ORIGINAL

ADDRESS

BY
C, Everett Koop, MD, ScD
SURGEON GENERAL
OF THE
U, S, PuBlic HEALTH SERVICE
AND
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HEALTH
U. S, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

GE

PRESENTED TO THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS
WASHINGTON, D.C,
FEBRUARY 2, 1987
(GREETINGS TO HOSTS, GUESTS, FRIENDS, ETC.)

I’M PLEASED TO COME BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN TO RENEW AN OLD AND
VALUED FRIENDSHIP AND TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU,

YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY SERIOUS MOMENTS TOGETHER OVER THE PAST
FEW YEARS, WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, CONFRONTED TOGETHER THE PROFOUND
MORAL AND ETHICAL QUESTIONS RAISED BY "BABY DOE.”

YOU WERE UNDERSTANDING THEN...AND YOU SUPPORTED ME.

AND TOGETHER...WE WERE RIGHT.

WE CONFRONTED TOGETHER THE ISSUE OF PORNOGRAPHY IN AMERICAN

LIFE. WE DARED TO SPEAK AGAINST THE HARM THAT SUCH TRASH VISITS UPON
THE COMMUNITY AND UPON THE FAMILY,
AGAIN, WHEN OTHERS STEPPED BACK,.,.YOU STEPPED FORWARD,

YOU UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE...AND YOU SUPPORTED ME,

AND TOGETHER... WE WERE RIGHT,

EVER SINCE THE PRESIDENT MADE ME THE COUNTRY’S SURGEON GENERAL,
I‘VE BEEN NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY,

THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, HOWEVER, YOUR ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN A
SUPPORT AND A COMFORT,

AND TODAY, 1 NEED THAT SUPPORT AND THAT COMFORT ONCE MORE.
Al

THE NEW ISSUE WE FACE... TOGETHER,..1S THE ISSUE OF AIDS, WHAT IS
IT? AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT?

SO MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND SAID ABOUT AIDS THAT I WON’T TAKE
THE TIME TO GO OVER IT ALL AGAIN,

INSTEAD, LET ME EMPHASIZE JUST A FEW KEY POINTS FROM MY OWN
PERSPECTIVE AS YOUR SURGEON GENERAL,

AIDS IS A MYSTERIOUS, CONTAGIOUS DISEASE THAT IS SPREADING, THE
NUMBER OF VICTIMS IS DOUBLING IN LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR. AS OF A
YEAR AGO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD HAD A TOTAL OF 16,000 CASES OF AIDS
REPORTED TO THE AUTHORITIES SINCE THE FIRST REPORTS WERE MADE IN JUNE
OF 19381,
TODAY THAT OVERALL TOTAL IS 30,000, OVER HALF OF THOSE VICTIMS
HAVE DIED OF THE DISEASE. AND THE REST APPARENTLY WILL.

BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE ADDED OVER 23,000 NEW CASES
OF AIDS, AND BY THE END OF 1990 MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE PREDICT THAT A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE WILL HAVE
CONTRACTED AIDS.

MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT 17. AIDS IS SPREADING AMONG MORE AMERICANS
. AND IT TS KILLING MORE AMERICANS,

 

AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE INFORMATION WE NOW HAVE. MY BOSS, DR,
OTIS R, BOWEN, THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, LIKENED THE
SPREADING AIDS SITUATION TO THE ARRIVAL AND SPREAD OF SMALLPOX AND THE
BUBONIC PLAGUE IN EUROPE SEVERAL CENTURIES AGO,
AND THERE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, MANY SIMILARITIES. LIKE THOSE
HELPLESS EUROPEANS, WE ALSO DO NOT HAVE A CURE FOR THIS SPREADING,
LETHAL DISEASE. I’M SURE YOU’VE READ ABOUT THIS OR THAT DRUG BEING
TESTED ON AIDS PATIENTS, AND THE MEDIA HAVE GIVEN MUCH COVERAGE 10 ONE
DRUG, A.Z.1., THAT SEEMS TO PROLONG THE LIVES OF SOME AIDS VICTIMS
DYING OF PNEUMOCYSTIS CARINII PNEUMONIA,

BUT I’M AFRAID THAT’S ALL IT DOES...PROLONG SOME LIVES, NOT SAVE
THEM,

 

PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK, "DR. KOOP, WHEN WILL WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE
VACCINE AVAILABLE?” AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM THAT I DON’T SEE ONE IN
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WE’RE STILL IN THE VERY FIRST STAGES OF
VACCINE DEVELOPMENT. A PROCESS THAT TAKES YEARS,
AND 1 HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE CAN’T HAVE A TRULY EFFECTIVE
VACCINE UNTIL WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE FIGHTING...AND THAT’S
SOMETHING WE STILL DON’T KNOW,

THE AIDS VIRUS ITSELF IS STILL A MYSTERY,

WE DO, HOWEVER, KNOW HOW IT GETS PASSED FROM PERSON TO PERSON,
IT IS PASSED EITHER IN BLOOD OR IN SEMEN,

THIS TRAIT EXPLAINS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY AIDS HAS BEEN SO PREVALENT
AMONG HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN AND AMONG DRUG ABUSERS WHO BORROW
INTRAVENOUS NEEDLES FROM OTHER ADDICTS WHO HAVE AIDS,

BUT LATELY WE’VE BEEN SEEING A RISE IN THE REPORTS OF AIDS
OCCURRING AMONG HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE NOT 1.V, DRUG
ABUSERS. IN FACT, THEIR HETEROSEXUAL ACTIVITY ITSELF SEEMS TO BE
THEIR ONLY COMMON RISK FACTOR,
AS OF LAST WEEK, ABOUT 4 PERCENT OF ALL AIDS REPORTS INVOLVED
HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN,

ON THE FACE OT IT, 4 PERCENT 1S NOT MUCH, HOWEVER, WE SEEM 70 BE
LOOKING AT A SHARPLY RISING CURVE.

WHILE THE OVERALL NUMBERS OF AIDS CASES WILL PROBABLY INCREASE
ABOUT 9-FOLD OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF AIDS CASES
INVOLVING HETEROSEXUALS WILL INCREASE ABOUT 20-FOLD, AND THAT'S
SIGNIFICANT, I THINK YOU‘LL AGREE.

UNTIL RECENTLY, WE’VE BEEN BEAMING VIRTUALLY ALL OUR INFORMATION
AND EDUCATION EFFORTS AT HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN AND DRUG ABUSERS,
THEY SEEMED TO BE THE ONES WHOSE LIVES WERE AT MOST RISK AND, THERE-
FORE, THE INFORMATION WAS LITERALLY LIFE-SAVING FOR SOME OF THEM,
I'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED -- TO SAY THE LEAST -- AT THE FACT THAT SO
MANY OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS ENGAGE WILLINGLY AND KNOWINGLY IN SEXUAL
AND DRUG-TAKING PRACTICES THAT RISK THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE LIVES OF
OTHERS,

BUT MY DISAPPOINTMENT IS HARDLY THE ISSUE HERE. AS THE SURGEON
GENERAL OF THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, IT’S MY JOB TO WAGE ALL-OUT
WAR AGAINST DISEASE,,..AND NOT AGAINST PEOPLE.

 

I BELIEVE I AM A MORAL PERSON. BUT I’M NOT A MORAL PERSON
BECAUSE I AM A DOCTOR. THAT'S BACKWARDS.

I BECAME A DOCTOR BECAUSE I AM A MORAL PERSON, MY PERSONAL DEDI-
CATION TO HEALING AND TO CARING FOR OTHERS LED ME TO MEDICINE AND,
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, LED ME TO ACCEPT THE PRESIDENT’S INVITATION TO
BE THE COUNTRY’S SURGEON GENERAL.
I HAVE BEEN TESTED BY “BABY DOE” AND BY ORGAN TRANSPLANTS AND BY
FAMILY VIOLENCE AND BY THE DISEASES OF THE AGING...BY A DOZEN OR MORE
ISSUES IN WHICH PERSONAL ETHICS AND MORALITY CAN BECOME ENTWINED WITH
MATTERS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH. I BELIEVE I’VE COME THROUGH
THOSE ISSUES, HAVING SERVED MY PRESIDENT AND MY COUNTRY WELL.

BUT THEY WERE JUST TRAINING-GROUNDS FOR AIDS,

NOW, ONCE AGAIN. THE COUNTRY IS CONFRONTED BY A HEALTH MATTER
THAT IS LIFE-THREATENING. AND,..ONCE AGAIN...1’VE BEEN ASKED TO PLAY
A LEADERSHIP ROLE. IN THAT ROLE, I MUST SPEAK TO MY FELLOW AMERICANS
PRIMARILY AS A HEALTH OFFICER,

AND WITH THIS ISSUE OF AIDS, I MUST...YES, ONCE AGAIN...COME DOWN
ON THE SIDE OF DOING WHATEVER I CAN TO SAVE HUMAN LIFE. AND I ASK
EVERY AMERICAN...1 ASK EACH ONE OF YOU HERE THIS AFTERNOON.,.10 JOIN
ME IN THIS FUNDAMENTALLY MORAL CRUSADE AGAINST A BRUTAL, HUMILIATING,
AND FATAL DISEASE.
10

WHAT CAN WE DO? WE’RE NOT ALL SCIENTISTS AND BRILLIANT
RESEARCHERS. SO, WHAT CAN WE REALLY DO?

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS TO TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
THE FACTS ABOUT AIDS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM
IT AND TO PREVENT IT FROM SPREADING ANY FURTHER,

I HOPE YOU ALL READ MY REPORT ON AIDS. IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE
GET OUT A PENCIL AND TAKE DOWN THIS ADDRESS FOR YOUR COPY,

AIDS,..POST OFFICE BOX 14252,,.WASHINGTON, D.C....20044

OR PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL AREA CODE 301,..443-0292,

LET ME REPEAT THAT FOR YOU:

AIDS...POST OFFICE BOX 14252... WASHINGTON, D.C....20044

OR CALL AREA CODE 301...443-0292,
ll

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ IT. 1 PUT DOWN IN THAT REPORT, IN
PLAIN ENGLISH, THE NATURE OF THE THREAT WE ARE FACING AND JUST WHAT
EACH OF US MUST DO TO ESCAPE ITS LETHAL GRASP,

TOTAL ABSTINENCE FROM ALL SEXUAL RELATIONS IS ONE ANSWER, BUT IT
TS TOTALLY UNREALISTIC, AND IN ANY CASE, I’M NOT READY TO GIVE UP ON
THE HUMAN RACE QUITE YET...AND I’M AFRAID THAT'S THE LOGICAL END OF
SUCH ADVICE,

YES, IF YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU HAVEN’T YET ACHIEVED A MUTUALLY
FAITHFUL, MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP -- WHAT THIS AUDIENCE CALLS
"MARRIAGE” -- THEN YOU SHOULD BY ALL MEANS TAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISEASE BY ABSTAINING, PERIOD. THAT’S MY ADVICE
TO YOUNGSTERS AND I DON’T THANK THERE’S ANY BETTER ADVICE YOU CAN
GIVE,
12

IF YOU’RE AN ADULT AND HAVE A FAITHFUL AND LOVING PARTNER -- AND
YOU ARE ONE YOURSELF -- THEN SEXUALITY IS A PART OF THAT LOVING
RELATIONSHIP AND THERE 1S NO NEED FOR ABSTINENCE.

BUT PEOPLE DO GROW UP AND BECOME ADULTS...AND MANY ADULTS. FOR
WHATEVER REASONS, DO NOT FIND A FULFILLING AND FAITHFUL. MONOGAMOUS
RELATIONSHIP,

THAT’S TOO BAD,..BUT I DON’T WANT THEM TO DIE BECAUSE OF IT,

IF THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH FIRST SOMEONE AND
THEN ANOTHER ONE, I MAY NOT FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT, BUT OF FAR MORE
PUBLIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCE IS THE FACT THAT THEY SHOULD CARRY ON THAT
LIFESTYLE IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE MANNER POSSIBLE,

THE MORAL “BOTTOM LINE” FOR ME -- AND I’M SURE IT IS FOR YOU AS
WELL -- 1S THAT I HOPE THEY LIVE AND I MUST DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP
THEM LIVE,
13

AND RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT A VACCINE AND WITHOUT MUCH ELSE TO GO ON,
I, AS A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL, CAN ONLY ADVISE THE USE OF A CONDOM
FROM START TO FINISH,

WILL THIS PROVIDE 100 PERCENT PERFECT PROTECTION? NO, AND I
DON'T KNOW ANYTHING HERE ON EARTH THAT DOES,

BUT OF THE VERY FEW THINGS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, THE CONDOM IS THE
BEST WE’ VE GOT.

THIS, THEN, IS THE THREE-PART MESSAGE I’VE BEEN RELAYING TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SINCE OCTOBER 22;
14

FIRST, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING...DON’T DO IT,
ABSTAIN,

SECOND, YOUR BEST POSSIBLE DEFENSE AGAINST THIS DISEASE -- AND
AGAINST A GREAT DEAL MORE IN THIS WORLD -- IS A FAITHFUL. MONOGA-
MOUS RELATIONSHIP, IF YOU’VE GOT IT,...KEEP IT,

AND THIRD, IF YOU’RE AN ADULT WHO UNDERSTANDS YOUR OWN SEXUALITY
BUT YOU JUST HAVEN’T FOUND THAT MAGICAL MONOGAMOUS PARTNER YET,
THEN PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, USE A CONDOM FROM
START TO FINISH,

 
15

LET ME AGAIN EMPHASIZE THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A DISEASE THAT
NOW THREATENS EVERYBODY... EVERYWHERE.

IT 1S NO LONGER PRIMARILY A DISEASE ATTACKING THE HOMOSEXUAL
COMMUNITIES OF SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AND NEW YORK CITY.

NOT ANY MORE,

NOW, OTHER CITIES AND STATES ARE SHOWING A RISE IN CASES, TOO.
THE SAME CITIES, SMALL AND LARGE, IN WHICH YOU BROADCAST YOUR MESSAGES
OF DEVOTION EVERY DAY.

HOUSTON HAD 345 CASES LAST YEAR...

DALLAS HAD 208..,

ATLANTA HAD 185...
BOSTON HAD 155 LAST YEAR, ALSO...
COLORADO REPORTED 167 NEW CASES...

OHIO HAD 173...

AND ARKANSAS HAD 40 NEW CASES LAST YEAR.

ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PUERTO RICO, GUAM, THE
TRUST TERRITORIES,..ALL HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY AIDS,

WE COULD ALREADY SEE THIS DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING. WHEN PRESIDENT
REAGAN ASKED ME -- BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 1986 -- TO PULL TOGETHER
EVERYTHING WE KNEW ABOUT AIDS AND PUT IT IN THAT PLAIN-ENGLISH REPORT
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,..THE ONE I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO,
17

I MET WITH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS FROM ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF
SOCIETY...

GROUPS LIKE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL
PiT Avan

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION
OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION...

THE SYNAGOGUE COUNCIL OF AMERICA AND THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF
CATHOLIC BISHOPS...

I TALKED WITH THE NATIONAL COALITION OF BLACK AND LESBIAN GAYS AND
THE WASHINGTON BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH,

I MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL, COUNTY, AND STATE AND
TERRITORIAL HEALTH OFFICIALS, ALSO.,.26 GROUPS IN ALL.
18

THEY WERE ALL EXTRAORDINARILY CANDID. AND EACH ONE ALSO PLEDGED
TO HELP GET MY REPORT INTO THE HANDS OF EVERY AMERICAN,

AFTER 8 MONTHS OF LISTENING AND WRITING, I DELIVERED MY REPORT TO
THE CABINET AND TO THE PRESIDENT. IT WAS ACCEPTED...AND 1 RELEASED IT
ON OCTOBER 22, 1986,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT AT NO TIME DID
ANYONE SUGGEST A LITTLE CHANGE HERE OR A LITTLE CHANGE THERE, THE
FINAL REPORT I RELEASED WAS THE EXACT SAME REPORT THAT 1 PERSONALLY
WROTE BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

 

AND I CAN FURTHER ASSURE YOU THAT SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD NO.
MISGIVINGS ABOUT ANYTHING IN THAT REPORT,

IT’S TRUE. AND IT STANDS,
19

BUT, AS I SAY, NOTHING AND NOBODY IS PERFECT. SQ, IF I HAD 10 DO
IT OVER AGAIN. I1’D PROBABLY BE JUST A LITTLE BIT CLEARER ON PAGE 5,
ON THAT PAGE OF THE REPORT I WROTE THAT “EDUCATION ABOUT AIDS SHOULD
START IN EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND AT HOME...” AND SO ON.

 

YOU CAN’T TEACH A CHILD ANYTHING ABOUT AIDS UNLESS HE OR SHE HAS
SOME BASIC SEXUAL EDUCATION. SO CLEARLY, EDUCATION ABOUT HUMAN
SEXUALITY SHOULD COME FIRST AND THUS PROVIDE THE NECESSARY CONTEXT FOR
THE SPECIFIC MATERIAL ABOUT AIDS THAT SHOULD COME ALONG LATER.

IN GENERAL MY 32-PAGE REPORT HAS HAD OVERWHELMING APPROVAL AND
ACCEPTANCE. BUT IT DOES CONTAIN 92 WORDS ON SEX EDUCATION, AND THOSE
92 WORDS BECAME THE FOCAL POINT OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE REPORT...
AND OF MUCH BICKERING AND CRITICISM, TOO,

ODDLY ENOUGH, MY MOST VOCAL CRITICS HAVE BEEN OF A VERY CONSERVA-
TIVE PERSUASION -- AS AM I.
BUT THESE CRITICS HAVE PRESENTED THEIR OWN WORST POSSIBLE INTER-
PRETATIONS OF THE REPORT AND THEN THEY’VE HELD ME UP AS THE ONE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE WORST-CASE SCENARIOS,

HOWEVER, I’VE BEEN ATTACKING SEX EDUCATION CURRICULA THAT JUST
TEACH TECHNIQUE AND DON’T MENTION RESPONSIBILTY OR MORALITY...AND I
TOOK THAT POSITION BEFORE SOME OF MY CRITICS KNEW THERE WAS SUCH A
THING AS SEX,

WHEN YOU SPEAK OF SEX EDUCATION, YOU OUGHT TO KEEP A FEW THINGS
IN MIND, FOR EXAMPLE...
21

* WE HAVE ONLY A FEW YEARS OF GRACE TO HELP A YOUNG CHILD
UNDERSTAND HIS OR HER SEXUALITY BEFORE THE ONSET OF PUBERTY.

* ALSO, A PARENT SHOULD HANDLE THIS EDUCATION OF THE CHILD, BUT
EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT A PARENT CAN NEVER BE THE EXCLUSIVE
EDUCATOR. THE BEST EDUCATOR... THE EDUCATOR OF CHOICE...YES, OF
COURSE. BUT THE EXCLUSIVE EDUCATOR, I DOUBT THAT.

I WISH WE COULD SAY THAT PARENTS WHO WANT TO CAN BE IN TOTAL
CONTROL OF A CHILD’S SEX EDUCATION. BUT WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN DO
LEARN ABOUT SEX FROM MANY UNSTRUCTURED AND UNPLANNED EXPERIENCES,
INCLUDING THE VIEWING OF MOVIES AND TELEVISION AND FRIENDSHIPS WITH
OTHER CHILDREN.
22

SOME RESEARCH WAS RECENTLY DONE ON THIS MATTER BY MICHIGAN STATE
UNIVERSITY. THE RESEARCHERS FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE. THAT A LARGE NUMBER
OF StH- AND LOTH-GRADE GIRLS WATCH BETWEEN 1 AND 2 HOURS OF SOAP
OPERAS EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL.

AND WHAT ARE THEY VIEWING? THE RESEARCHERS REPORT THAT, AMONG
OTHER THINGS, SEXUAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN UNMARRIED PARTNERS IS SHOWN
OR DISCUSSED ON MID-DAY SOAP OPERAS ON AN AVERAGE OF 1.56 TIMES AN
HOUR,

IN THE EVENING, A LARGER NUMBER OF StTH- AND 1O0TH-GRADE GIRLS AND
BOYS WATCH 3 TO 4 HOURS OF TELEVISION. ON THOSE PRIME-TIME EVENING
SHOWS, ACTS OF UNMARRIED INTERCOURSE ARE SHOWN OR DISCUSSED ON AN
AVERAGE OF ONCE AN HOUR,
23

THE SAME RESEARCHERS ALSO FOUND THAT OVER 60 TO 70 PERCENT OF
THOSE StH- AND 1OTH-GRADERS SAW THE TOP 5 “R-RATED FILMS, IN WHICH
SEXUAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN UNMARRIED PARTNERS OCCURRED ON THE AVERAGE
OF 8 TIMES PER FILM, IN THE WORST FILMS, IT OCCURRED 15 TIMES,

AMERICA’S CHILDREN DON’T LIVE IN A VACUUM, AND. THEREFORE, WE ALL
MUST WORK TOGETHER -- PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND RELIGIOUS AND COMMUNITY
LEADERS -- TO HELP OUR CHILDREN GROW UP AND COPE WITH THE REAL WORLD
OF PLEASURE AND DANGER,

* SOMETHING ELSE WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, IN THIS MATTER OF SEX
EDUCATION,

WHEN A CHILD COMES HOME FROM SCHOOL AND TALKS ABOUT SOME CONTRO-
VERSIAL IDEA THAT WAS PRESENTED, MOST PARENTS DON’T PANIC...EVEN THOSE
PARENTS WHO HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ON THE MATTER,
NO. THOSE PARENTS SIT DOWN AND PASS ON TO THEIR CHILDREN -- IN
POSITIVE TERMS -- WHAT THEIR FEELINGS AND THEIR STANDARDS ON THE
MATTER MAY BE.

WHY CAN‘T PARENTS ACT THE SAME WAY WHEN THEIR CHILDREN RAISE
QUESTIONS ABOUT SEX?

I THINK THEY SHOULD. BUT “SHOULD” AND “COULD” ARE TWO DIFFERENT
MATTERS,

MANY PARENTS ARE SIMPLY NOT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH THEIR OWN
SEXUALITY TO TALK ABOUT IT FREELY EVEN WITH A SPOUSE. AND THEY CONVEY
THAT SAME DISCOMFORT TO THEIR CHILDREN. RIGHT AT THE TIME WHEN THE
CHILDREN NEED STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE...OR SOME POSITIVE DIALOGUE ON
THE MATTER...OR SIMPLY SOME HONEST AND COMPLETE ANSWERS TO THEIR
QUESTIONS,
25

A CHILD WILL SENSE THIS DISCOMFORT AND WILL BACK AWAY FROM THE
SUBJECT...AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PARENTS WILL BE LOST.

SEX EDUCATION -- WHICH I’D RATHER CALL “HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOP-
MENT” -- CAN PROBABLY BE TAUGHT BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST
GRADE, AND HERE I’M SPEAKING OF A CURRICULUM THAT ANSWERS THE COMMON.
EVERYDAY QUESTIONS RAISED BY YOUNG CHILDREN, QUESTIONS SUCH AS “WHERE
DO BABIES COME FROM?”

THIS KIND OF EDUCATION CAN AND SHOULD BE NON-THREATENING...11 CAN
TEACH GOOD VALUES...IT CAN HELP DEVELOP THE CHILD'S OWN SENSE OF
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY...AND IT CAN STRENGTHEN THE CONCEPT OF “THE
FAMILY.”
THIS KIND OF SEX EDUCATION SHOULD UNFOLD ACCORDING TO THE
DEVELOPMENTAL AGE OF CHILDREN AND TO THEIR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AWARE-
NESS AND CURIOSITY. I DON’T SEE ANY REASON TO CLING TO A RIGID
SCHEDULE BASED ON CHRONOLOGICAL AGE.

IF THE CURRICULUM IS WELL-PLANNED AND THOUGHTFULLY CARRIED OUT,
THEN IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CHILDREN THE
FACTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE -- AND AIDS IN PARTICULAR --
ALONG ABOUT THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS... THE YEARS OF EARLY
ADOLESCENCE.

SOME UNINFORMED, INACCURATE. AND LESS-THAN-HONEST CRITICS OF MY
POSITION BELIEVE THAT WHAT I‘VE JUST SAID IS TANTAMOUNT TO THE MOST
HEINOUS OF ACTIVITIES. THEY SAY IT MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I’M
QUOTING NOW...
27

“.. SPONSORING HOMOSEXUALLY-ORIENTED CURRICULA...”
“,,, TEACHING BUGGERY IN THE SRD GRADE...”

OR ”,,, PROVIDING CONDOMS TO 8-YEAR-OLDS...”

ISN'T THAT AWFUL STUFF? OF COURSE IT IS,

AND THEY CHARGE THAT, BY ADVOCATING A STRONG, HONEST, AND FAMILY-
CENTERED APPROACH TO SEX EDUCATION IN ORDER TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE, I HAVE THEREFORE “DEPARTED THE FAITH” -- WHATEVER THAT
MEANS -- OR I‘VE “GONE OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE” -- WHEREVER THAT IS,

THIS IS A PERSONAL MATTER, SO LET ME GET PERSONAL, FOR A MOMENT.
28

AS YOU KNOW, I'VE CARRIED A LOT OF WATER FOR POLITICAL CONSERVA-
TIVES... AND SOME OF THEM HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE FAIR-WEATHER FRIENDS,

AND TO THAT MEMBER OF THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT WHO WROTE THAT THE
NOISE I HEAR 1S FRANCIS SCHAEFFER ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE...1 SAY
THAT THE NOISE I HEAR IS MORE LIKELY HIS APPLAUSE,

YOU, AS CHRISTIANS, WILL CONTINUE TO BE TESTED BY TREMENDOUS
QUESTIONS THAT ARISE FROM THE TURMOIL OF CURRENT EVENTS, THESE
QUESTIONS MAKE YOU EXAMINE AND RE-EXAMINE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU
STAND FOR,

THIS 1S NOT AN AGE FOR THE FAINT OF HEART...OR OF SOUL.

ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS INVOLVES HOMOSEXUALITY. YOU CAN’T AVOID
IT, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS AIDS.
29

IF YOU REGARD HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR AS SIN, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT
ONE OF YOUR FUNDAMENTAL TEACHINGS HAS BEEN TO “SEPARATE THE SIN FROM
THE SINNER.”

YOU MAY HATE THE SIN...BUT YOU ARE TO LOVE THE SINNER,

AND LET ME REPEAT AGAIN THE CRUX OF OUR BATTLE...]T IS A BATTLE
AGAINST A DISEASE, NOT AGAINST PEOPLE.

 

AND HERE’S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAN TEST YOU. YOU WILL HEAR A
LOT ABOUT "SAFE SEX” AND HOW THIS OR THAT TECHNIQUE IS A WAY OF
CONTAINING THE AIDS EPIDEMIC,

BUT THE SAFEST APPROACH TO SEXUALITY FOR ADULTS IS TO CHOOSE
EITHER ABSTINENCE OR FAITHFUL MONOGAMY. IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A
CHOICE, THEN AN INDIVIDUAL MUST BE WARNED TO USE THE PROTECTION OF A
CONDOM -- FROM START TO FINISH -- IN SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.
30

AND THERE’S A THIRD QUESTION THAT WE MUST FACE,

A LARGE NUMBER OF TRULY INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE BEING INFECTED BY THE
AIDS VIRUS AND THEY ARE GOING TO DIE. WHO ARE THEY? THEY ARE...

THE WIVES OF BISEXUAL MEN...

THEY ARE THE SPOUSES OF I.V, DRUG USERS...

THEY’RE THE WIVES AND HUSBANDS OF PROMISCUOUS SPOUSES,
AND I’M AFRAID WE MUST ALSO COUNT THE BABIES BORN TO I.V. DRUG USERS
OR OTHERWISE INFECTED MOTHERS, THEY ARE BEING ABANDONED AND ARE DYING

ALONE IN HOSPITAL NURSERIES,

THEY ARE THE MOST INNOCENT VICTIMS OF ALL.
31

T’VE GONE INTO SOME DETAIL HERE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE GENUINELY
CONCERNED ABOUT THESE MATTERS. BUT I HOPE I HAVE GIVEN YOU SOME NEW
FOOD FOR THOUGHT,

T HOPE THAT, WHEN YOU NEXT HEAR THE TERM “SEX EDUCATION,” YOU
WON'T JUST JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT MEANS SOME CRACK-BRAINED
CURRICULUM THAT HAS GOTTEN OFF THE TRACK, AND I HOPE YOU WON'T
CONSIDER IT TO BE A CURRICULUM THAT -- BY DEFINITION -- CAN ONLY TEACH
TECHNIQUE WITHOUT MENTIONING RESPONSIBILITY OR MORALITY,

NOT SOQ. THINK INSTEAD, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS
I‘ VE MENTIONED HERE THIS AFTERNOON,

AND LASTLY, WHEN AIDS INTRUDES ON SOME ASPECT OF YOUR OWN LIVES,
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE SICK AND THE DYING REQUIRE OUR CARE AND OUR
COMPASSION, NO MATTER HOW THE ILLNESS WAS CONTRACTED,
32

NOW, YOU'VE BEEN A VERY GOOD AND PATIENT AUDIENCE AND I WILL
CLOSE MY REMARKS WITH A LITTLE PERSONAL RECOLLECTION,

A FEW YEARS AGO, FRANCIS SCHAEFFER AND I WERE TOURING THE
COUNTRY, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ABORTION, AND PRESENTING OUR FILM,
“WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE HUMAN RACE,”

1 CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WERE FREQUENTLY VERY DISCOURAGED BY THE
RESPONSE OF MANY EVANGELICALS. THEY DREW THEIR SKIRTS ABOUT THEM AND
SHUNNED THE ISSUE OF ABORTION,

IN DUE TIME THEY’VE COME AROUND AND HAVE BECOME ACTIVISTS IN THE
PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT,
33

MY PLEA TO YOU TODAY 1S NOT TO REPEAT THAT SLICE OF HISTORY. !
ASK THAT YOU, WHO BEST UNDERSTAND THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST, SHOW YOUR
LOVE AND CONCERN FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE AND GIVE
YOUR SUPPORT TO EFFORTS TO EDUCATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,

EDUCATION,..EDUCATION...EDUCATION, RIGHT NOW, THAT'S OUR ONLY
WEAPON AGAINST THIS DREADFUL DISEASE. WITH YOUR HELP, IT CAN ALSO BE
THE STRONGEST WEAPON WE HAVE,

ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOW AT HIGH RISK. HOW THEY LIVE OUT
THEIR SEXUALITY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OUR
SOCIETY CAN SURVIVE THIS DEVASTATING DISEASE...OR NOT,

WE MUST HELP THEM.,.AND WE MUST HELP OURSELVES,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT IN THE YEARS AHEAD,
AS IN THE YEARS PAST...AND GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU.

THANK YOU,

HHH #