Would you be offended if your teen got condoms & speech on safe sex for halloween?

[Liberal_in_LA]

Poll question: Would you be offended if your teen got condoms & speech on safe sex for halloween?

Oregon couple gave condoms to teen trick-or-treaters

SILVERTON, OR (AP) -- Having a safe Halloween took on a different meaning in one Oregon neighborhood, where trick-or-treating teenagers received condoms in their goodie bags.

Daniel and Kathleen Harris, of Silverton, told The Statesman Journal the free condoms were part of their effort to promote health. They also handed out toothbrushes as well as candy bars.

The father of one 14-year-old girl who received the condoms, Daniel Cote, was offended and said it was inappropriate to give them to children without parents' consent.

Kathleen Harris said giving the condoms to the 14-year-old was a mistake. She said their usual practice is to ask teens if they're 16 or older and to give them a speech on safe sex

http://www.news10.net/news/watercooler/story.aspx?storyid=104440&catid=335

[Demoiselle]

1. No. I'd be amazed but not offended.

[DesertFlower]

5. i agree. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. How about religious tracts or toothbrushes in the T or T bag?

[Demoiselle]

52. I had a lot of faith in my kids when they were teenagers.

I wouldn't have been all that upset if someone had tried to hand out some lifestyle propaganda on Halloween. My kids would have probably told me about it, laughing, most likely, and even if they hadn't seen fit to tell me, they were pretty sensible by the time they hit adolescence.

[kenny blankenship]

2. Were they glow in the dark condoms, suitable for Halloween? Do they blow up into scary shapes?

[Luminous Animal]

6. If oblong is scary, then yes.

[seabeyond]

3. teens should not be t & t'in? is that what you meant? would roll my eyes at the absurdity of some

adults and wy they feel the need to be a part of other kids sexual lives.

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. yes I would be offended

my kids sex education is not up to random strangers. It is the place of TV and their friends to educate them.

actually my teens are now adults , with teens of their own.

[seabeyond]

15. "It is the place of TV and their friends to educate them." i am guessing

you are being snarky.

how about the parent and other educational resources?

[JitterbugPerfume]

70. you gotta know snark when you see it

[HopeHoops]

4. My standard line is "put a rubber on it" (and I have 3 daughters).

I've made them available since before it seemed likely to be an issue but as far as I know they're still in the "available" status. The kids are pretty open about things.

[Dappleganger]

22. Open with a damn good sense of humor...

I swear that's the best way to get through to them. We have two of each, the girls are 19 and 14. They love nothing better than to use a word which I have no idea what it is to trip me up or make my ears turn red.

[HopeHoops]

51. Mine are 15, 17, and 19. We're pretty open about things in our house.

[exboyfil]

65. I discussed this with my daughters

13 and 14. Some important things to consider when you are a woman:
1. You really are not sure what is going on down there - your partner could very easily take it off or not even put it on.
2. They slip, they break.

Both girls still are firmly within my sphere of influence in time and access. As they get older, I don't know what decisions they will make, but our church is against pre-marital sex and I have made my beliefs on the subject clear to them. So has my wife who is somewhat more conservative than me.

[HopeHoops]

67. Those are good points. We've brought those issues up (and have had them happen to us!!!)

They really aren't the BEST form of birth control, but they are rather effective in STD prevention.

[petronius]

7. 14 seems a bit old for trick-or-treating, let alone 16, but perhaps I'm out of touch

I wouldn't be offended, exactly, but I see it as inappropriate. Not every event or activity needs to be a hook for an educational message or a lecture or a sermon. Sometimes play should just be play...

[Rhiannon12866]

9. That was actually an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond"

When Frank (Peter Boyle) manned the door at Raymond's house and ran out of candy, he unknowingly handed out what he thought were "treats" that he found in a drawer. This did not go over well in TV land, either... :eyes:

[Warpy]

10. If they're too old to trick or treat,

they're old enough to get condoms. Personally, I've often considered handing out packets of Metamucil to the older teenagers, or did before the economy went so sour. Now I just hand out the damn candy.

The lecture should have been forgotten, though. Nobody likes a scold.

[sufrommich]

12. Yeah, I'd be offended. I hate busybodies. That's not the

arena for passing out condoms.

[Obamanaut]

13. Even though they might be a bit old for the childhood 'trick or treat'

stuff, they should not be surprised about finding tricks in their goodie bags. Marbles, lumps of coal, condoms - life is not always a bag of candy.

[vi5]

14. I don't know if "offended" is the right word.....

I wouldn't be happy about it. And I'm no prude, nor do I not think that my teenagers won't have sex. But I'd rather any decision on that not be facilitated or encouraged by a relative stranger handing out condoms.

[Liberal_in_LA]

30. But you have allowed them to stand at door of 'relative stranger' with open bag

[vi5]

37. C'mon.....

..if you can't see that this is just a little bit over the line, then we are just not going to agree probably on most things. I'm not saying the person should be arrested or that I would try to beat them up or anything. I'd just be fairly irritated and think that person was a pretty self-important, pretentious, presumptuous douchebag. Same way I would if they put something religious in their bag. So yeah, if you want to argue that the nationwide custom of Halloween should be done away with altogether because it's creepy to have kids go door to door asking for candy...then fair enough. But to say that once you do that it's o.k. for them to discuss sex with under age children or hand them sexual aids then....well, have a nice day.

[Liberal_in_LA]

38. I hear ya..

[byrok]

76. I agree.

My 17 year old daughter looks 25, but has the mind of a 9 year old. She insist on trick or treating and does not really understand the age thing. She goes out with her 9 year old sister.

She would view a condom the same way her little sister would, with confusion.

And a sex talk from a stranger? She'd freak out.

What's wrong with just opening the door, handing out some goodies, commenting on cute costumes, and waiting for the next ones? I think people push their crap on others too much. I agree with you. I'd be fairly irritated.

[hunter]

16. A few teens showed up at my door with their kids.

Sixteen or older is a too late for some kids.

[RZM]

17. Self-delete n/t

[femmocrat]

18. Hell yes! That is the responsibility of the SCHOOL!

What are these people trying to do? They must hate public education.

;)

[HardWorkingDem]

19. But what if your child....

got one and started blowing it up like a balloon?!?!?!?

[MuseRider]

26. Better that than when my oldest

as a toddler came out of the bedroom sporting my diaphragm as a hat.

[Dappleganger]

20. Wouldn't bother me one bit.

Even if it was to our 14 yr. old. She probably would have taken it out and made it into a toy, knowing her.

[Little Star]

21. Yes I would be offended.

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. why?

[Little Star]

24. My kid. My responsibility.

[Odin2005]

31. It takes a village to raise a child.

[seabeyond]

46. then we dont mind using halloween to hand out little bibles, anti abortion material

or using halloween and the kids for any other issue we want to force down them.

how about leaving halloween for fun and kids.

[MuseRider]

25. Not offended at all.

I gave my boys condoms in their Christmas stockings a couple of times. They were not impressed, lol. Actually I would be grateful that someone gave them some. Better to have some than not to if you need them.

My boys were both college aged when I did it but I can't imagine being offended at any age. It is a part of life.

[Evoman]

27. Yes! Getting drunk, having unsafe sex, then visiting the clinic the next day is tradition!

And if we don't have tradition, then what do we have!

[cynatnite]

28. I wouldn't be offended, but I don't think it's their place to do this. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

29. Is there an unwritten contract that only candy will be put in the bag? n/t

[cynatnite]

42. No, but condoms? Sorry, that's just not their place or their business. n/t

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

32. Yes. Absolutely.

This story is so fucking creepy and stupid.

You do not engage strange children who come to your house on Halloween about their sex lives, let alone dispensing contraception.

Period.

[demmiblue]

40. If I saw that in my child/teen's bag, I would think some pedo was handing them out for jollies.

I agree, creepy.

[riderinthestorm]

63. Teens only. nt

[Odin2005]

33. Nope, not offended at all.

"The father of one 14-year-old girl who received the condoms, Daniel Cote, was offended and said it was inappropriate to give them to children without parents' consent."

She is 14, not 4, Mt Cote. Teens are young adults, not kids.

[cherokeeprogressive]

61. How do you feel about charging a "young adult" as an adult in criminal court?

I know it's off topic but I'm sitting here thinking hey, aren't young adults actually adults, as in over the age of majority? Do you know of a state in the US where the age of majority is 14?

Fourteen? Kid. Plain and simple.

If I find out that a stranger is talking to my fourteen year old about matters sexual, I'm going to be plenty pissed.

[EFerrari]

34. No. n/t

[demmiblue]

35. Yes. n/t

[MrSlayer]

36. No, I'd be happy. Condoms aren't cheap.

I'd tell him to go back to that house several times.

[Chan790]

39. I did this in college.

We have a trick-or-treat tradition at my alma mater we call "Dormoween" (because it started in the dorms though now it's banned from campus) where all the "houses" (the Greek-life houses, the sport houses, K of C house, CRs and CDs, campus ministry, A/V club, etc.) would hand out candy and things to the underclass-critters. It's a pre-kickoff for spring recruitment for campus organizations. Anyways, it's on Halloween and the school basically casts it a blind eye because while they're not keen on it, it's better than off-campus drinking.

Junior year, we were handing out condoms with sticks (we got them from PP, they look like lollipops) to the Dormoweeners and crappy lollipops to the trick-or-treaters. As the night went on, we got drunker (because we're fraternity men and that's what we do on a Friday) and someone's girlfriend answered the door and grabbed the wrong bowl.

Hilarity ensued the next day...very-catholic college considers condom possession an expellible offense. That was the 1st time I got expelled from that school.

[Seedersandleechers]

41. I would be more offended

that I had a teen-ager trick or treating! Teens should not T or T, but, if they went to a halloween party and they were giving them out I would not mind. When my son was little I used to make earrings out of condoms with Christmas pictures pasted to the condom. PPL loved them!

[emilyg]

43. Yes.

[donco6]

44. No, but if I were a kid, I'd be pissed.

Where's my effing candy? And WTF is this stupid rubber balloon?

[Duer 157099]

45. Depends. Are they the edible kind? If not, did they hand out bananas with them?

I think kids of all ages should get used to the idea of condoms, even if they use them as water balloons (that's what we did when we were kids). It removes any stigma there might be, and gets them over the embarrassment of handling them etc.

Anyone who would be offended is an idiot. imho.

[LisaL]

47. Yes I would be offended.

Some people should just mind their own business-how is it their job to give out condoms and speeches?

[haifa lootin]

48. Both 2 and 3...but wouldn't 'angry' be more appropriate than 'offended'?

For the poll, I mean.
Just a thought...

[GrpCaptMandrake]

49. Nah, not offended . . .

I just never cease to be amazed by geeks who give toothbrushes at Halloween. Christmas has to be a real hoot with these folks. "Here, kid. Have a carrot and some mouthwash. Ho-ho-ho. Merry Christmas!"

Kids are pretty smart. I'm surprised that house isn't radioactive to the kids. Lord knows it would've back-in-the-day. "Them? Don't bother. They're weird. They're the ones who gave out calamine lotion and Preparation H last year. Don't waste your time."

[Divine Discontent]

50. What an odd choice to give out on a fun holiday for dressing up for laughs & candy.

[JanMichael]

53. Better than a Chick Tract which almost had me in a fight a few years ago. nt.

[JanMichael]

54. Oh I should have read the poll. Teens shouldn't be "trick/treating" anyway.

10 to 12, ok; 13 maybe, 14 15 16? No.

[TheKentuckian]

55. I'd find it curious but wouldn't be offended.

[jdp349]

56. I'd be bemused I think

I mean yes, safe sex is importance. But on Halloween? Really?

[treestar]

57. I suppose not

but i could see where others might be.

If it were me, it would just more condoms; I'd see that they had them - though I'd try to talk them out of using them, not believing teens really need to get into all that - they should just have fun in those years, nothing that serious.

But if they're going to, they need protection. Having kids is even more serious.

[8 track mind]

58. Can't be any worse than getting a Chick come-to-jesus tract..........

[Raine]

59. Yes I would. I don't like people who butt in

on someone else's business. What if they had done the opposite and said that birth control was wrong and abstaining was the only way to go. I wonder if those who think this was fine would think lecturing the other way was alright. :yoiks:

[JVS]

60. Kids that old shouldn't be trick or treating.

[cherokeeprogressive]

62. Would the condem be more closely associated with the trick, or the treat?

[Nye Bevan]

64. I actually don't want some middle-aged guy giving out condoms to my 14 year old daughter

which (to my surprise) seems to put me in the minority here.

[exboyfil]

66. Nope I agree with you

I think it is highly inappropriate. Frankly I think the state gets too much into my business when it comes to my children. Both my daughters (13 and 14) have read and studied sections out of a college nursing anatomy book (my youngest was Homeschooled in Middle School Health - not so much for ethical reasons but to clear her schedule to take 8th Science as a 7th grader). Until I studied with my oldest, my youngest actually knew far more than my oldest. It is easy because both girls are thinking about becoming doctors.

[BlueGirlRedState]

68. no way

I have a 13 year old girl and I would not want her getting advice from who knows who while trick or treating. I'm all for sex education in school and at home but not from strangers. Not appropriate.

[pintobean]

69. Teaching lessons is a two way street.

They should get TP'ed, but instead of toilet paper, used condoms.
What arrogance.

[Fla_Democrat]

71. From my wife, or some azzhole down the block?

:shrug:

But, why stop there? It's close to November, what if the azzhole down the block wishes to pass out campaign literature, and give the youngsters a speech on the benefits of voting republican in the next week. Oh, not for them, of course, but to be discussed with their parents when they get home? Perhaps information, a free headband or water bottle, and the contact information for a military recruiter, and a speech about every citizens patriotic duty to serve their country. I wonder how the poll numbers for this question would flip, and how many people would find that they were offended....then.


:smoke:

[superduperfarleft]

72. My child would already have an armload of condoms and a safe sex speech.

I don't need the kooky fucking neighbors doing it for me.

[CBR]

73. Not offended. I would just think it was lame as hell. nt

[marmar]

74. A teenager? Not at all.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

75. Other: Two AND Three. -nt