Why would the Times, on Sept. 11, put the article titled "CDC data shows that teen birth rate has hit record low" on page six of the Times?
Placement on page six, along with the rambling headline and vague byline, leads Times readers to think that they are reading a news report. That article is not a news report. It is an opinion piece. It belongs on this opinion page. It was written by Amanda Marcotte, who is a liberal opinion columnist. As such, her opinion would certainly be at home on the top half of this page .
Record low teen birth rates would, at first glance, seem to be a social victory. Marcotte is quick to credit increased dispensation of contraceptives, which is now mandated by Obamacare and funded by taxpayer dollars, over much objection from practicing Catholics and others. She then goes on to ridicule teen mother Bristol Palin's efforts to promote sexual abstinence among teens. But a more important calculation would be teen pregnancy rate.
Teen births plus teen miscarriages plus teen abortions equals teen pregnancies. Marcotte indicates that teen abortion rates have remained unchanged over the past 11 years. That statement is misleading. Abortion rates count surgical abortion procedures only. The number is bad enough, yet it does not account for the fact that the first morning after pill, RU486, was approved for use in 2000. Its newer version, Plan B, is now available over the counter.
Morning after pills, by design, do not prevent conception. They undo conception. Ergo they are not contraceptives. They are abortifacients. But again, they are dispensed at taxpayer expense under the mandate of Obamacare. Factor this in and we have an atrocious teen pregnancy rate.
This what we get when we have a culture that freely dispenses contraception to teens and broadcasts suggestive lyrics over pop music radio stations such as "you know you want it." I overheard my 5-year-old granddaughter singing that catchy tune the other day.
Michael Hurley
Eldersburg
