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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Residents Not Shy With Their Opinions Some Speak From Experience, Others Criticize Survey Itself

Some people welcomed the region’s first sex survey, while others thought it was a little too racy.

Here are a selection of comments people made:

“We live in a society of anything goes as long as it doesn’t ‘hurt’ anyone else. But it does damage kids who aren’t ready for the responsibility and don’t realize they aren’t ready.”

“Abstinence should be made to look cool instead of prudish.”

“I think you can spend our tax money in a better way than this. Seems everyone is engrossed in sex and sexual activities. No wonder our youngsters are in it so deep. Clean up adult minds, give good examples, the rest takes care of itself.”

“I am 80, had intercourse at 17, parents divorced, raised by father, both parents were tramps, no love shown to us three kids, wish I had waited. Do not trust men.”

“We must educate and arm our kids with information! My feedback from teens at school favors making birth control available to them. Most kids say they would use it if they had it.”

“Values and morals are often ignored. For instance, if I discuss homosexuality I give my belief that it’s wrong and perverted. Morals must only be taught by moral people!”

“Why can’t masturbation be taught as healthy (in privacy) for control of adolescent sexual drive? It is also a ‘blessing’ (masturbation) for those whose active sex lives have ceased because of death, divorce, separation, no available partner, etc. It prevents STDs, pregnancy, and low self-esteem.”

“I believe self-esteem is probably the most important thing a parent can give to their child.”

“I feel that teens should abstain from sex until they know they are ready.”

“These types of questions affirm the corruption of our society. There was a time when questions like this would have been considered inappropriate. A person’s private behavior was between him and the God who created him. It still is. … The only solution for immoral behavior is for individuals to repent and turn to Jesus Christ.”

“I find it interesting that you do not ask people how many children they raised and how they kept their children from being pernicious. We always talked to ours in a positive way - never talked about how to ‘use’ birth control only how to keep themselves from becoming victims of some other person’s passion or lust!”

“Old women on bus brag about our sexy President Clinton. Old men too. What can parents expect from teenagers as Clinton role model? Many people do not respect honorable role models like the Reagans, Bushes. Just say ‘no’ can save our teenagers.”

“Maybe after a little experimentation, (teenagers will) have satisfied their curiosity and found that sex is more mundane than they thought. The one thing I wish someone had taught me when I was an adolescent is that sex is one of the pleasures of adult life but far from the only one, and not even necessarily the best one.”

, DataTimes