March 8, 2013 6:23 AM

Texas: Where women really ARE property

Texas has already spent the past year targeting Planned Parenthood, effectively defunding the organization’s affiliates and forcing thousands of women to search for new doctors. But their crusade isn’t over yet. Now, a Texas Republican also wants to prevent sex ed classes in public schools from using any of Planned Parenthood’s instructional materials, claiming that the national women’s health organization places an “inappropriate emphasis on sexual freedom.“…. State Sen. Ken Paxton (R) wants to put even more restrictions on health classes by preventing “abortion affiliates” from providing any sexual health instruction or contraceptive resources. Texans who back Paxton’s measure argue that Planned Parenthood can’t be trusted to provide sex ed because, since the organization doesn’t want to “lose abortion business,” it has a vested interest in convincing teenagers to have sex and get pregnant[.]

I may have managed to come to an understanding with and a renewed appreciation for Texas, but that doesn’t change the fundamental realities and comic potential of Texas politics. I can only imagine what the late Molly Ivins would have done with this silliness. Texas is one of the few places where a Conservative White Male can accuse Planned Parenthood of being primarily concerned with preserving their “abortion business”…and nary a voice is raised in protest. Right-wing Texas politics is a place where being stupid isn’t a handicap; indeed, in some cases it can be a significant advantage. Why would you want to be burdened with having to support your argument? Why feel the need to traffic in facts when it comes to supporting your Right-wing, “Libruls bad” agenda?

Keep in mind that Texas Republicans are the same folks who put this beauty into their party platform:

We oppose the teaching of higher order thinking skills, critical thinking, and similar programs.

Right; because when kids learn to think for themselves and question the dominant paradigm, guess what happens? Yep, some of them vote Democratic, and, almost as shocking, some don’t grow up to be reflexively Conservative Christians. Texas Republicans have to know in their heart of hearts that when Texans begin asking questions and demanding answers, they’re not going to like the answers. The best defense against that, then, is a good offense…and so they’ve actively worked to force Planned Parenthood onto the defensive. When you’re forced to respond to all manner of specious accusations, you’re probably not going to have the energy to tell your story. Texas Republicans have determined that the best way to weaken Planned Parenthood in the eyes of Texans is to force them to respond to a mountain of damning accusations. The truth hardly matters; it’s what you can get Texans to believe is true.

The moral of the story: Never let the truth get in the way of perfectly good propaganda.

Then again, if Texas Republicans are truly serious and all about protecting the health of their property womenfolk, a little self-examination might go a long ways:

If Texas lawmakers are actually concerned about preventing an uptick in unintended pregnancies, they might want to reexamine their own policies rather than focusing on Planned Parenthood’s instruction materials. Since GOP legislators stripped funding from family planning providers in the last budget cycle, about 280,000 low-income women will lose access to affordable birth control — which the state’s health department projects will lead to an estimated 23,760 additional births, costing taxpayers up to $273 million. And, of course, Texas’ lack of comprehensive sex ed requirements are likely directly contributing to the state’s high rates of teen pregnancy.

If the policies of Texas Republicans were collectively called “Keeping ‘em barefoot and pregnant,” their positions might actually make sense. They say they’re concerned about preventing unwanted/unintended pregnancies…yet their policies are designed to yield results that run directly counter to their stated goals. Unfortunately, their lazy, dishonest policies, intended to target Planned Parenthood, does so by denying young women vital sex education resources. When women aren’t educated about reproductive health issues, they’re more likely to engage in unprotected sex, which among other things can lead to unplanned pregnancies.

Too often, Texas Republicans believe that teaching young people to “just say no” to sex will ipso facto lead to them declining to engage in sexual activity. The fact of the matter is that abstinence-only education programs Just. Don’t. Work. Period. Only when young people have solid, truthful, scientifically accurate information about their bodies, sex, and sexuality can they make informed decisions. Anything else is a fairy tale…which seems to be something Texas Republicans could write a doctoral dissertation about.

The truth shall set you free…unless you live in Texas and that truth is molded and massaged in a way designed to support the sensibilities of the Texas branch of God’s Own Party.

Keep ‘em barefoot, pregnant…and stupid…and they’ll be much more like to vote Republican.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Technorati

Technorati search

» Blogs that link here

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on March 8, 2013 6:23 AM.

Perhaps they could join Obama's Nazi Youth Edumication Corps? was the previous entry in this blog.

And you wonder why we need a space program? is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Contact Me

Powered by Movable Type 5.2.2