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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

Ver.

PRESENTED TO THE Mayors’ AIDS Task Force
U.S. ConFERENCE oF Mayors
WASHINGTON, D.C,

January 23, 1987
(GREETINGS TO HOSTS, GUESTS, FRIENDS, ETC.)

I’M PLEASED TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THIS GROUP OF KEY
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. EVER SINCE I
RELEASED THE SURGEON GENERAL’S REPORT ON AIDS. I’VE FELT THAT MY
OFFICE -- OF ANY OFFICE I KNOW -- IS “WHERE THE ACTION IS,”

BUT IN MY MORE SOBER MOMENTS, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT EACH ONE OF
QU HAS THE “ACTION” IN OUR COUNTRY.

I CAN PRODUCE A REPORT ON AIDS AND HAVE IT BE A GOOD ONE -- AND |
TRULY BELIEVE IT IS -- BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE AIDS ARE IN
YOUR CITIES... THEY’RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS...AND THEY LOOK TO YOU AND TO
YOUR COLLEAGUES IN LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES FOR THE HELP THEY

NEED.
I KNOW THAT. AND SO. I’M PLEASED TO TALK WITH YOU AND, IF
POSSIBLE, OFFER YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT THIS PROBLEM IS ALL ABOUT,

FIRST OF ALL. AS YOU KNOW, OUR EXPERIENCE WITH AIDS IS ONLY SIX
YEARS OLD. THE FIRST REPORTS OF THE DISEASE WERE SENT FROM SOME OF
YOUR CITIES INTO OUR CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL IN ATLANTA IN JUNE
1981, YOU ALREADY KNOW THE REST OF THE HISTORY OF THE DISEASE SINCE
THEN, SO I WON’T GO INTO IT,

T WANT TO EMPHASIZE, HOWEVER, THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A DISEASE
THAT’S SPREADING. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS IS DOUBLING IN LITTLE MORE
THAN A YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, AS OF JANUARY 1986, WE HAD A CUMULATIVE
TOTAL OF 16,000 REPORTED CASES,
TODAY THAT CUMULATIVE TOTAL IS 30,000,,..AND OVER HALF OF THEM
HAVE ALREADY DIED OF THE DISEASE. AND THE REST APPARENTLY WILL,

LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 13,000 NEW CASES ADDED TO THE TOTAL. THIS
YEAR WE EXPECT ANOTHER 23,000 NEW CASES,

BY THE END OF 1990 A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE WILL HAVE
CONTRACTED AIDS,

MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. AIDS 1S SPREADING AMONG MORE PEOPLE...
AND IT IS FATAL.

NOW, EVEN THOUGH SCIENTISTS HAVE HAD A LOOK AT THE AIDS VIRUS
ITSELF, WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS, AND UNLESS WE KNOW THAT, WE
HAVE NO WAY OF PERMANENTLY STOPPING IT. YES, WE‘RE MAKING PROGRESS IN
THE RESEARCH EFFORT, BUT IT’S VERY SLOW GOING,
PEOPLE ASK, “WHEN WILL WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE AVAILABLE?”
AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM THAT I DON’T SEE ONE IN THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE, 1 WILL REMIND YOU THAT IT TOOK 19 YEARS TO DEVELOP THE
EPATITIS B VACCINE -- AND THAT WAS A COMPARATIVELY EASY VIRUS TO
UNDERSTAND,

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT AIDS. BUT WE DO
KNOW WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY THAT THE AIDS VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED FROM
ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER EITHER IN BLOOD OR IN SEMEN,

IT’S A PECULIAR TRAIT FOR A VIRUS, I’LL ADMIT. BUT THERE IT IS,

AND WHILE IT MAY BE PECULIAR, IT 1S ALSO THE MOST SERIOUS PIECE
OF INFORMATION WE HAVE. IT EXPLAINS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY AIDS HAS BEEN
SO PREVALENT AMONG HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN. SOME HOMOSEXUAL SEX
PRACTICES NOT ONLY PRODUCE SEMEN BUT THEY ALSO CAUSE SOME BLEEDING.
THE SECOND LARGEST GROUP OF AIDS CARRIERS ARE DRUG ABUSERS WHO
BORROW DIRTY INTRAVENOUS NEEDLES FROM OTHER ADDICTS WHO ALREADY HAVE
AIDS,

WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN TO CONFRONT THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, THE PEOPLE AT
HIGHEST RISK WERE HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN, I’M AFRAID THEY STILL
ARE, EVEN THOUGH HOMOSEXUALS HAVE APPARENTLY BECOME MUCH MORE CAUTIOUS
ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL PRACTICES, THIS IS CLEAR FROM THE DOWNWARD TREND-
LINES OF OTHER DISEASES, SUCH AS GONORRHEA, HERPES, AND SYPHILIS, IN
THE GAY COMMUNITY,

HOWEVER, THE VIRUS HAS A LONG INCUBATION PERIOD AND MANY MEN WHO
ARE MORE CAUTIOUS TODAY AND SHOW NO SIGNS OF THE DISEASE ARE
NEVERTHELESS CARRYING THE VIRUS IN THEIR BLOODSTREAMS,
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS: HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN ARE STILL
THE PRIMARY HIGH-RISK GROUP AND THEY ARE ALSO THE PRIMARY GROUP TRANS-
MITTING THE DISEASE AS WELL.

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 SEEMS TO BE THEIR ONLY
RISK FACTOR,

AS OF LAST WEEK, ABOUT 4 PERCENT OF ALL AIDS REPORTS INVOLVED
HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN, THAT’S NOT MUCH. HOWEVER, WHILE WE
ANTICIPATE THAT THE OVERALL NUMBERS OF AIDS CASES WILL INCREASE ABOUT
Q-FOLD OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF AIDS CASES INVOLVING
HETEROSEXUALS WILL INCREASE ABOUT 20-FOLD,
SO FAR, WE'VE BEAMED VIRTUALLY ALL OUR INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
EFFORTS AT HOMOSEXUAL AND BISEXUAL MEN. BUT NOW THAT THE DISEASE IS
OCCURRING MORE AND MORE AMONG HETEROSEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN, WE NEED TO
DIRECT OUR INFORMATION AND EDUCATION EFFORTS OUT TO THE WHOLE SOCIETY.
WHICH, OF COURSE, IS PREDOMINANNTLY HETEROSEXUAL.

THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT ALSO MEANS THAT THE GEOGRAPHY OF THIS
DISEASE IS CHANGING. AT ONE TIME WE WERE CONCERNED PRIMARILY --
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY -- WITH THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITIES IN SAN
FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AND NEW YORK CITY, AND THESE ARE STILL THE
CITIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF AIDS CASES,

BUT THEY’RE NO LONGER ALONE. OTHER CITIES AND STATES ARE SHOWING
A RISE IN CASES, TOO.
YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD SOME OF THESE FIGURES ALREADY, BUT LET ME
OFFER JUST A COUPLE:

HOUSTON HAD 77 CASES IN 1983, BUT IT REPORTED 345 LAST YEAR.
DALLAS HAD ONLY 26 AIDS CASES IN 1983; IT HAD 208 LAST YEAR,
ATLANTA HAD 25 IN 1983; IT HAD 185 LAST YEAR.

BOSTON HAD 38 IN 1983 AND 155 LAST YEAR,

NOW, FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOME PEOPLE HERE FROM STATE CAPITOLS, LET
ME ADD THESE FIGURES:
COLORADO REPORTED 167 NEW CASES DURING 1986, BUT ONLY 63 NEW
CASES IN 1985,

QHIO HAD 173 NEW ONES LAST YEAR. BUT ONLY 64 A YEAR AGO,

AND ARKANSAS HAD 40 NEW CASES LAST YEAR, BUT ONLY 27 IN ALL OF
1985.

THESE BROADLY GEOGRAPHIC TREND-LINES WERE ALREADY APPEARING. WHEN
PRESIDENT REAGAN ASKED ME -- BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 1986 -- TO PULL
TOGETHER EVERYTHING WE KNEW ABOUT AIDS AND PUT IT IN A PLAIN-ENGLISH

REPORT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

I MET WITH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS FROM ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF
SOCIETY...
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GROUPS LIKE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL
PiTsAceas

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
AND THE SYNAGOGUE COUNCIL OF AMERICA...

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

1 HAD GOOD MEETINGS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL, COUNTY,
AND STATE AND TERRITORIAL HEALTH OFFICIALS, ALSO...26 GROUPS IN ALL.

THEY WERE EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL, AND EACH ONE PLEDGED TO DO
WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO DISTRIBUTE MY REPORT ACROSS THE LENGTH AND

BREADTH OF AMERICA,
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AFTER 8 MONTHS OF LISTENING AND WRITING, I DELIVERED MY REPORT TO
THE WHITE HOUSE, LATE LAST SEPTEMBER THE CABINET HEARD IT AND
ACCEPTED IT... THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL HEARD AND ACCEPTED IT...AND,
OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT ACCEPTED IT.

I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT AT NO TIME DID ANYONE SUGGEST A LITTLE
CHANGE HERE AND A LITTLE SOMETHING THERE. I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE
FINAL PUBLISHED REPORT I RELEASED ON OCTOBER 22 WAS THE EXACT SAME
REPORT THAT I PERSONALLY WROTE BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND SEPTEMBER OF LAST
YEAR,

I THINK THE REPORT HAS DONE TWO THINGS: FIRST, IT HAS IMPRESSED
THE COUNTRY GENERALLY THAT AIDS WAS INDEED EVERYBODY’S PROBLEM, WE
HAD SAID THAT BEFORE, BUT NOBODY REALLY WANTED TO BELIEVE IT,

NOW THEY MUST,
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SECOND, THE REPORT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO STOP THE
DISEASE NOT BY WAITING AROUND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VACCINE BUT BY
TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THE FACTS ABOUT AIDS AND -- HOPEFULLY --
THEREBY ENDING THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION ONCE AND FOR ALL WITH THE
HELP OF A NEW GENERATION OF ENLIGHTENED, CAUTIOUS AMERICANS.

HETEROSEXUAL AS WELL AS HOMOSEXUAL 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,

AND THIS IS THE DIFFICULT PART. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL YEARS IS EDUCATE AND INFORM YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT AIDS ABOUT
THEIR OWN SEXUALITY IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN BECOME A LITTLE MORE
RESPONSIBLE THAN THEIR ELDERS HAVE BEEN,
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I KNOW YOU’RE ALL WONDERING WHAT EDUCATIONAL MESSAGES YOU SHOULD
PLAN IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES. I WON’T BE PRESCRIPTIVE. BUT LET ME
OFFER A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS.

THE FIRST ONE IS SIMPLE ENOUGH: IT’S MONOGAMY. IN OTHER WORDS.
SHORT OF TOTAL ABSTINENCE, THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST AIDS IS TO
MAINTAIN A FAITHFUL, MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP, THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP
IN WHICH YOU HAVE ONLY ONE CONTINUING SEXUAL PARTNER...AND THAT PERSON
TS AS FAITHFUL AS YOU ARE,

THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A MORALITY LESSON. BUT IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
GOOD SCIENCE. IN CONTAINING THE EPIDEMIC OF AIDS, SCIENCE AND
MORALITY WALK HAND-IN-HAND TOWARD THE SAME GOAL.
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MY SECOND MESSAGE IS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T YET HAVE A FAITHFUL
MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP FOR WHATEVER REASON. MY MESSAGE IS...
CAUTION, YOU NEED TO KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT NEITHER YOU
NOR YOUR PARTNER IS CARRYING THE AIDS VIRUS. IF YOU ARE NOT ABSO-
LUTELY CERTAIN, THEN YOU MUST TAKE PRECAUTIONS.

IN SUCH SITUATIONS I ADVISE THE FOLLOWING:

* DON’T HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS AIDS. PERIOD.

* DON’T HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE WHO COULD CARRY THE VIRUS OF AIDS
..«A PERSON WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, PRACTICES HIGH-RISK BEHAVIOR. THAT
INCLUDES HOMOSEXUALS, INTRAVENOUS DRUG USERS, PROSTITUTES AND
OTHER PERSONS WHO HAVE MANY DIFFERENT SEX PARTNERS, OBVIOUSLY Tut
SAME MESSAGE GOES TO ANY OF THOSE HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS,
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* AND FINALLY, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO HAVE SEX WITH SUCH AN INDI-
VIDUAL ANYWAY -- A DEICISON THAT COULD HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH CONSE-
QUENCES -- THEN, IF YOU’RE A MAN, AT LEAST USE A CONDOM FROM START
TO FINISH, IF YOU'RE A WOMAN, MAKE SURE YOUR MALE PARTNER USES A

CONDOM,

A CONDOM WON’T PROVIDE 100 PERCENT PROTECTION -- FEW THINGS IN
LIFE DO -- BUT SO FAR IT SEEMS TO BE THE BEST PROTECTION SHORT OF

MONOGAMY,

IF SEXUALLY ACTIVE PEOPLE WILL HEED THESE TWO MESSAGES, THEY WILL
ACHIEVE A HIGH DEGREE OF PROTECTION AND WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE
INFECTED WITH THE AIDS VIRUS,
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WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO COMBAT THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE?

IN MY REPORT ON AIDS, I ALSO ADVISE PEOPLE TO AVOID THOSE SEX
PRACTICES WHICH CAN CAUSE CUTS OR TEARS IN THE LININGS OF THE RECTUM,
VAGINA, OR PENIS.

I SAY, DON’T HAVE SEX WITH FEMALE OR MALE PROSTITUTES,

I STRONGLY ADVISE YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAY CLEAR OF DRUGS AND
ALCOHOL, BECAUSE THESE SUBSTANCES LOWER YOUR ABILITY TO THINK CLEARLY
AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DANGER,..ESPECIALLY THE DANGER OF HAVING SEX
WITH AN AIDS-INFECTED PARTNER.
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AND 1 ALSO SUGGEST THAT WE EDUCATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT AIDS
AND ABOUT SEXUALITY. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS AND EAGER FOR SUCH
KNOWLEDGE. THEY’RE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THEIR BODIES AND THEIR EMO-
TIONS... THEY’RE STILL UNSURE ABOUT THEIR OWN SEXUALITY... AND THEY
STILL HAVE THAT PRICELESS OPTIMISM ABOUT THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE IN
IT,

I PREFER TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEED FOR “AIDS EDUCATION.” AND I
TRULY BELIEVE WE NEED SUCH EDUCATION AT THE APPROPRIATE AGE LEVEL IN
THE SCHOOLS OF AMERICA,

BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT, FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, SUCH EDUCATION
MAY BE FRIGHTENING...OR PUZZLING...OR BOTH.
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HENCE, I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTION OUR SOCIETY
MIGHT TAKE TO PROTECT ITS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE MORTAL THREAT OF AIDS
TS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH EDUCATION CONCERNING THEIR OWN SEXUALITY THAT
TS FACTUALLY CORRECT, PERSONALLY SENSITIVE, AND MORALLY STRONG,

THE TERM “SEX EDUCATION” IS ONE I’M NOT AT ALL COMFORTABLE WITH
BECAUSE IT IMMEDIATELY POLARIZES ANY AUDIENCE. ALSO. IN MY VIEW, “SEX
EDUCATION” USUALLY MEANS A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION THAT IS MUCH TOO
LIMITED. LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.

MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN YOU HEAR THE PHRASE, “SEX EDUCATION.” YOU
THINK OF CLASS TIME DEVOTED TO HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY, INCLUDING
CAREFULLY PHRASED EXPLANATIONS ABOUT THE USE AND ABUSE OF THE MALE AND
FEMALE GENITALIA.
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I’M TOLD THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CALL THESE CLASSES “ORGAN RECITALS,"

MOST SCHOOLS NOW OFFER THIS MINIMUM KIND OF SEX EDUCATION SOME
TIME DURING THE JUNIOR HIGH OR MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS AND THAT'S A GOOD
THING, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LATE. I PERSONALLY WOULD URGE
THAT THE MATERIAL BE PRESENTED EARLIER, AMONG 9-, 10-. AND 11-YEAR-
OLDS.

OF COURSE, DEVELOPMENTAL AGE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHRONOLOGICAL
AGE. ALSO, COMMUNITY STANDARDS, WHICH VARY FROM PLACE TO PLACE, MUST
BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT,

GRADE-SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE EXTREMELY CURIOUS ABOUT THEMSELVES.
THEY ARE ALSO KINDER AND MORE GENEROUS THAN OLDER CHILDREN...OR EVEN
MOST ADULTS, FOR THAT MATTER. AND THEY ARE, ABOVE ALL. SUSCEPTIBLE TO
BEING LOVED AND TO OFFERING MUCH LOVE IN RETURN,
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AND SEX EDUCATION WITHOUT THE CONCEPT OF LOVE AND RESPONSIBILITY
IS LIKE A PIECE OF PIE THAT’S ALL CRUST AND NO FILLING.

MY OWN PREFERENCE, THEREFORE, WOULD BE TO HAVE OUR ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO THE SUBJECT OF REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
WITHIN A MORE GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE NATURE OF SENSITIVE AND
AFFIRMATIVE HUMAN RELATIONS,

THAT’S EASIER TO SAY THAN TO DO, 1 KNOW. AND FURTHERMORE, SOME
PARENTS GET UNEASY ABOUT HAVING THE SCHOOLS IMPART CERTAIN HUMAN
VALUES TO THEIR CHILDREN. THEY THINK THAT SUCH INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE
DONE AT HOME.

AND I AGREE. MY ADVICE TO PARENTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME: THE
SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR CHILDREN 1S YOUR BUSINESS.
DON’T PASS IT UP...DON’T PASS IT BY...PASS IT ON,
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PARENTS AGREE WITH ME 100 PERCENT. BUT MOST OF THEM. I HAVE TO
CONFESS, NEVER DO MUCH MORE THAN AGREE WITH ME. NEVERTHELESS, |
ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO TALK OPENLY, CLEARLY, AND AFFIRMATIVELY WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR DEVELOPING PHYSIOLOGY. BUT I WANT THEM TO
GIVE SOME OTHER INFORMATION, 100

AS 1 INDICATED EARLIER, “SEX EDUCATION” MEANS MORE TO ME THAN
JUST AN “ORGAN RECITAL.” “SEX EDUCATION” OUGHT TO DEAL WITH RELATION-
SHIPS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE LOVING, CARING, RESPECTFUL, AND
TOLERANT,

SUCH RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE SOME FULFILLING SEXUAL ACTIVITY, BUT
THEY ARE NOT DEFINED ONLY BY THAT ACTIVITY. THERE’S MUCH MORE TO
HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS THAN JUST “GOOD SEX.” AND YOUNG PEOPLE OUGHT TO
BE ADVISED UF THAT,
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BUT FOR MANY PEOPLE, SUCH A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP IS AN IDEAL,
"REAL LIFE” ISN’T ALWAYS LIKE THAT,

GROWN-UPS KNOW ABOUT HUMAN IMPERFECTION. BUT CHILDREN DON’T,

AND GROWN-UPS CAN DEAL WITH HUMAN IMPERFECTION. BUT CHILDREN
CAN’T...UNLESS WE HELP THEM,

WITHOUT A COMPASSIONATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPERFECT NATURE OF
MANY HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS, A CHILD‘’S EDUCATION WILL BE...ITSELF... VERY
IMPERFECT,

SO IF PARENTS ARE TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT HUMAN RELATION-
SHIPS -- SEXUAL AND OTHERWISE -- THEY MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT
THE NATURE OF THEIR OWN, FOR MANY OF US, THAT’S HARD TO DO.
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AND THEN THEY MUST BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT THAT
RELATIONSHIP, I’D LIKE PARENTS TO DO THIS WITH COMPASSION, WITH
RESPECT AND LOVE, AND WITH SOME UNDERSTANDING NOT JUST OF THE CHILD
WHO IS LISTENING...BUT ALSO OF THE ADULT WHO IS SPEAKING. AND THAT’S
EVEN HARDER TO DO,

I’M SHARING THESE THOUGHTS WITH YOU TODAY BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO
KNOW THAT MY DEEPEST WISH IS STILL FOR THE PARENTS OF THIS COUNTRY TO
BE THE PRIMARY TEACHERS OF SEX AND HUMAN RELATIONS TO THEIR CHILDREN,

AND I SAY THAT, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THIS MAY BE AN ASSIGNMENT
THAT SOME PARENTS SIMPLY CAN’T HANDLE. WHEN THAT’S THE CASE, THEN I
BELIEVE THERE IS A COMPELLING SOCIAL NEED FOR OUR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES,
SYNAGOGUES, AND OTHER COMMUNAL INSTITUTIONS -- INCLUDING OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS -- TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO PROVIDE OUR CHILDREN WITH
THE MOST HELPFUL KINDS OF INFORMATION.
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OUR CHILDREN DON’T LIVE IN A VACUUM, AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY LIVE
IN A REAL WORLD OF PLEASURE AND DANGER, ALONG WITH THE REST OF US.
BUT WE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH IT AND SOME SENSE OF HOW TO SURVIVE
IN IT...WITH OUR LIVES AND OUR VALUES INTACT,

AND I BELIEVE, THEREFORE, THAT EACH OF US -- IN OUR HOMES OR IN
QUR SCHOOLS -- HAS THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS THAT INFORMATION
ON TO OUR CHILDREN. WE CAN’T LEAVE IT BY DEFAULT TO THE MOVIES.
TELEVISION, OR THE STREET-CORNER,

NOT IF YOU VALUE THE YOUNG LIVES THAT ARE NOW AT STAKE.
THIS HAS BEEN A GRIM MESSAGE AND 1 GUESS IT AM A GRIM COURIER. I
ONLY HOPE THAT EVERYONE WHO HEARS IT OR READS IT WILL ALSO BELIEVE IT
AND DO HIS OR HER PART TO STOP THE SPREAD OF AIDS...PROTECT AND SAVE
THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AT RISK, INCLUDING UNSUSPECTING YOUNG PEOPLE...AND
RETURN HUMAN SEXUALITY BACK TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE: PART OF THE TOTAL
COMPLEX OF HUMAN, CARING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS.

THANK YOU,

Hee EE