Kathleen I'm glad to see another letter writer pointing out the dangers of reading the tea leaves of statistics.

Teen pregnancy rates in this day and age aren't all that different from teen pregnancy rates a generation or two ago -- my own grandmother was married at age 18 and had her first baby by the time she turned 19. What's changed now, is that many parents are willing to accept and even encourage a delay in their daughter's marriage, even knowing the baby is on the way.

Well something else has changed that is your grandmas generation could drop out of school and get a job that pays very well especially compared to the price of goods and services. Today, one is lucky to have a job that pays 15 dollars with only a HS diploma which also buys less.

So while the rates of teen pregnancy might have gone down the problems associated with teen pregnancy have gone up.

Its the same argument when it comes to family size also. Then it was easier to have 3 plus kids while today the cost is just too high for most to make.

bernbart - There should be more focus and discussion in public policy about teen pregnancy. Pregnancy has been glorified to much on all fronts. What ever happened to the discussion of the morality of population control.

Agree with you here. It is not just sex ed that needs to be taught but family planning. You can talk about condoms and BC all you want but if a girl or guy wants to get either themselves or his girl pregnant its going to happen. Now, if you explain the truth to kids that teenage marriages are all but certain to fail 80 percent of the time. That it is the rare teenage parent that finishes college. That when there is a break up that the dad is most likely not going to be able to afford much in child support. This might make them at least think twice.

You got that right about the cult of motherhood. It's no wonder you have stories like last years pact when not only does the press talk about the Juno's and Spears but when they have article and picture spreads of any prego celebrity. Opera and the like have dozens upon dozens of shows about how wonderful it is. How mothers are always right about everything. When you have 3 high profile female politicians use motherhood as a qualification for office. Or how prego's have a glow and are hotter than Seana Miller and Amy Smart topless making out.

Exquisite Koi Actually I don't wish it would "fall to zero." Maybe among the youngest teens, but I don't think every pregnant 17 year old represents a tragedy and social problem to be resolved, by a long shot.

There are exceptions to every rule but come the hell on. Kids born to teenage parents are more likely to be abused, more likely to drop out, more likely to be teenage parents themselves, more likely to become criminals, more likely to live in poverty and stay in poverty longer. Yes there are a few teenage parents that end up doing a great job and do better because they had a kid when they where a teen but they are the rare exception.

bernbartI totally disagree with the "father" bull shit. Many single mothers do a great job without a father present.

There are exceptions to every rule but come the hell on. Having a father involved is a better indicator of success than poverty. In every demo group kids with fathers in the home do better in just about every stat than kids raised without a father. Yes there are some fathers that should never be near the child just like there are some mothers that should never be near the child but they are again the exception.

About your comment on Europe they also don't have the cult of motherhood we have here.

If some company was going to market ties, 3 piece suits in traditional Italian or British cuts, Cups, Shoulder pads, or any other item that is traditionally male they would have to over come that the product is traditionally male. SUV sales did not explode until the makers changed from the rugged image to a more luxury and safety image.

I assume you've never had an orgasm since you're correlating cutting a clit and clipping a foreskin. That explains your frustration: a life without orgasms. I'd be angry too if I were you.

You have not had your clit ripped out either stop trying to steal the vicimhood from real victims. According to Wiki there is about 2 million FGM cases a year mostly in Africa. According to Wiki about 60 percent of American boys are circumcised with out their consent 1.8 million in the US alone, with similar numbers for Europe that brings the number to over 3.5 million with out counting a single person in Asia, Africa, Canada, Mexico, South America, or Australia.

There are federal laws against FGM and the states with large African and or Middle Eastern population also have laws. While there are no laws against Male circumcision. But your right it is females that are the real victim yet again.

I did not claim that men are victims just pointing out that you are not a Victim of FGM which you tried to claim. And that FGM is just not even close to a major issue in America. Also, your pointing out that you don't give a flying fuck about a similar yet less serious issue that deals with men on a much wider scale.