Sex = BAD!

Because I'm a huge masochist, I often read through Blogs for Bush, which is very cult-y, even for GOP cultists (I mean, even Michelle Malkin has a dissenting opinion once a month or so). I came across a fairly typical, emotional rant against abortion. I felt compelled to reply with something I always want to say when conservatives go off on this topic.

I replied-

Abortion is a nasty business.

You know how you could cut down on abortions (and just unwanted pregnancies in general)?

Comprehensive sex education in junior high and high school (none of this abstinence-only crap... actually teach kids everything, so they don't think what they hear from other kids are the facts). Giving out condoms. Teaching about birth control and making it accessible to those who need it. Parental involvement. For example, based on what I have seen from my friends, those whose parents encouraged healthy attitudes about sex waited longer before they had it and were always safe, whereas those who were told it was to be ashamed of were somewhat more careless.

Etc etc.

But the problem with that is that conservatives today are against what I just said. They don't want to educate, they just want to moralize. Their joining with the religious right has dragged them down. And so unwanted pregnancies go up.

Food for thought.

I would add also that there is a stereotype that many people-- ie. Bill Maher-- have about the GOP base, which is that they are very sexually repressive (toward others, maybe not themselves) and huge moral prudes. I wasn't even thinking of this stereotype, per se, when I posted this reply, but the responses I got brought it back to me big-time.

Here is an excerpt of the first reply I got-

Jeremy:

You reveal quite clearly the difference between conservatism and liberalism. Liberalism makes a sweeping assumption that people are not smart enough to adhere to conservative values and thus, since we are destined to failure, then abstinence to you (and your like) is "crap."...

...For you to claim that "they are just going to do it anyway" is a defeatist attitude...

Don't give up on mankind. Plain and simple. We should be teaching the consequences of poor judgement and the value of righteous living.

Now I am not naive to say that God didn't make us as sexual beings and there is a raging desire for that expression, but it is possible to maintain control and keep those desires in check. There are many that do, and many that wish they had.

Sex bad, God will help repress our nasty libidos. Check.

And the second-

...I disagree with Jeremys comments that the conservatives help escalate the amount of abortions because they support the religious right. Its just another example of how the leftist disreguard resposibility for actions made. Kids now adays have access to all types of medium that makes it very hard to make responsible decisions. In my opinion hollywood has a lot to do with the declining values in this country....

Standard blame-Hollywood rant. Check.

And the third-

What an idiotic statement. I teach at at a Middle School and if you start handing out condoms, the 12 year olds are going to start using them. Next step, they realize sex feels better without condoms. Next step, pregnant 12 year olds.

Giving out condoms = everyone instantly becomes sexually active (unprotected, for some reason)? Flawless conservative logic. Check.

I am converted. I will ask the Reverend Haggard to pray for me immediately.