[QUOTE=Antigen]
Oh no, if consenting adults have sex, they might make babies - out of wedlock! And we don’t want a nation of bastards, because they all grow up to be delinquent and stupid.
[/QUOTE]
Or politicians.
No, wait. You mentioned delinquent and stupid. Sorry. 
[QUOTE=Maastricht]
Well, campaigns like these obviously don’t have the effect they claim they are after. So why, oh why do people keep funding these campaigns? Because they’re insane or stupid? No. They are, in fact, very clever.
There is no easier way of appearing holier-than-thou in some vaguely Christian sex-hostile way, then telling others to abstain. Funding such campaigns is a way for such people to feel good about themselves. And at really low cost, too.
[/QUOTE]
Well that, and it is a good way to give money (OUR FUCKING TAX DOLLARS) to fundie right wing organizations. Brought to you by the party of “fiscal conservatism” “smaller government” “lower taxes”. :rolleyes:
I don’t believe for one minute that the people who passed this did it out of some feeling of moral righteousness they did it to give money to their base, the “religious right”
[QUOTE=askeptic]
I don’t believe for one minute that the people who passed this did it out of some feeling of moral righteousness they did it to give money to their base, the “religious right”
[/QUOTE]
That might be, but what would the “religious right” do with the money besides things like these? Campaigns like these seem their core business.
All this seems to me to miss the point. The solution is clear; arranged marriages at 14. Voila! No more out-of-wedlock teen mothers, no problem. And since marriage guarantees fidelity, no need to teach contraception at all; we could probably even ban condoms, this solution is so airtight. This might also help prevent the equally worrying statistic that something like 10% of 20-30 year olds are still virgins, according to the link in the OP.
Something must be done!
The new cry of the Maude Flanderses of the world:
“Who’ll think of the unmarried adults below the age of thirrrrrrrrrrtyyyyy!!??”
Hypothetical:
Two high schoolers, having gone through abstinence-only education and taking it to heart, realize that they really should wait until marriage before having sex. So at age 19, being smittenly in love, they get married (the bride of course being allowed to wear white).
Finally, they realize they can have sex. But they’re responsible and understand that they’re too young to have kids just yet. So what are they to do? Where does the federal goverment suggest this couple, blissfully secure in the contract of marriage, go to learn about safe sexual practices and contraceptives? Is there any program set up to help this very couple that has followed the government’s guidelines from day one?
If not, why not? If so…why can’t THAT program be expanded to the unmarried teenagers and adults?
[QUOTE=Enderw24]
Hypothetical:
Two high schoolers, having gone through abstinence-only education and taking it to heart, realize that they really should wait until marriage before having sex. So at age 19, being smittenly in love, they get married (the bride of course being allowed to wear white).
Finally, they realize they can have sex. But they’re responsible and understand that they’re too young to have kids just yet. So what are they to do? Where does the federal goverment suggest this couple, blissfully secure in the contract of marriage, go to learn about safe sexual practices and contraceptives? Is there any program set up to help this very couple that has followed the government’s guidelines from day one?
If not, why not? If so…why can’t THAT program be expanded to the unmarried teenagers and adults?
[/QUOTE]
But why would they get married if they didn’t want to procreate? Marriage, like sex, is only for procreation, I hear.
[QUOTE=Antigen]
Oh no, if consenting adults have sex, they might make babies - out of wedlock! And we don’t want a nation of bastards, because they all grow up to be delinquent and stupid. Plus Jesus will be mad.
[/QUOTE]
I understand how the Feds would like to enforce this. Look how it turned out for Norway*, where most women are illiterate and kept from appearing in public, high rate of death in children, sectarial violence, short life expectancy, poverty, etc.
Wait. Sorry, got Norway confused with Afganistan again. You know how easy it is to confuse those two.
*About 50% kids born out of wedlock.
Soon, we will be a nation of blind and hairy palmed men, unable to effectively use firearms. And lean and hungry barbarians will swoop down from Canada. And then! Monday Night Lacrosse, brought to you by Molsons…
[QUOTE=Enderw24]
Finally, they realize they can have sex. But they’re responsible and understand that they’re too young to have kids just yet. So what are they to do? Where does the federal goverment suggest this couple, blissfully secure in the contract of marriage, go to learn about safe sexual practices and contraceptives? Is there any program set up to help this very couple that has followed the government’s guidelines from day one? If not, why not? If so…why can’t THAT program be expanded to the unmarried teenagers and adults?
[/QUOTE]
Yes. It’s called the Office of Family Planning, which was established in 1970 under Title X funding. And the reason its not expanded more rapidly is (I believe) because funding for abstinence education is being pushed in part out of social conservatives’ desire to at least achieve funding parity with Title X. Ultimately, I think there are quite a few people in the Republican base who would like to see Title X eroded or eliminated. FWIW, I believe Bush actually increased Title X funding as well, in a shining example of a blind pig finding an acorn (or however that expression goes).
Cool beans. By the time they work their way up to the 50-somethings, I’ll be 70, and probably boinking away in a Home somewhere.
So if I’m 30 and not married I can have sex to my heart’s content?
Can’t wait until my SO gets home, then!
You know, it’s totally hypocritical. I gave my heart to Jesus but now he never calls.
I am sick and tired of these motherfucking conservatives in my motherfucking bedroom!
[QUOTE=whiterabbit]
So if I’m 30 and not married I can have sex to my heart’s content?
Can’t wait until my SO gets home, then!
[/QUOTE]
Me too - whew! I’m almost 31 now (eek) so I’m still on the safe side.
[QUOTE=Antigen]
I think I’ll go protest this development. In a sweaty, delightfully immoral way. I’m going to take this lying down, damn it!
[/QUOTE]
I intend to protest this long, slowly, and against a wall.
[QUOTE=Nava]
I think that if I ever have to move to the States again I’ll look into, uh, bisexual studies or something. Or I’ll just check what age the Sex If Unmarried Prohibition is on before accepting the job.
After all:
“The State has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.” -P. E. Trudeau
Oh yeah, we didn’t like him either. Too smart, too French.
[QUOTE=Revtim]
Will anybody step up to the plate here and say they are happy their tax dollars are being used to try and coax adults in their late 20s from having sex?
[/QUOTE]
If it was targeted correctly (ie. toward men) I could support it. More pussy for me!
-Joe
[QUOTE=Giles]
Next round, it will have to be “No sex until the menopause.” But then they’ll have to train all those 50-year-old virgins in what they should have been getting practice in for the previous 30 years,
[/QUOTE]
Woo hoo! I may get to boink a virgin yet!
I’m married and over 30. Will my married license and driver’s license suffice, or do I need to get a copulation license?