Labels are a dangerous thing to wear and assign to others. We allow them to wholly define a person, and that is such a huge mistake. I am a Christian, and to some people that label includes the subtitle "Without Fault". Trust me when I tell you that is far from true. One day I will copy Maya Angelou's amazing poem When I Say I'm A Christian to further my point on that idea. But today's issue is about politcal labels.
Meghan McCain is a Republican, loud and proud. In the fitting-with-the-label category, she is pro-life. But she speaks out adamently against the common perception of the Republican party on the issue of abstinence-only sex education. Other than that fabulous jacket, this is my favorite of her qualities : )
In her column (The GOP Doesn't Understand Sex) she writes: "Let me get something straight: Bristol Palin, as an 18-year-old adult, is free to make her own choices and decide how she wants her life to unfold. But for whatever reasons, the American public and media remain overly engrossed in our politicians’ sex lives and, as in this case, those of their families. There’s an especially unhealthy attitude among conservatives. Daughters of Republican politicians aren’t expected to have sex, let alone enjoy it—as if there were some strange chastity belt automatically attached to us female offspring. God forbid anyone talk realistically about life experiences and natural, sexual instincts. Nope, the answer is always abstinence."
This young woman has a strong sense of self and of justice. She wants to deal with our youth honestly; what a novel concept! "The key, honestly, is communication between parents and children. At the end of the day, the worst thing parents can do is raise children who are not prepared for the situations they may encounter, especially when they’re not planned... Unfortunately, Republicans typically don’t like to discuss or deal with things they think are wrong or immoral. And that’s a huge mistake. If we can’t discuss birth control in addition to abstinence, and in a nonjudgmental way, kids will continue to make bad choices for lack of having access to informed, safe options. Not everyone shares the same beliefs, and more importantly, people don’t always react the same way to their circumstances. Which is why it is so important to encourage honest, open communication about the realities of sex within the party at large, and more specifically, between parents and their children."
Meghan is an impressive young woman, and I look forward to hearing her impact on the Republican party.
1 comment:
Just someone out here with thoughts regarding this issue. I know first hand that even though the lines of communication are open, it doesn't always matter! Society today is a BIG issue on this matter of teen sex and teen pregnancies.
I tell my young teen to practice abstinence. I wished I had talked more to my child about abstinence before the worst happened. Imagine yourself with a 12-14 year old daughter (perhaps you have one). Can you fathom her having sex at her age?
The truth is, if they are going to do it, they WILL do it! Teaching abstinance or exploreing other options with them, really doesn't seem to matter.
But doesn't it just seem so wrong for someone of this age to have sex? I believe you have to teach abstinence, because it is the right thing to do.
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