Doggedly searching for the crux of the biscuit.
You mean... People actually have sex before they're married?
Almost all Americans have premarital sex, says a report published Tuesday that analyzes federal data over time and suggests programs focusing on sexual abstinence until marriage may be unrealistic[...]
This fall, the federal government clarified its guidelines for millions of dollars in 2007 federal money available to the states for abstinence-only programs. The message that such funds, which previously have focused on preteens and teens, would now also target unmarried adults up to age 29 stirred controversy after Wade Horn, assistant secretary for children and families at the Department of Health and Human Services, explained that the revision was aimed at making sure states knew money would be available for 19- to 29-year-olds because more unmarried women in that age group are having children[...]
But a fellow in family and culture issues at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., that supports abstinence-only legislation, blasts the report as "an attack on abstinence."
That's right. Finding out what people do is "an attack".
Wow, the headline kind of understates the findings. It's not just "most," it's 95%.
Posted by: mrh at December 20, 2006 07:57 AMI'd like to know what percentage of the remaining 5% are "virginity until marriage" types, and what percentage simply can't get laid.
Posted by: Spike at December 20, 2006 11:51 AMI loved Al Franken's bit about interviewing all the pro-abstinence conservatives, especially ones that are not married, and getting them to tell their stories about not having premarital sex. He was going to call the book "Savin' It".
Posted by: dAVE at December 20, 2006 02:19 PMyet another waste of time and money by the goddamn government
Posted by: Jon at December 20, 2006 10:11 PMAt least some brave legislators are fighting back to defend abstinence.
Posted by: Gaijin Biker at December 20, 2006 11:49 PMSociety places too high of an emphasis on sex and titilation, though. While the attempt by thet state to enforce sexual behavior one or another is misguided, you can't deny that something's seriously wrong with the messages sent to your young people who have everything to lose in the post-sexual revolution.
Terri Gross did a great interview recently regarding this. Don't agree with 100% but some really smart things were said:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6549015
Posted by: Jon at December 21, 2006 09:00 AM