Conservatives Are Lousy Parents

As the father of a teenage daughter, I understand parents wanting to keep their daughters virginal. And I just showed her this article on the HPV virus, as one more argument in favor of her staying that way. (Bet you can guess how well that went over.)

So of course I plan to get her vaccinated against it just as soon as a vaccine is proven safe and effective--who wouldn't? Conservatives, like Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, that's who! They're afraid that they will not be able to control their little darlings' urges without having the threat of cervical cancer later in life to hold over their heads.

Of course, we all know that the threat of increased cancer risk is a powerful parenting tool. Without it, many children would probably be smoking, tanning and drinking diet beverages. But does anyone really think that cancer is an appropriate punishment for premarital sex--or even post-marital, if her husband is a carrier? Unfortunately, I'm afraid some people do. Which is why we will probably need to make the vaccine mandatory--for the same reason that the mumps, measles and rubella vaccines are mandatory, and a basic education should be mandatory--because some children need protection from their parents.