Gov. Palin is for abstinence only education, right?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Sorry, I know what we need is another US election thread, but I didn't see one dedicated to debunking all the lies about Governor Palin, so:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-sexed6-2008sep06,0,3119305.story

Palin's statements date to her 2006 gubernatorial run. In July of that year, she completed a candidate questionnaire that asked, would she support funding for abstinence-until-marriage programs instead of "explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?"

Palin wrote, "Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."

But in August of that year, Palin was asked during a KTOO radio debate if "explicit" programs include those that discuss condoms. Palin said no and called discussions of condoms "relatively benign."

"Explicit means explicit," she said. "No, I'm pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I am not anti-contraception. But, yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don't have a problem with that. That doesn't scare me, so it's something I would support also."

[Arrian]

If that's her position on it, fair enough. Are there conflicting quotes? I thought there were, but admittedly I didn't care enough to do much checking.

-Arrian

[OneFootInTheGrave]

did she become abstinence only for the duration of the election to placate all the fundies who will not vote if she has a different "opinion"?

[Arrian]

Or did she become ok with condoms to convince people she wasn't a total wingnut fundie in order to get elected in '06?



-Arrian

[Robert]

Catholics are against anticonception, not protestants.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'm thinking being more moderate on social issues isn't exactly something that would help her get elected in a state like Alaska.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

perhaps not protestants in Europe, protestants in US on the other hand

[Arrian]

It also occurs to me that her precise definition of "explicit" matters here.

This part is entirely fine:

I'm pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I am not anti-contraception. But, yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids.

and in fact matches my views to a T.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I'm thinking being more moderate on social issues isn't exactly something that would help her get elected in a state like Alaska.

I don't know. I know Alaska's a big red state and all, but if she'd come out against sex-ed (which is, let's be honest, what being for "abstinence only" sex-ed is) that may have been a bridge too far even up there.

-Arrian

[OneFootInTheGrave]

and it is actually what any sane person would think, but sanity is usually punished hard in politics (edit: comment on previous post)

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by CyberShy
Catholics are against anticonception, not protestants.

You mean anti-contraception, right? While the Roman Catholic Church may be anti-contraception I don't know of very many Catholics who toe the Church line on that. You might find some in Poland or South America, but you probably won't find many in Europe or the USA.

[Theben]

There's also the "relatively benign" description of condoms. Sounds like it was painful for her to say.

[Robert]

I'm sorry, in holland we name it: "anticonception" (the pill, the condom, it's all anticonception)

The RCC is officially against contraception, maybe it's followers aren't, but the RCC officially is.
There are a few protestant churches, overhere in Holland as well, that are against contraception.

I doubt that Palin has ever been against contraception, but I may be wrong there. Not to mention of course that protestant churches never really have church-wide rules/laws, like the RCC has.

Protestantism is not like catholicism. The church doesn't tell you what you can or can't do or believe. (it advises you though )

[Arrian]

The church doesn't tell you what you can or can't do or believe.

Not like it works all that well, if the Catholics I know are any guide...

-Arrian

[Ramo]

Sounds like she's badly confused about what sex ed actually is.