Blogs Comment On Abstinence Education, Women's Rights, GOP Chair Steele's Comments On Abortion

~ "The Immorality of Teaching Abstinence Only," Debra Haffner, Huffington Post: "It's about time" the federal government demonstrates support for comprehensive sex education programs, such as when President Obama in his 2010 budget proposal called for sex education programs to "stress the importance of abstinence while providing medically accurate and age-appropriate information to youth who have already become sexually active," Haffner writes in a blog entry. She continues that the government previously "invested more than $1.5 billion in grant programs supporting abstinence-only education programs, despite growing evidence of the ineffectiveness of these programs." In addition, studies have demonstrated that these programs "frequently are medically inaccurate, withhold vital information about contraception and disease prevention, and bear the taint of a moralizing religious ideology," Haffner writes. According to Haffner, "Continued investment in ineffective, irresponsible programs that mislead our children is morally wrong." Haffner adds that the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing on Wednesday sent a letter to Obama "calling on the administration to end federal funding for abstinence-only-until marriage programs" and "urging the president to renew our national commitment to comprehensive sexuality education that honors truth, respects diverse values and prepares our youth to lead healthy and productive lives." The letter, which was signed by 925 clergy members and religious leaders, "urges policymakers, school officials and educators to provide sexuality education that complements the guidance young people receive from their parents and faith communities," Haffner writes. She adds that the letter's signatories are "part of a growing movement for comprehensive sexuality education in the U.S. religious community." According to Haffner, these religious leaders "believe there are strong moral foundations for giving young people the information they need to delay sexual intimacy, develop their capacity for moral discernment and make mature, responsible decisions." She writes that the federal government should "create the first national, comprehensive sexuality education program that puts the well-being of our young people first," concluding, "Our moral obligation to our young people requires nothing less" (Haffner, Huffington Post, 3/12).

~ "More Than Words for International Women's Day," Jacqueline Nolley Echegaray, RH Reality Check: People worldwide "celebrated the latest triumphs in the global struggle for women's rights and recommitted to the pursuit of gender equality" during International Women's Day, Echegaray writes. She writes that although "tremendous progress" has been made in "codifying women's rights and gender equality within the law" on both country and international levels, "limited progress has been made in realizing those rights." Full reproductive rights are "recognized as human rights because women cannot fully participate in society unless they are able to control the number, spacing and timing of their children, and they cannot enjoy general health and well-being unless they have reproductive and sexual health," Echegaray continues. An "overwhelming majority" of countries have "committed to promoting and protecting" reproductive rights, she writes, adding, "[B]ut governments often shirk their responsibilities -- and it is women who pay the price." Echegaray writes that a "vibrant global network of committed advocates has worked tirelessly to promote the rights of women and men to control their own reproduction and sexuality." However, "these rights must be recognized as ... integral to a life lived with dignity," she says, concluding that women worldwide are "demanding the ability to control their own bodies; it is time for their leaders to listen" (Echegaray, RH Reality Check, 3/10).

~ "Broad Rights," Ann Friedman, The American Prospect blog: When President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, he "remarked that it was a victory for workers and for civil rights," Friedman writes in a blog entry, adding, "Hearing a president articulate this was nothing short of revolutionary. Women's rights are civil rights. Women's rights are human rights." She continues that "protecting women's rights is good for society as a whole," adding that people "who oppose these rights have not been taken to task for holding back society as a whole." The debate surrounding reproductive rights makes this "dynamic" especially "stark," Friedman writes, adding, "Undercutting reproductive health is not seen as a blow to the overall health of the nation, or indeed, the world." She writes that although Obama's staff stressed during the campaign that he "believes that reproductive health care is basic health care," that "talk is pretty useless if, when it comes to actually passing legislation," Obama "caves to those who view reproductive health care as distinct from other types of care." She writes that there will be future "fights over rights and health care" and that Obama "will be forced to decide, again and again, whether reproductive health is indeed an 'essential service' or whether it is a political chess piece." Friedman says she hopes Obama will use the "same broad lens through which he viewed the Ledbetter legislation" when making decisions about health care, adding, "After all, what's good for women is good for the country." She concludes, "Making our health care system work means making sure it works for everyone" (Friedman, The American Prospect blog, 3/6).

~ "Steele Bends Under Far-Right Pressure: 'I Am Pro-Life, Always Have Been, Always Will Be,'" Amanda Terkel, Think Progress: Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele's recent comments that abortion is an individual choice "contradicted the pro-life image he has tried to cultivate for himself in order to win the support of far-right conservatives, who were incensed at his new pro-choice stance," Terkel writes. Steele issued a new statement "completely backing down from his comments," Terkel says, adding, "Not only does he say now that abortion isn't an individual or state choice, he says that he supports a constitutional ban on abortion." In the statement, Steele said that he is "pro-life, always have been, always will be," adding that he believes Roe v. Wade "was wrongly decided and should be repealed," Terkel writes (Terkel, Think Progress, 3/12).

~ "Michael Steele: Invasion of the Body Snatchers," John Jakubczyk, ProLifeBlogs: Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele's comments earlier this week that abortion is an "individual choice" are "totally inconsistent" with the Republican Party platform, Jakubczyk writes in a blog entry. Jakubczyk writes that Steele is a "young fresh face who should be able to articulate" the Republican Party's "respect for the dignity of the human person," which starts with "respect for the right to life." Jakubczyk writes that although he has "compassion for the women facing an unintended pregnancy," there is "no morally correct 'choice' to kill another innocent human being" and asks whether Steele was "trying to be cute or profound and say 'I am for choice. I want the babies to have a choice.'" Steele "missed an opportunity to explain why we have a platform position that wants to give every child a right to life," Jakubczyk writes, adding that Steele "needs to retract his statements immediately" and "look in the mirror and figure out whether the unborn children are a part of his vision." He concludes that if Steele cannot do that, he "may need to step down so that someone who is able to explain to the American people what it means to be pro-life can get in there and be the party chairman" (Jakubczyk, ProLifeBlogs, 3/12).

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