jade:

Jade,

I think the difference between what seem to be emerging as two camps on this subject (three if san counts as his own camp) is the idea that education about behaviour means condoning it. So, if we teach kids about safer sex we are implicitly encouraging them to engage in it. If we offer vaccines against staggeringly common viruses and diseases like hpv, it will remove the deterrents associated with sex, which will mean more people have sex.

This assumes that all human behaviour is based on fear of consequences. It's false. But I think it sheds light on why people like donnamp insist that birth control for people having sex and the world's first cure for cancer should be discouraged.

Giving children access to birth control is not education. Education is telling them about the dangers of early pregnancy for people their age. Education is telling them about STD's and how they can destroy lives. Education is telling them the reasons why not having sex at 11, 12, 13, 14, even 15 years old is best for their mental and physical health.

Passing out pills or giving them injectable contraceptives and telling them that WHEN they are having sex before they hit their teens, it is best to be protected, not from STDs, but pregnancies. Pills don't protect against STD's but condoms do protect against both. Telling kids that condoms are best for people who are not in a monogamist relationship are their best protection would be education.

And yes all human behavior is based on fear of consequences. You may not agree with it, but it is still a fact.

We don't drive going 80 on a 55 zone because we don't want a ticket. If we can afford the ticket we go fast on the freeway unless we are afraid of getting into an accident and killing ourselves or someone else
People who believe in God are truly afraid of going to hell.
We show up to work on time and don't call our bosses names (even when we want to) because we don't want to get fired.
Children who don't want to disappoint their parents don't do drugs and they do their best to get good grades. The ones who don't give a shit, just do as they please because they don't care what the consequences of their actions are going to be for themselves or their parents. Asians kids are not smarter than any other kids, but their sense of duty and their FEAR of disappointing their parents and their community is stronger than other cultures.
Fear of consequences motivates all of us. Even you.