Teen Pregnancy Numbers Up; Ignorant Population Too

While reading CNN.com I came across this article about the number of teen pregnancies increasing from 2005 to 2006. My reaction to that "fact" is inconsequential, but what really astonished me was all of the comments attributing the Bush Administration's abstinence-only education programs as the cause of this phenomenon.

It doesn't bother me that more teens are giving birth. It doesn't bother me that more teens are probably having sex. It does bother me that all of these young women are giving birth to children that have to hear the inane rumblings of an ill-informed and misguided population.

Let's look at the facts from the story:
1. Jamie Lynn Spears of Nickelodeon and older sister fame gave birth to a girl recently.
2. Mortality rates for teens went down from '04 to '05. Teenage violent crime offenders went up.
3. Pregnant teens are less likely to handle the pregnancy efficiently.
4. Community resources for adolescents are having to cut back spending.

Hmmm... nowhere in the entire article does it mention anything about preventative programs, abstinence or otherwise. It does mention that community outreach facilities are losing their funding. A logical conclusion to make is that with less activities to keep them busy, teens are having sex and doing drugs and committing violent crimes.

The whole purpose of any government-institutionalized program is that education starts in the home. So if parents do not endorse abstinence-only education, then why would kids give a damn about it? That's like if everyone you talk to says the Chevy Tahoe is a piece of crap. Would you even consider buying it?

Everything lives or dies by consumer reviews. We live in a capitalist society; it's just how these things work. So if people already have it in their head that something will fail, they won't give it an honest chance.

But ignorant liberal Americans, with their "change is great" attitudes and loose morals continue to badmouth abstinence-only programs. And since he who yells the loudest gets the most recognition, we can only expect this number to climb as well.