Imposing morality more important than society's health?

I read in one study that researchers found that HIV and STD rates went UP after an Abstinence-only program. That made me almost physically ill. We need to get out of the dark ages and realize that the fact that one in four Americans will get an STD at one point in their lives. That's right 25%.

I'm sorry, I just had to post this. http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/trends2005.htm

Why, in 2005, did the Syphilis rates climb for the 5th year in a row?

Brought to you by the CDC.

When I was in high school there wasn't any HIV, of course, but there were all the other usual STD's. What there wasn't any of were sex education programs, sexual health programs, in fact there was nada, zilch, nothing. And frankly, it wasn't a problem.

So what's different today, besides HIV being around? Society condones sex outside of marriage. Back then it didn't. And there wasn't the continuous and approving spotlight on sex, sex, and more sex in the entertainment media. Any sex in the media was strictly "under the counter." Oh, sure, there were still a few kids having sex, mostly monogamously with steadies. There just wasn't all the screwing around, the promiscuity, and especially the young promiscuity we have today. The earlier they get started, the more partners they're going to have and the more likely they're going to slip up and get infected.

It shouldn't come as any surprise that there's more STD's going around. The question is what do you want to do about it? The abstinence people propose one solution. Whether it's going to do any good ... the whimsy of going back to the 50's. But the reason "just say no" doesn't work is because it's not saying no and meaning it. Those vows of abstinence don't stick very long in today's society. And not enough kids take them. If they want to make that solution work, they have to change the whole society. If you don't do it you don't get it. No sex = no VD. It's simple. But unworkable. Not today.

What I'm getting at is that the practice of abstinence is a solution to the problem regardless of whether it's moral or not. It's today's society that's decided having sex outside of marriage isn't a moral issue, but oddly enough, to refrain from having sex is a moral issue. It's contradictory. And therefore it's unworkable, either way you see it. There's no conviction in contradiction.

The government is imposing healthy morality when they insist people not use or abuse drugs. Or murder people. Or steal from others. The list is quite long on legislated morality of sorts. Ethics, values, and moral differ greatly from culture to culture, however, some things are just universally known to be "good" or "bad" in certain circumstances.

However, the government cannot impose morality, and does not have a good record with forcing people to be "moral". There is a group that will be "moral" and a group that won't - regardless of motivational use of punishments or rewards.

look i have had 2 people that have died of aids and one that i am shocked has never gotten it.

condoms and stuff help, but not always. people are just not getting the message.