In his column, David Strand speaks of infant mortality, high STD rates in American youth and other problems. He blames these problems, or rather, the fact that his preferred solutions are not adopted, on ‘science phobia’ which he blames on superstition exemplified in belief in the devil.
I agree with Mr. Strand that these are serious problems. I do not agree on his solutions and I certainly do not agree with his smearing of all who dare to disagree with him as superstitious and afraid of science. Neither do I agree that traditional Christianity, to which millions of Americans adhere and of which belief in the devil is a part, is the same thing as superstition and science phobia.
The concern for pre-natal health is admirable, if a bit ironic, given Mr. Strand’s support for government funding of Planned Parenthood as argued in his November column. The bill to defund Planned Parenthood would have redirected the funds to community health centers which provide pre-natal care, which Planned Parenthood does not; it only provides pregnancy testing, contraception and abortions; the last of which couldn’t be more opposed to pre-natal health.
As space is limited, I will focus on his proposed solution to high rates of sexually-transmitted disease among youth. Mr. Strand argues the solution to widespread STDs is ‘comprehensive’ sex education, which means sex education that doesn’t promote abstinence, but condom and contraceptive use.Read the rest here.
I have to express gratitude to my editor, Mr. Adam Hoogenakker, for allowing me more columns than I was scheduled to be allotted so I could make this reply, and also to him and other Age staff for accommodating me when I have objections of conscience that prevent me from typesetting certain material. Such freedom of opinion is becoming rarer in the workplace and especially in news media. (And this my be the subject of my next column...)
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