The Uncaring Of The Right

The Gadflyer: Fly Trap: "Let's see, we've got the ridiculous hypothesis that giving a teenage girl an immunization against HPV will make her say, 'Woo-hoo! Now my worries are over! Come on boys, let's get busy!', something I can't even believe that the Family Research Council believes. On the other hand, you've got young women dying of cervical cancer. Which is a more pressing problem?"

See, this is the problem. The right holds some reasonable positions. It IS reasonable to not want teens having sex. It is reasonable not to want people getting abortions. The problem is they are wrongheaded and authoratiarian in how they go about promoting their positions. This story is yet another example.

Pragmatism is a gift the religious right could stand to learn. Having an immunization to HPV would save lives...even if it did increase casual sex (though there is no proof it would.) The benefit far outweighs the costs to their cause...right? Birth control and Plan B and condoms all provide great benefits and lessen abortions and deaths...certainly they are worth the sacrifice the possibility of increased sexual activity. Besides, while they can be principled in saying they do not approve of premarital sex, they have no right to make it harder for others to have it. Trying to limit another's freedom based on your own views is the ultimate threat to democracy.