Just a short observation this morning as I rush to get my day started. The worst deadlines are self imposed deadlines and I really do have to get going. But being a creature of habit, I am compelled to write a few sentences. So I leave these few comments for you to ponder as you go about your day.
I had mentioned the other day that the Montgomery county high schools had established a policy of handing out free condoms to all the students. Just go to the health center, what we called the Nurses station, and get your condoms. My first thought was all these kids carry six hundred dollar I-phones but can't afford to buy a condom? Well, I posted that comment and was met with a barrage of responses. Those responses ranged from those kids need those condoms to act in a responsible and mature fashion to they shouldn't have to be shamed by purchasing those condoms in a public store!
The most common reason I read was, well they are going to have sex anyway so we should provide condoms for them. That was the answer to me suggesting that we teach the children to not have sex before marriage. You know, start teaching morality and ethics, that sort of thing. Personal responsibilty and self control. Well I have to tell you the majority of the people responding thought that was impossible, so why even try! No, the responsible thing to do was to give them all the condoms they need! In that way we would be pro-active, preventing unwanted pregnancies and std's. Again the suggestion that both could be avoided with 100% certainty by abstinence was met with derisive laughter. The only way to help them is to give them condoms! My final comment on that thread of discussion was, that's not helping, that's called enabling! And I am disappointed that so many fail to see that at all. They are going to have sex anyway is the response, so why bother. Hey, people are going to speed too, why put up a sign!
Another response that amused me somewhat was the theory that the kids would be embarrassed or ashamed to have to buy those condoms. They would have to go into a store where adults or people that knew them would see them. Why, that would just be awkward. I pointed out a simple fact, if you are ashamed or wish to hide something from others it's probably because you shouldn't be doing it. It's called guilt. Yup, that's the word for that, guilt. If you are not willing to do whatever it is with others having full knowledge of that action, you probably shouldn't be doing it and furthermore, you know it! That's why you are ashamed.
Well, like I said I have a self imposed deadline and so must move on. Just wanted to leave this social observation for the day. I guess times change. When I was in high school, we boys worked up the courage to go in that drugstore and ask for a prophylactic, we knew that's what adults called a rubber. And yes, you had to ask as they were kept behind the counter. Then having secured that symbol of manhood we proudly displayed to the other guys. Yes, I have one, just in case. I was more likely to win the lottery, but I was ready! I would say the majority of the guys I knew carried that thing around in their wallets until it disintegrated. But I guess if the school had handed them out like candy, free for the taking things may have been different. Well may not be politically correct these days but I can say, shame and social stigma were strong deterrents in my day. That combined with the knowledge that you were going to be held accountable, 100% and without exception. We would hear, you know better and you made your bed, now sleep in it! And they weren't talking about sex.
I had mentioned the other day that the Montgomery county high schools had established a policy of handing out free condoms to all the students. Just go to the health center, what we called the Nurses station, and get your condoms. My first thought was all these kids carry six hundred dollar I-phones but can't afford to buy a condom? Well, I posted that comment and was met with a barrage of responses. Those responses ranged from those kids need those condoms to act in a responsible and mature fashion to they shouldn't have to be shamed by purchasing those condoms in a public store!
The most common reason I read was, well they are going to have sex anyway so we should provide condoms for them. That was the answer to me suggesting that we teach the children to not have sex before marriage. You know, start teaching morality and ethics, that sort of thing. Personal responsibilty and self control. Well I have to tell you the majority of the people responding thought that was impossible, so why even try! No, the responsible thing to do was to give them all the condoms they need! In that way we would be pro-active, preventing unwanted pregnancies and std's. Again the suggestion that both could be avoided with 100% certainty by abstinence was met with derisive laughter. The only way to help them is to give them condoms! My final comment on that thread of discussion was, that's not helping, that's called enabling! And I am disappointed that so many fail to see that at all. They are going to have sex anyway is the response, so why bother. Hey, people are going to speed too, why put up a sign!
Another response that amused me somewhat was the theory that the kids would be embarrassed or ashamed to have to buy those condoms. They would have to go into a store where adults or people that knew them would see them. Why, that would just be awkward. I pointed out a simple fact, if you are ashamed or wish to hide something from others it's probably because you shouldn't be doing it. It's called guilt. Yup, that's the word for that, guilt. If you are not willing to do whatever it is with others having full knowledge of that action, you probably shouldn't be doing it and furthermore, you know it! That's why you are ashamed.
Well, like I said I have a self imposed deadline and so must move on. Just wanted to leave this social observation for the day. I guess times change. When I was in high school, we boys worked up the courage to go in that drugstore and ask for a prophylactic, we knew that's what adults called a rubber. And yes, you had to ask as they were kept behind the counter. Then having secured that symbol of manhood we proudly displayed to the other guys. Yes, I have one, just in case. I was more likely to win the lottery, but I was ready! I would say the majority of the guys I knew carried that thing around in their wallets until it disintegrated. But I guess if the school had handed them out like candy, free for the taking things may have been different. Well may not be politically correct these days but I can say, shame and social stigma were strong deterrents in my day. That combined with the knowledge that you were going to be held accountable, 100% and without exception. We would hear, you know better and you made your bed, now sleep in it! And they weren't talking about sex.
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