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What I was promoting
Mary Anne — (archived)

Comprehensive abstinence-based sex education at the high school level, with opt-out options for parents at the 5th and 7th grade levels, as opposed to abstinence-only education, which is dumber than dirt, with an opt-in option, which means that only people whose parents have bothered to read (and have received) all the 16 reams of handouts from the school will even know they have to sign something for their children to receive some vital information.

It actually took political action, ultimately, since educating the public had no effect on the decision-makers. The public became rather insistent on a change in policy, but the decision-makers claimed to be representing the people who didn't speak up. I invariably find this claim amusing, because if they aren't speaking, how do you know what they think?

Good for you, for working toward an objective in your community! I'm sorry if that I was harsh. In view of what you've told me, you didn't deserve that particular criticism. :)

I maintain that abandoning a worthy cause to the extremists in the group -- every group has them -- unnecessarily polarizes a potential benefit. I've said this before, and I wish I knew where I originally heard this so I could credit it, because it's a cornerstone of cooperative power-sharing everywhere: If you're comfortable with everyone at the table, then your coalition is too small. That means joining people you don't like, or who make you nervous, and it also means not quitting if one part of the group gets loud and obnoxious. If a cause or objective is worthy on its own, it's incumbent on everyone who values it to work toward it in some way, and to annoy the hell out of people in the group whose interpretations are in active conflict with the objectives of the group as a whole.

Regards--
Mary Anne

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