Abstinence-only approach fails

Sex is one of those things that makes everyone go crazy. All major religions have views on the… Sex is one of those things that makes everyone go crazy. All major religions have views on the subject, and all people do as well. But for such a personal choice as sex, thus far in human history, the overwhelming decision has been a heartfelt and resounding “yes!” People are having sex, whether at 16 or 21, whether it is the result of a relationship or a beer. Just think, all 6 billion people on Earth are the result of sex. Sometimes, we are depressed because with so much sex occurring in the world, you can’t help but wonder why so little of it is being had by you.

It makes people funny. Rightfully so, as it is the pinnacle of many human experiences. Few of us get shot into outer space or reach enlightenment. Most will never be elected to the White House, and I doubt that I will ever bowl a 300 game. Sex is often as good as it gets.

But still, it makes people funny. It makes otherwise rational adults weep. It promotes a great deal of lying. While there is nothing wrong with a little lie every now and then, like “Yeah, it was great” or “I’ll call you tomorrow,” the lies do not end there. Sometimes, the lies can end up affecting national policy.

The national policy in question is where to allocate AIDS money. With AIDS spreading at home and abroad, President Bush granted $15 billion to fight the pandemic in the world. However, a sizable chunk of that money, $4 billion, went toward programs that, rather than stressing condom use, stress abstinence and marital fidelity.

Both of these methods would work if accepted universally. But they aren’t. Think about it: Would we attempt to curb crime in society by educating people on the benefits of being nice? Would nice-only education take the place of jails eventually? Hell, no. All we need is one person to deviate from the system for everyone to get in trouble. And we have gotten in trouble because many people are having sex.

This is not to say that there aren’t people who don’t have sex. I know people who have chosen not to, and I am impressed with them, and I respect their choice. But when you are only educated about abstinence, you will never know what you are abstaining from. It’s a much greater statement about self-control if you abstain from sex, even though you know that it is a pleasurable experience.

Abstinence-only education does not even mention the dangers of AIDS or any other diseases. Abstinence-only education focuses on preventing sex through teaching things like personal responsibility, restraint, not giving in to temptation and choice. Forgetting the fact that this sounds more like a weight-loss seminar than a disease prevention program, it doesn’t work.

Studies have shown that abstinence-only education might sometimes delay the onset of sexual activity, but what does that matter if people still don’t use condoms when they begin having sex?

We need look no farther than Texas, a state that teaches abstinence-only education, to see how much of a failure it has been. President Bush, back then its governor, signed into law a bill that only allowed abstinence education in school. Since its inception, Texas has boasted the nation’s highest rate of teen pregnancy for girls aged 15-17. Sexually Transmitted Infection rates are much higher there, too, than among the rest of the condom-using population.

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Varsity Blues,” you know what I’m talking about. One of the football players says in one memorable scene that something is growing on his, well, you know, male part. We see him in a later scene having sex, or about to, with two attractive girls.

In Africa, a continent where AIDS spreads rapidly and without check, what do you think is the more effective of the two mottos for combating AIDS? “Strap your Johnson with a rubber?” or “Abstain from indulgence of the worldly pleasures and live a life of piety?”

If you are not taught in school about condom use, you will never learn. I mean, did your dad sit you down on his knee and tell you to strap your piece? Did he tell you about pregnancy, and how he got the clap from a cheap Vietnamese whore in Saigon in 1967? No, parents hesitate to talk about their own experiences. Education from outside sources is the way to combat AIDS.

That $4 billion would be money better spent in the hands of researchers. Nobody knows who will finally find the magic cure. Our best hope to combat this terrible disease is to spend it on a cure, not on wishful thinking.

Student Health provides condoms for free. In addition, Sam Morey has a large tub of them in his living room. To borrow one from him, e-mail him at smorey88@hotmail.com.