‘The Real Deal’ on teen sex (Scarborough Country)

Scarborough Country (MSNBC) ^ | 5-21-03 | Joe Scarborough

[cgk]

‘The Real Deal’ on teen sex
Media also has to be responsible
"The Real Cancun" featured body shots aplenty.
COMMENTARY by Joe Scarborough

May 20—  A new study on teen sex should serve as a wakeup call for Americans. Almost 50 percent of high school students across America engage in teen sex, a large segment of those teenagers reporting as many as four sex partners per year.

       AS YOU KNOW, all that means more unwed teenage moms, more cases of kids getting AIDS, and more reasons why the federal government is taking more of your tax dollars every year.
       The United States now has the highest rates of teen pregnancies, births, and abortions in the world. If you wonder why, just look at what our culture feeds into the minds and souls of teenagers. 13-year old girls have spent the past 5 years idolizing pop acts like Britney Spears. She went from Disney girl to slithering MTV teen faster than you can say “sex sells.” Teenage pop star Christina Aguilera also played teenage sexpot last year by doing a soft porn spread in a popular magazine, while other videos and reality-based shows on MTV did nothing short of promoting the concept that teen sex is hot. The winner of the shameless sexploitation of teens has to go to Euro-teen trash act t.A.t.U., which is made up of two young girls making out in wet t-shirts on stage and on TV.

[cgk]

This goes along with Michelle Malkin's excellent article A Generation of Skanks

[bigfootbob]

I'm confused. I just read a post here on FR that stated only 1 in 5 teenages have sex. I think I believe Joe's numbers.

[KantianBurke]

"But networks like MTV also need to be responsible"

No thanks Joe. MTV is a business which is trying to turn a profit. Barring anything illegal, the avenues they pursue are their own. Now if MOM AND DAD WERE TO PARENT INSTEAD OF BEING AWOL, MTV COULD PUMP OUT ALL THE SICK BS AND ITS EFFECTS WOULD BE NILL.

[fml]

Well said. TV has nothing to do with raising children, parents do.

[kstewskis]

No thanks Joe. MTV is a business which is trying to turn a profit. Barring anything illegal, the avenues they pursue are their own. Now if MOM AND DAD WERE TO PARENT INSTEAD OF BEING AWOL, MTV COULD PUMP OUT ALL THE SICK BS AND ITS EFFECTS WOULD BE NILL.

Well stated. Bttt.

I like this Joe Scarborough guy, but I've noticed that some of the stories he covers on his show, O'Reilly already hashed out (sometimes repeatedly)months before.

Still, he's a good alternative to Greta V.S. when your sick of hearing about the Lacy Peterson case.

[Wright is right!]

That post was about teens up to age 15. This story is about ALL teens in hagh skrewl.

Michael

[Wright is right!]

I don't b'lieve we are enjoined from posting full aticles from MSNBC. The reason to post full articles when possible is to make sure the post is archived here. By only linking, when the link dies, we'll have no story here on FR.

Michael

[cgk]

Picture from the article:

Aguilera, before:

Aguilera, now:

Spears, before:
Spears, after:

T.a.T.u. - now.

[cgk]

I actually tried to post the full article (I hate excerpts, too), but a notice came up telling me that MSNBC/Newsweek articles had to be excerpted, so I did, just in case. I hate having my posts pulled. ;)

[cgk]

Does this thread fall under the excerpting rule? I received a notice I needed to excerpt it before I posted ("MSNBC/Newsweek"), but it isn't a Newsweek article... please advise. Thanks! :)

[cgk]

I like this Joe Scarborough guy, but I've noticed that some of the stories he covers on his show, O'Reilly already hashed out (sometimes repeatedly)months before.

Still, he's a good alternative to Greta V.S. when your sick of hearing about the Lacy Peterson case

I thought he was great during the Election, and he is an ABSOLUTE for me during Greta. How many defense attorneys does she know, anyway? I counted seven on one show. What about the other side, prosecution? Fair & balanced? Uh huh. Her interviewing style is terrible.

[cgk]

Absolutely right. MTV, VH1 and all video channels, along with Nickelodeon aren't watched in my house. (Aside from Nick at Nite, for "Cheers".)

[biblewonk]

This whole article is stupid and BS.

[Under the Radar]

No thanks Joe. MTV is a business which is trying to turn a profit. Barring anything illegal, the avenues they pursue are their own. Now if MOM AND DAD WERE TO PARENT INSTEAD OF BEING AWOL, MTV COULD PUMP OUT ALL THE SICK BS AND ITS EFFECTS WOULD BE NILL.

Bing! Bing! Bing! We have a winner!

[Wright is right!]

Oh, OK, didn't know it was also a Newsweek article. You're right about that. Noiseweek is part of the WashComPost.

Michael

[CatoRenasci]

I really wonder about these statistics. They may be true as far as they go, I would very much like to see breakdowns by region, economic and social class, and (dare one say it) ethnicity.

My teenage daughters, and their friends, seem to be typical for our suburban, upper-middle to upper class Connecticut suburb of New York city. These girls are all pretty, athletic, accomplished and strong students. They dress fashionably, but reasonably modestly, have boyfriends and are popular. None of them come across as the sort of 'skanks' I keep hearing about, and almost all of the group remain virgins, and the few that aren't, regret it and tell their friends to wait.

These girls aren't from fundamentalist or rural backgrouds insulated from popular culture and the new mores, they're suburban sophisticates, mostly WASPs who grew up in mainline (aka liberal) churches and know their way around New York city better than most people.

Are these kids so atypical, or are the problems with teen sex largely class and ethnic issues?

[cgk]

I actually don't think it is a Newsweek article. This was Scarborough's opening commentary on his show last night, and is on his site at MSNBC. I pinged the admin to find out if I can post the whole article.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Some ("parents" not) use tv as a babysitter with no
controls over what their children watch.

[Desecrated]

There is this new guy, Elvis Presley they call him, who is so vulgar, they can't film below his waist! Next thing ya know, Satan himself, disguised as four Brits with bowl haircuts, will come to America and defile Ed Sullivan's TV program.

Kids these days, I tell ya!