It really is difficult if not impossible not to hate these people--I mean the people outside of Planned Parenthood with the ugly signs and ugly faces peddling nothing so much as intimidation. If you want to have lots of sex with lots of strangers I say go for it. Just make the decision, take the proper precautions and go for it without the guilt from these horrid people who just wanna make people feel bad anyway. They are not preaching this shit anymore to get into heaven or be closer to God than I am. It's a power trip clear and simple and they are sick, sick people. I have lived in the south. I have met these people, but this was about 30 years ago and they were seen to be the lunatic fringe and no one paid them much attention. Now they're everywhere and I hate it. They're ignorant and ridiculous and they're making public policy. I am sick of even liberal politicians pandering to these people, trying oh-so-hard not to insult anyone's religious beliefs. How do we get them to go away. If religion is preventing people from having access to health care and birth control, I hope I have insulted religion.

Though one can't really disagree with anything Mr. Maher says, the problem isn't really the Christian Right and their hysteric pleading that mandating Gardasil will lead to promiscuity. The problem is the emerging connection between Merck's overly aggressive campaign and monetary contributions to the very officials who can mandate the drug's administration to school-age women.

Since HPV does not spread through casual contact, it is not appropriate to make it a required vaccination as Gov. Rick Perry did in Texas. To do so, effectively doing away with the consent of the young women and the judgment of her parents, is detestable.

Bill - I have a very volatile throat cold right now and I almost succumbed during the laughing fit I had while reading this article. Fabulously funny. Keep them coming.

Bill ol' boy, not all of us Texans are dumb rubes who think that our girls getting poked in the glute by a needle is going to make them want to get poked in the pubes by a galoot. I know that's the way the press has played it, and the comedians have run with it: it's a lot more fun, and a lot easier, too, to make fun of dumb southerners than to actually dig into what's going on.

But you know what? It turns out that a lot of parents are up in arms not because of religion or sex, but because Gov. Rick Perry wants the Government Man to show up at your door with a needle and a smile and say, "Hi! Bring your daughters up! I'm here to help you!" And what we have to go on is the word of Merck--you remember them, those clever guys what brought us Vioxx--and a Republican governor and the FDA under the Bush Administration. And we were told by executive order that our daughters were getting this vaccine, like it or not. Starting at age 11. And Merck, who has lobbied dozens of state legislatures for the same thing, is the only company that manufactures it. No longitudinal studies, no chance for the parents to have a yay or nay; just bend over, baby.

Yuppers, that sure fills me with confidence. How about a few jokes about that, Bill?

Now it may turn out that I have my daughter get this vaccine. Once I have more information. Which Merck and Gov. Perry seem in an almighty hurry to avoid letting me get, to be honest. But you know, Bill, I'd kinda like a choice about it. I'd kind of like the government to advise me about my daughter's health, not order me around on it. Particular on a vaccine that hasn't been fully tested, and only works on some people on some types of cancer, and which we haven't found out the side-effects of yet.

Call me crazy. But don't call me a right-wing Christian wacko. Especially as I'm Jewish.

what's more he's an obstetrician-gynecologist. his wife said that if she ever caught him cheating she'd cut off his penis, a la lorraine bobbitt. i think it's odd for a senator's wife to say that publicly, but that's just my opinion. they seem almost *crazed* when it comes to sex. the worst thing he's done (in my opinion) was to sterilize poor young indian girls without their consent. check out http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Tom_Coburn here are some gems. "Coburn also objects to legal abortion in cases of rape, and he justifies his position by noting that his great-grandmother was raped by a sheriff. ","there's no science that shows that silicone breast implants are detrimental and, in fact, they make you healthier."," lesbianism was "so rampant in some of the schools...that they'll let only one girl go to the bathroom." really, you have to read it.

But that is not what Maher's article is about. If it were up to the Christian Coalition this vaccine wouldn't exist at all.

I agree that it should be voluntary (though i feel bad for any promiscuous daughter of a minister) but I also think that it being mandatory is the lesser evil of it not being administered at all.

As usual, Maher isn't about to let the facts get in the way of his silly rant.

He quotes "Bridget Maher...of the Family Research Council" but doesn't mention that this quote was from April 2005. (Ms. Maher no longer even works for FRC.) Perhaps if he had bothered to do his homework he might have noticed the link to this article on the front page of FRC's website: Clarification of 2005 Family Research Council Media Remarks on HPV Vaccine

In response to initial media inquiries regarding the HPV vaccine in early 2005, an FRC spokesman raised the question of whether a vaccine for a sexually-transmitted disease like HPV could give its recipients a false sense of security and thus make them less cautious about their sexual behavior. The theory that reducing one of the risks of a behavior might make that behavior more common is hardly illogical. There is even a scientific term for this, which is "sexual disinhibition." In our meetings with Merck regarding the vaccine later that year, they indicated that they were quite aware of the potential for sexual disinhibition, and that they had examined that issue in the course of their clinical trials for the HPV vaccine. They assured us that they had found no evidence for any increase in sexual disinhibition in connection with the vaccine. We had no basis for doubting that claim, but encouraged them to continue to study that issue after approval of the vaccine for general use.

After extensive study of the vaccine and discussion with medical experts, we concluded that the public health benefits of developing and distributing such a vaccine far outweighed any potential, hypothetical concerns about its impact on sexual behavior. Therefore, we announced in October of 2005 that we would enthusiastically support the development of the vaccine and federal approval of its use, including its addition to the list of vaccines recommended to physicians and of those made available to lower-income families through the Vaccines for Children program. Virtually all pro-family public policy organizations have announced similar support for the vaccine itself.

In other words, the position of FRC is the exact opposite of what Maher claims.

Also, does he believe that Merck wants to "make sure sex is as dangerous as possible"? After all, they examined the issue of sexual disinhibition in their clinical trials -- the very issue that he criticizes Ms. Maher for raising.

Unfortunately, this is not the only fact that Maher gets wrong. He claims that "the vaccine is so good, it could wipe out HPV." Perhaps he missed the recent Washington Post article which notes, "Just 3.4 percent of the women studied had infections with one of the four HPV strains that the new vaccine protects against." Although that 3.4% will account for 70% of cervical cancer cases--and have a significant impact on women's health--the vaccine will not help the millions of other women infected with other, less deadly strains of HPV.

Once again, Bill Maher has shown that he is not credible to speak on...well, on anything. And worse, for a comedian, he's just not funny.

Go back to hanging out with your buddy Ann Coulter, Bill. You're about as credible as she is. Maybe she'll take your goofy rants seriously.