Embarrassed (again) about being a Texan.

No, no, slk, it's not a matter of one bad answer. For me it's a matter of this being a typical Perry answer. He lives in a faith-based universe where global warming is a left-wing plot, creationism is taught in science classes and all good little Christian boys (and maybe some girls, too) get on the Honor Roll.

In three pages of essentially infantile slurs directed at Perry, Texas and Bush, we have one noticeably reasoned response by slkshock7.

It certainly is true that this interview was hardly a shining moment for Perry, but it is clear from the clip that the interviewer was gunning for him and the audience was hostile. At least he appeared on whatever show it was rather than ducking it.

As for his initial answer to the initial question, most of the posters on this thread, like the people in the studio audience were only to ready to laugh at Perry.

Correct me if I am wrong but the interviewer stated that the rate of teenage pregnancies in Texas indicated that "abstinence doesn't work."

Clearly, abstinence works, which is what Perry answered. Who knows, maybe he was stunned by the stupidity of the statement by the interviewer.

The real question, which the smug interviewer eventually was able to roughly articulate, is does sex education that focuses primarily on abstinence result in a reduced rate of teenage pregnancies?

The fact that Texas is #3 or #4 in teen pregnancies doesn't answer the question.

A more reasonable assessment of the efficacy of abstinence based education would be to compare the rate of teenage pregnancies during a period when abstinence was the focus vs. a period when it was not.

There are a hell of a lot more factors influencing teenage pregnancies than what the school is teaching in terms of sex education.

The entire notion that sex education in public schools can have a material effect on teenage pregnancies is ridiculous to begin with.

Does anyone really believe that these kids are going to school with sponge-like minds concerning what their school may teach them about sex?

Give me a break.

Short of dispensing condoms, birth control pills, and IUDs and performing vasectomies and tubal ligations, public school sex ed is not likely to have much of an effect at all.

The notion that our public schools should ignore the question of whether these kids should be having sex in the first place is the same sort of idiotic thinking that leads parents to serve their kids and their kids' friends alcohol because they would rather them getting pissing drunk at home than at some other place.

And DrewDad, I'm betting you're also frequently embarrassed about being an American. If you're so embarrassed about being a Texan I encourage you to share your feeling with your fellow Texans rather than your Liberal clique on A2K.

See,

http://able2know.org/topic/174744-4

Some interesting tidbits that you might be unaware of:

1) Texas is #1 in serial teen pregnancies.
2) Texas "sex education" emphasizes how often contraception fails, and how it does not guarantee prevention of STDs.

Basically, kids are told that condoms don't work so when they (inevitably) have sex, they just don't bother with them.

Clearly, the interviewer was discussing abstinence-only education, but was not precise in his language. Perry grabbed that with both hands, because interviewers have backed off at that point in the past.


One assumes that they go to school to learn, and to separate out rumor from fact. If they aren't given accurate information, how can one expect them to make reasoned choices?

I don't see how sex education is any different from history, math, or language arts. We educate kids so that they can be educated, n'est pas?

Certainly there are things that America does that I'm displeased about.

And nobody's forcing you to read anything here at A2K. It not like I'm coming to your home and holding a laptop in front of your face while you're eating dinner.

If you don't like what I've written, then feel free to ignore it. I doubt that I'll miss your input.

One would hope that after lot these many years of your time here at A2K you'd have learned that personal remarks don't really further your argument.

I was listening to a discussion on Terry Gross show about these "Dominionist" Christians who see their role to be preparing the world for the "end times". I sure as hell dont want a president who doesnt have any long term commitments to the Union.

Even though Pwerry is a screwball, he comes across as someone who is relatively sane. That is, until you listen carefully to his stuff.

Finn, I suggest you go back and listen to the interview again. It is very clear the interviewer is talking about abstinence EDUCATION. He in fact says it twice before Perry even starts talking. And Perry even says "maybe it's the way its being taught", obviously talking about education, before he begins his non-answer, which doesn't deal with the topic at all.

The fact is, if you do some research on the topic, abstinence-only EDUCATION does NOT work. The virginity pledges that are part of most of the curricula do NOT work. There is no difference in sexual experience between abstinence-taught teens and non-sex-ed taught teens, except abstinence-taught kids tend to practice safe sex less (same sex rates, in other words,they just do it worse).

Your attempt to exonerate Perry fails miserably. Much like his answer.

Perry'sDominionist Christians are about converting a critical mass of Jews so that "Jesus" can return.

They believe that **** and apparently, so does Perry.

scary, fm, very very scary.

Yeah, keep all the stories about our crazy uncle swept under the family rug. You know, telling the truth about our loony old uncle just might affect his chances of foisting his craziness upon a way bigger crowd.

You don't want to be responsible for that, do you?

That certainly was a struggle. Im dumb as rocks and I could have answered that better. I've only been here a few years so I only take partial credit for him.

Oh please.

You, fundamentally, believe that American kids are capable of grasping wrong from right when it comes to sexual libertinism and all the public educational institution can do is provide them with contraceptives.

Even you know DrewDad didn't say that, Finn. You really are big on distortion, aren't you?

And right after Ceili smacked you down proper!

Such a sly response.

DrewDad wants us to believe that his repugnance for all things Texan should remain hidden within the cyperspace of A2K.

If you are, actually, a Texan than have the guts to voice your opinion.

I understand that you might feel imperiled by doing so, but surely you are so heroic as to court such disdain.

Or not.

Hide in the shadows and gripe becuase it makes you feel superior and it has no repercussions.

This is a a Liberal's benign forum. You get to spout off about all the evil conservatives, without consequences.

Stop hiding from the Public Forum in Texas; go out there and pronounce why the rest of us Texans are miscreants.

But no, you are a Texan quisling. You seek to curry favor with the NE Liberal Elite by asserting you are a Texan and you hate Texas.

Unless you live in Austin, go to the downtown of your community and spout all of your shite.

Surely they will cheer you.

I'm sure I'll get corrected if I'm mistaken but aren't you distorting things again, Finn?

MontereyJack, I suggest you spend your time attempting to insert your head within your rectum, because your attempt to debate this issue provides as much value as the effulence with which Monterey struggles to convince the world is a positive.

You believe this ****, and so contradict the rational image you seek to impose;

Now, you're just getting silly, Finn. Dipping into the good cheer certainly isn't making you cheerful.

By the by, Finn, why do you think it is that America's greatness has to come at the expense of the poor of the world? It seems odd, even to you I'm sure, that death and destruction should be cause for celebration.

Did Vietnam send you into delirious paroxysms of joy or were you still in possession of a soul then?

Or, as the joke goes:

On the next season of "Survivor", they're going to line everybody up on one side of Texas in cars with bumper stickers front and back which read "I'm a gay liberal atheist and I'm here to take away your guns". If anybody makes it to the other side, they win.