Vitter: Absent Abstinence
On June 25, 2007, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) expressed his support for the reauthorization of the Abstinence Education Program. In a letter he co-authored and sent to Senator Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Vitter urges the reauthorization of Title V Abstinence Education Program (Section 510) of the Social Security Act. This legislation would provide $50 million for state funded abstinence-only education programs. Vitter is one of the most outspoken supporters of this legislation and explains, “abstinence education is a public health strategy focused on risk avoidance that aims to help young people avoid exposure to harm.” Vitter supports millions of dollars being used for this education as “these funds help communities implement quality abstinence education programs and teach their children important lessons about health and character that will impact them their entire lives.” It’s clear that abstinence education supporters sell this outdated and ineffective system by appealing beyond our health. They appeal to our moral standards and question our character. Vitter claims that abstinence education reduces sexually transmitted diseases and lowers out-of-wedlock pregnancies by “teaching teenagers that saving sex until marriage and remaining faithful afterwards is the best choice for health and happiness.”
By this time, the Vitter sex scandal story is almost old news, but the incredible level of hypocrisy in this tale is too big to let go. One can only reasonably assume that Vitter himself did not receive any type of abstinence education, or his actions alone are more than enough evidence to point out its massive failures. When the champion of abstinence education himself acts in a manner completely contradictory to the morals imposed by the program, the integrity of the program and the credibility of the man are lost. After the scandal broke, Vitter remained out of the public eye and avoided media attention for a number of days. The Senator missed key votes and even a meeting with the Vice President to spend some alone time with his family. Once he broke his week of silence, Vitter admitted he had made calls to an alleged prostitution ring in DC, but adamantly denied any connection to prostitution in Louisiana. The media coverage, even from CNN, portrayed his scandal as “before he was elected to the Senate.” In every case, the fact that he was currently serving in the House of Representatives was quietly ignored. He shared that he had received forgiveness from God and his wife for his sins. Vitter steered away from the complete spin on his scandal. He could have claimed that his unfaithfulness was further evidence that America needs abstinence education and the moral values it instills. This notion is utterly ridiculous and only seeks to shift the blame.
Fortunately, we do not need Vitter as an example of the failure of abstinence education and conservative sexual education logic. The New York Times reports in “Abstinence Education Faces an Uncertain Future” that “the most comprehensive study of abstinence education found no sign that delayed a teenagers’ sexual debut.” Furthermore, it has become widely accepted in the health and scientific community that students of abstinence education break the pledge of virginity at extremely high rates and then are less likely to use condoms and other methods of birth control. Simply, it does not work. Pretenders, led by Senator Vitter, must be defeated in favor of comprehensive sexual education. Children deserve to know the truth and America deserves better.
