Declining morality

Oct 10, 2007

To the Editor:

Re: Guest column in the Sept. 26 edition of the Almaguin News titled ‘Why assume an immunization will turn teen girls stupid?’ by Todd Carlson.

I appreciate, Todd, that you praise the Catholic Church for preaching abstinences until marriage. It is not bizarre, however, that virgin men are teaching it. They are the ones who know it is possible. They have opened their eyes and looked at the real world. That is what worries them. They have seen that youth are already, as you say, bombarded with sexually-laden messages in music, television, magazines and the Internet. To be asked to take a shot against an STD will add to that bombardment, giving the impression that promiscuity is expected.

You stated, “You can preach dogma all you want. Not everyone listens.” That is true as the failure of the safe sex message has shown. It has been preached now for years, but the transmission of STDs keeps going up and up. That is partly because not everyone listens but also partly because of the message sent that sexual activity is okay. The same is true when they are told they should be immunized against HPV. Sexual activity will increase and so will other STDs. It is quite possible that the immunization will lead to more STDs than the HPV prevented. How much better it is to teach abstinence. Some will listen and the benefits will be both physical and moral.

And why should Catholic school boards, funded by the taxpayers, have some authority in this and similar matters? Simply because they ARE the taxpayers.

Fred Raaflaub
Magnetawan