CONTROL PARADIGM

In a country founded for the desire of freedom of religion, it seems a large step back has been taken when the federal government holds the education of America’s youth to a Christian moral viewpoint. Several lawsuits have been successfully brought against abstinence only programs for forcing religious viewpoints. Perhaps not directly religious in nature, abstinence only education muddies the line between separation of church and state. While they are few and far between some religions do not discourage premarital sex, and others encourage polyamorous relationships with multiple women. These may be the minority but to force christian fundamentals on their children is a violation of their rights and breeds discrimination towards them.

Changes are taking place to prevent and minimize binge drinking. Colleges, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program, community and even parents are now realizing how crucial their involvement is in order to improve the situation. Law enforcement has also stepped up their game by ensuring local establishments, especially those around college campuses and high schools, abide by the rules, and punishing those adults who are willing to break them. They constantly patrol areas known to be used for “breaking the law” to create a safer environment for those around (4).

A common argument is the warning that government action in one aspect of the people’s lives predicts the generation of more invasive aspects, and the undermining of personal freedoms.

Based on the stories my parents told me, I’m very excited to be a teenager in 2016. When they were teenagers in the early 90’s, they didn’t have internet, cell phone, or social media. Although many things were different during that time, they always seem to remind me of the old phrase, “The more things change, the more things stay the same.” I recently read the article, “What Our Words Tells Us”,by David Brooks. Brooks believes the atomization and demoralization of our society means our society has no connection with past generations and that today’s society lacks morals. I believe today’s generation is just as morally conscious as the generations before.

[Since 1997] Americans have seen a hardening of prohibition efforts, with so-called “zero tolerance” enforcement on many campuses. Yet many observers feel that the problem is worsening, even as administrators become stricter. Could it be that getting tougher has been the wrong strategy, doomed because it flies in the face of nature? We now know that many college students will continue to drink, no matter what the consequences. The drinking age needs to be lowered to prevent teenagers from having to sneak and do it while it’s illegal. (Smith)

1. After graduating from high school I decided to move back home with my mother from growing up and living with my grandmother. The main reasons for my decision was to go to a college back home, well long story short I ended up missing what could have been two semesters of college I had missed several deadlines trying my hardest to collect the documents the college needed I had no support and I just came crashing down after missing the deadline for the first semester. I felt like a complete failure and that everything else I was going to try to help myself would result in failure, I did not believe in myself anymore I did not have the confidence that I came with I just gave up. This feeling of failure did not last very long for me after a few days, three at the most I began to say to myself this will give me time to gather all the documents they need and this will give others time to provide me with them, and from there by the time the next semester for colleges came around I was enrolled and ready to go.

The cold hard fact is that by putting a restriction on the solicitation of sex the government essentially is putting a

"Declines in teenage pregnancies can be achieved through two mechanisms--changes in sexual behavior and changes in contraceptive use. Some observers have claimed that the declines are the result of increased abstinence..."(Darooch 2016). The key to a decline in teenage pregnancy and an increase in higher education is through abstinence. Teens need to be exposed to ways to stay free from sexual behaviors and encouraged by peers to stay pure. To keep teens included in family life and sure in their future will encourage them to stay safe and secure their lives. No one can make a teenager choose to stay away from sexual activity except themselves but influences from the outside will determine their answer tithe inevitable question at a party or on a date. Abstinence is not old fashioned, it is current and real and what should be elevated in society. America needs to turn around and look at where they are headed with young people and evaluate whether or not it is what they want to be making the desk ions for the world in years to

Source A, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, illustrates the downfall that the Puritans believed came upon the nullification of an ‘amendment’: “‘…what is it but to laugh in the faces of our godly magistrates, and make a pride out of what they, worthy gentlemen, meant for a punishment?’” The townspeople believed that their town was straying from a path embedded in their hearts generations ago. Modern day American people and lifestyles prove that they have strayed from their roots. Such examples can be seen in the media’s representation of the nation: lavish homes and scanty clothing, wild parties and reckless driving. This society may have been strongly religion based – founded for free religious practice – but America no longer upholds the culture of its Puritan ancestors. According to Source B, several states have “purged their codes of laws regulating cohabitation, homosexual sodomy and fornication.” This is evidence of America’s much more flexible viewing of the once strict laws and commanded that rules this nation – now slowly becoming wiped off the

280-282. This journal discusses why abstinence-only programs are still taught in schools. It comes from a social work point of view and discusses the role the Bush administration played in promoting abstinence-only programs. Marx and Hopper call Bush the most religious president the country had ever had, and blame faith-based political decisions for the federal funding designated strictly to abstinence-only programs (281). They believe that the government needs to reevaluate the funding choices and put funding toward fact-based programs that work. As a conclusion,

I understand that the subject of morality is a very broad topic and it is also an individual choice. People are becoming more tolerant of behaviors that before were considered offensive and unacceptable. When I was a little girl people were more conscientious and stricter in regards to their choices. People were aware of the outside world and lived by the rules set up by society and by their family. I am not saying that it is ok to not have ones own mind and values; however, I believe that this society is more tolerant. The media is a huge part of this dilemma; people are more concerned about videotaping a fight than breaking it. Sex on TV is acceptable; nudity, profanity, and violence are becoming a natural behavior. Sex after marriage is now a thing of the past and makes people who still believe in that to look ridicule, like if they were from another

Throughout centuries of generations, there have been many changes that have influenced sexual tolerance. Sexual tolerance is defined as “the acceptance of multiple sexual orientations and lifestyles, generally accompanied by the appropriate legal and civil rights” (Urban Dictionary, 2009). Though there have been improvements in tolerance, there are still many different views on the recent policies, laws or social trends occurring towards sexual and gender orientation. Every aspect of society, from the Department of Defense to local school departments, are beginning to adapt to this growth in gender identity and orientation. An article published by the New York Times (Rosenberg, 2016) addresses an uprising policy on the acceptance of

Ute Ziegler, a research associate who conducts research through design, uses the control theory to support promoting control for patients. “The control theory describes the importance, for the welfare of patients...of being able to influence their immediate environment to compensate for a perceived helplessness…” (Ziegler 56). Patients are forced to relinquish their control during their hospital stay; the hospital not only makes decisions on the patient's behalf, but also takes control over the the patient's surroundings (Ziegler 55). This lack of control can increase a patient's stress and affect their well-being. Stress can lead to depression, a change in eating habits, or a weakened immune system (Ulrich 100). Providing patients with control

A topic in American society that has proved to be an ongoing, and growing issue is that none other than teen pregnancy. In recent years, teen pregnancy rates have been increasing, which ultimately led to the topics increase of public and media attention. In American society teen pregnancy is often associated with negligence, as well as being irresponsible. In American society sex education for children is underdeveloped and instead society tends to use fear and shame to highlight/combat the dangers of unsafe or underage sex. American society uses fear to instill the idea that if you become pregnant as a teenager you are a burden to society. Along with fear society loves to shame its young women who have unfortunately stumbled upon the

Overall, hopefully teenagers are still getting the message to stay safe if they choose to become sexually active in the face of the media's negative influence regarding sex.