Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Chronic stupidity is not a preventable disease

Via Pharyngula, The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a "new vaccine that protects against cervical cancer has set up a clash between health advocates who want to use the shots aggressively to prevent thousands of malignancies and social conservatives who say immunizing teen-agers could encourage sexual activity. "

Good lord, some people just don't have any common sense. Does anybody really think that somebody who wasn't sexually active because she was afraid of getting cervical cancer is just going to start sleeping around once she gets the vaccine? Call me crazy, but my guess is that she still might be concerned about contracting a few of these little buggers:

Amebiasis
Bacterial Vaginosis
Campylobacter Fetus
Candidiasis
Chancroid
Chlamydia
Condyloma Acuminata
Cytomegalovirus
Enteric Infections
Genital Mycoplasmas
Genital Warts (HPV)
Giardiasis
Gonorrhea
Granuloma Inguinale
Hepatitis
Herpes
HIV Disease
Lymphogranuloma Venereum
Molluscum Contagiosum
Pediculosis Pubis
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Salmonella
Scabies
Shingellosis
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Yeast Infection
Vaginitis
Amebiasis
Bacterial Vaginosis
Campylobacter Fetus
Candidiasis
Chancroid
Chlamydia
Condyloma Acuminata
Cytomegalovirus
Enteric Infections
Genital Mycoplasmas
Genital Warts (HPV)
Giardiasis
Gonorrhea
Granuloma Inguinale
Hepatitis
Herpes
HIV Disease
Lymphogranuloma Venereum
Molluscum Contagiosum
Pediculosis Pubis
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Salmonella
Scabies
Shingellosis
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Yeast Infection
Vaginitis

(from HAC)

This has got to be the stupidest political position anybody has taken in a very long time. The plain truth is that some people will engage in sexual activity no matter what the risks may be and those that are abstaining due to safety concerns will have absolutely no reason to change. This vaccine will save lives. It will not promote sexual activity.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You do what you want, but the possibility of being cancer free no matter how much sex I have totally makes me want to go out and sleep with everyone. James will be excited, I'm sure. =)

Dave Carlson said...

Yeah, well you're a "special" case. ;)