Comments for Heh. "Going Dutch"

Heh. "Going Dutch"

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:13:07 -0600

Ramesh Ponnurru, a Kansas City homeboy, in National Review Online today: Going Dutch [Ramesh Ponnuru] Sociologist Amy Schalet has an op-ed in the Washington Post urging Americans to emulate the enlightened Dutch when it comes to teen sex. The op-ed, inevitably and tastelessly, has an early mention of Bristol Palin's pregnancy, which Schalet connects to the governor's support for "policies that prohibit teachers from explaining the benefits of contraception and condoms." Things I dislike about this op-ed: 1) One of its premises is false. Gov. Palin favors no such policies. To its limited credit, the Post has appended a "clarification" to the op-ed online—but that clarification is inadequate. The clarification notes that Palin had said, as a gubernatorial candidate, that she opposed "explicit" sex education, and then notes that a spokeswoman last month said that she supports sex education including teaching about contraception. The implication is that she flipped on the issue while running for national office. In fact, Palin said while running for governor that her definition of "explicit" did not preclude teaching about contraception and that she indeed favored it. A correction, not a clarification, is in order. 2) "The Palins, of course, deserve credit for their public embrace of their eldest daughter, which shows that, ideology notwithstanding, parents still love their daughters even if they have sex." Right: Because everyone knows that social-conservative "ideology" normally requires that parents stone their sexually active daughters to death. 3) Even assuming that the Dutch approach is preferable, does Schalet really believe that Palin and other politicians can bring it about? I think what I like best about the whole teen sex thing is the assumption that when kids get pregnant, they were, by definition, ignorant of the contraceptive options and were probably kept that way by religious parents with bad attitudes towards sex (bad from the Progressive viewpoint). My 23 year old son and his long time girlfriend informed me recently that I am a grandfather-in-waiting, and that I will be a father-in-law. And that both will occur in that order. Admittedly not my preferred order. But one thing I am absolutely certain of - they both knew how to prevent this from occurring. I had that very explicit conversation with Prodigal Son when he was in the 7th Grade and his internet surfing habits evinced an interest in the feminine form. I revisited it, if somewhat less explicitly, with his SO when it became clear they had, um, moved to that level of relating to each other. Heh. When they came to tell us, they thought I was going to go through the roof. How little they really know me in that regard. I was just glad that while they may have had an tequila-influenced lapse in judgement, the real lesson stuck. They're having that baby. In this regard, I consider the 5-months-from-now-birth of my grandson a great victory for his grandmother and myself.

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-12

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:54:35 -0600

Ymar:

Lighten up lol. Capping on each other is a hobby/recreation form as old as time for soldiers.
If we could go back in time, we'd probably discover that "humor" got its start when the old school boyos were giving grief to the other "branch" in the fighting part of the tribe that abandoned the use of proper throwing rocks for that new finagled pointed stick thingy.

Comment from Ymarsakar on 2008-10-11

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:47:29 -0600

Grimmy - you misread me. I lurve grunts.

For some reason, John, you sound like somebody in an armored division talking about "crunchies". Or the Sheva commander in John Ringo's Posleen novels who talks about Abrams tanks as being crunchies given the size of the Sheva tank.

And they attrit the bad guys who might otherwise romp into my position areas and try to hurt me.

Like slap on armor that regenerates and you don't have to carry, right?

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-11

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:03:12 -0600

In keeping with the rule of thumb regarding permission vs forgiveness, here's a something for the long bangers.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cdd_1223217722

Arty! Every shoot's like the 4th of July!

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-11

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:11:28 -0600

Argghhh!, sir. It's all good. Goofin is half the fun of soldierin. Also, everyone knows that gun bunnies aren't totally evil, mostly.

Mr. Brooks: Sons don't grow up to be honorable, strong and integrity driven all on their own. Well done, sir.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:43:35 -0600

To read Mark's tribute to his son - click here.

Comment from Alan Briley, RN on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:37:14 -0600

Congrats, John and Beth. I have 5 grandchildren, and they are all precious to me, regardless of what their parents did or do. I try to set a good example, love them unconditionally, and discipline if needed. Primary discipline is their PARENT's job. Spoiling them properly is mine and my wife's.

Gob bless you and your growing family, John.

From an old infantryman, paratrooper, and sniper... grunt!

Alan Briley, RN

Comment from Mark Brooks on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:32:06 -0600

You have posted stuff about my son before. Today he musters out and as a proud dad I wrote this tribute in my blog.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:06:21 -0600

Grimmy - you misread me. I lurve grunts. They give me something to shoot at.

And they attrit the bad guys who might otherwise romp into my position areas and try to hurt me.

Grunts absorb hit points and cause the expenditure of ammunition. What's not to like?

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:33:46 -0600

Heh. I'm military, SWWBO is... catholic.

The message was - don't. If you do, this is how it works and where to short circuit it (and protect yourself and others from disease) - but if you screw it up by the numbers... it's no longer just about you. There's a third player.

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:17:17 -0600

"And your links, too."
I don't even play golf. Why would I want a link?

Anyhoo, back on course a bit...

May your progeny be blessed and protected from any curses or hoo doo that may befall you for dissing the grunts.

And, any voodoo dolls you find around your AO were not put there by me. I will have a pre-paid witness to prove I was elsewhere, whenever it was that I wasn't where the doll showed up.

Comment from Argent on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:47:36 -0600

Congratulations, I'm sure you had told us this earlier but maybe I'm imagining things. Either way it's good to see a supportive situation for those kids and I hope it works out well for all.

Many conservatives *do* supress contraceptive education to their teens, but this is heavier among religious conservatives than military ones, who tend to have a more practical view of life. The Catholic church which remains the dominant religion in both the US and Australia is 100% clear that condoms and other contraceptives are not permissable nor to be promoted and some of the more pious live that code quite strictly. So many parents, religious schools and communities are quite opposed to contraceptive education. Of course some teens still get the information from other sources and then it becomes a conflicting messages scenario.

In other words many teens *are* educated to use contraceptives but the message is not consistent, clear or honest. Without that clarity teens wobble easily in a heat of the moment situation. They have to struggle with their hormones screaming sex is good, messages sex is bad, messages contraceptives are good, messages contraceptives are bad, fears of pregnancy, diseases and being left out.

I think really the guilt and shame many in the US and sometimes here too experience buying things like condoms indictates the depth of the problem.

But really this article folds three separate issues as though they are one.

1) Teenage pregnancy - resulting from teens having unprotected sex which naturally increases the issues of 2) and 3).
2) Abortion - resulting from any pregnancy if that path is taken. This is a big ticket issue in US conservatives because of religion.
3) Sex before marriage - resulting from timing and directly related to religious beliefs.

The common link is sex of course and the results of sex. Really why the opposition to honest explicit sex talk with teens? Why not teachers and parents instead of friends and hookers? Do you really think they don't have sex? Let me ask it another way. Did you?

The good thing is many parents are are accepting and supportive of their kids no matter how much their actions conflict with their religious views and other standards they hoped they had drilled in. Without that kind of thing how many more abortions etc would there be?

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:49:40 -0600

And your links, too.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:45:15 -0600

#4, we ignore you and your inks.

Comment from J.M. Heinrichs on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:34:59 -0600

MikeD
You had rolling chairs?? Luxury ...

Cheers

Comment from Cannoneer No. 4 on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:42:25 -0600

John, how proud you'll be when you pin on your grand young'un's butter bars! By then, Fire & Effects 2LT's will be wearing the branch insignia that replaced the crossed cannons. But branch insignia won't be so important with inch-wide red trouser stripes on the class A Blue pants.

Comment from MikeD on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:07:47 -0600

Like an Intel weenie. I swear my butt is still sore from those GI issue rolling chairs.

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:27:25 -0600

My line took the more traditional rout.

Started as border reavers and cattle thieves. Then stepped up to highwaymen and bank robbers. After awhile we progressed into the "for hire" gimmick. Then we settled down and went gubberment offical sanctioned type grunts.

For infantry, that's as close to royal lineage as it gets.

But, gunbunnie is ok, I guess. I mean, if he can't be a grunt, there are worse things to be than a cannon cocker.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:20:13 -0600

We did. We started as Infantry in Roger's Rangers, moved into the cavalry during the Civil War, and since WWI have been at the pinnacle of military achievement, which, despite Bill's outraged squawks, are the Guns, not the flyboys.

We lend dignity to what is otherwise a vulgar brawl.

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:05:04 -0600

Well then, it's about time y'all evolved up a level, aint it?

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:29:25 -0600

Um, Grimmy - this is a three generation family of Redlegs...

Comment from Grimmy on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:46:35 -0600

Congrats!
If it's a boy, raise him proper for an infantryman.

Comment from Mrs G on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:37:21 -0600

Well, congrats are in order. 23 seems so young but then again I was about that age when we started the Greyhawk clan. I suppose it won't be long when we'll see pics of baby Argghhh!!! holstering a baby bottle in his (her) diaper while target practicing off your deck.

Comment from Beth Donovan on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:22:59 -0600

Yup, the kids were raised to understand how precious life is. I'm thrilled that we are going to have a grandsome sometime in March!

I just wish they lived a little closer - it's a 2 hour drive to see them.

Comment from LongCat on 2008-10-09

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:12:47 -0600

Mazel tov!