A response
2004-03-11 - 10:25 p.m.

Read this Article

Who wants to have sex? Let’s see some hands.

Ok, now who wants an STD?

Venereal Disease? Herpes? Gonorrhea?

No one?

Well, I have some bad news. You’re going to get STDs whether you have sex or not, so all of you who were refraining for the act from fear of diseases can rest easy. You’re going to get them anyway, so you might as well enjoy it.

For those of you who didn’t read the article, go ahead and skim it now. I’ll wait.

Done? Good. Now, I’d like for you to focus your attention on this quote in particular.

"The message is really simple: 'Just say no' may work in the short term but doesn't work in the long term."

This is stupid.

There is no sense in pussyfooting around the issue, and I feel no need to qualify my statement by saying that it’s my opinion. It is not.

The fact is that abstaining from sex is 100% effective in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Notice that these are sexually transmitted diseases. They aren’t “sexually and something transmitted by coughing and touching” diseases. No, the diseases mentioned in this article are spread in one way, and one way only: Having sex. To say that refraining does almost nothing in preventing these diseases is simply ignorant. It is akin to saying that virgins are as likely to get pregnant as girls who are sexually active. It makes no sense.

Now, before you accuse me of ignorance, let me state that I believe I know what this article was saying. It was simply making the point that pledging abstinence does not necessarily make one less likely to indulge themselves. This, I understand, but what sort of a point is there in an article like this? It contains nothing redeeming, nothing to warrant its publication. In fact, I would say that articles such as this actually encourage promiscuity by essentially stating that trying to save oneself for marriage is not only difficult, but is, in fact, impossible.

Despite what this article’s experts and doctors may say, I would like to categorically state that they are wrong. I am a twenty-year-old male, and I have chosen to wait. Incidentally, I don’t have any STDs or children, and I am living proof that waiting is possible. I believe, both from a moral and a common sensical standpoint, that this is the best choice. I don’t need doctors or pretentious liberals who lack self-control to tell me what I can and cannot do, or even to imply such.

Just because they didn’t resist, and thousands of kids who also pledge chastity don’t resist, does not mean that you or I cannot.

Just something to think about.