thinking.”

I write about a lot of subjects, Olivia. The aggressive promotion of birth control on our youth seems to be producing adverse results. It seems like an important discussion to discuss

“If you’re dictating morality, then it’s not morality at all. If you’re telling a kid X is right and Y is wrong, and they do X but really don’t understand why it is right, that doesn’t make them right, it makes them a mindless idiot.”

There are no shortage of folks out there dictating morality, Olivia. Let’s start with the folks who suggest that kids are pretty much animals, lacking in the human qualities of discernment, prudence, and responsibility. That crowd wishes to dictate their morality of contraception in our public schools at taxpayer expense.
The data I talked about in my post, “Abstinence vs. Contraception,” suggests that perhaps their morality is not all that effective, perhaps not even that moral.

“Shouldn’t you be really trying to change their moral attitudes, beliefs, etc. by engaging in – i don’t know – meaningful discourse with them? To try to get them to actually have the well- thought out opinions on the inside, instead of being bitter about what they’re being told to do?”

That’s why this blog exists, to engage folks in meaningful discourse. As you’ll see in the posts to follow, I got some great feedback from young readers with strong opinions on the subject. This is called discourse.

“No one cares about the actual moral and intellectual development of children any more.”

What do you mean? I sure do. I’ve raised three kids. I’ve got family and friends with kids. I care  about their moral and intellectual development. Heck, I care about you, and I’ve never even met you.

“Sure, they can be fed awful culture on the one hand. But how exactly is dogmatic religion any better?
Not impressed by this article. Not coming back. Sorry my honest opinion. I still respect you but I really dislike this content. Same old, same old.”

Olivia, I didn’t talk about religion in this post, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about. And you said you’re not coming back? Why? I thought you were seeking meaningful discourse .
I am truly not trying to give you a hard time. I AM trying to understand what your REAL issue is with the post.
I made a few simple claims. Research shows that teens using contraception are getting pregnant and contracting STDs.
If contraception is making their lives worse, perhaps we should return to the days when abstinence was promoted. Unlike liberals who claim kids are pretty much animals incapable of self-restraint, I think young people are dignified human beings capable of much more if properly challenged and motivated.
I am open to your thoughts on how this should occur.
Olivia, thanks for writing. I do hope you come back and read the responses I received from other young readers like you.
This is interesting discourse I’d like to see continue.