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y we as parents
 hould be concerned
about abstinent only
programs in our schools:

Train up a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old,
he will not depart from it.

— Proverbs 2126

That’s a pretty awe-
some responsibility placed on us
poor human parents.

The Christian Bible
gives us total responsibility for
what a girl or boy becomes as
an adult. So ingrained is this in
our psyche, that when a child is
first put into our arms, either at
birth or through adoption, we all
take a gasping breath, as the
import of being responsible for
this innocent life hits us in the
solar plexus. I know I felt total-

       

 

watching eye. I, for example,
know that cars and trucks can
kill. Thus I teach the child to
look both ways before crossing
a road. Or not to cross a road
without holding my hand. If I
had the knowledge about cars
and trucks, and did not give that
to the child, I would be
immoral. To letia child learn
that by trial and error would be

Most young people

are not ready for
relationships at an early age.
But to offer only

abstinence is like

not telling a child about
trucks and cars in the road.

ly awed and inadequate when I
held each of my three children
for the first time.

It has always been my
belief that parents or guardians
are responsible, as far as it is
possible, to teach the child by
word and example how to stay
safe in an unsafe world. It’s a
bit easier to do that when the
child is young, and under your

ludicrous.

But it gets much more
difficult when it comes to drink-
ing and using drugs. I don’t
believe this should be left to
trial and error either. Which is
what it feels like to me when I
hear people who feel that talk-
ing about safer sex, the use of
condoms, or the use of sterile .
needles when getting tattooed or

 
     
   

injecting drugs is putting the
idea in the young person’s head
and they will immediately go
out and try it.

What world do these
people live in? Do they not
watch television? Any young
person who watches television
for five hours is more enticed
toward exploring sex than from
hearing any HIV prevention
message. Do these people not
remember how curious they
were when they were young?
Human beings are programmed
to explore the world they live
in. But somehow the people
who insist on programs based
on abstinence—only, choose to
ignore this.

I have nothing against
teaching abstinence. Most
young people are not ready for
relationships at an early age.
But to offer only abstinence is
like not telling a child about
trucks and cars in the road. Here
I am, as an adult, with the
knowledge that could prevent
my child from having a life
threatening disease like HIV. I
know full well that human

i beings are apt to make erro-

neous decisions (any reading of
the Bible illustrates this). Or,
heaven forbid, be enticed to do
something they wouldn’t ordi-
narily do. Why would someone
not tell them how to take care of
themselves? Why would some-
one not tell them about condoms
and sterile syringes as a way to
prevent HIV? I believe not to do
this is immoral.

It makes me angry.
Somewhere a young person will
die because of their beliefs.
They will say, it was the young
person’s fault. I say a society
that doesn’t protect its young is
in deep trouble. V

Lynn Martin is a poet and AIDS
prevention worker who lives in
Brattleboro.

x 1

  

      

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