scotzoidman,
The post you refer to claims that “… at the extreme ends there can be no discussion, only a belief that there's only room for one point of view.” I agree with you on this, as would most people. That is, however, beside the point. Those who engage in conversation or discussion are behaving reasonably, even when they disagree. It is by critically reviewing the opinions of others, and having others critically review one’s own opinions that we as individuals and we as a civil society move forward.
One of the parts of a discussion which warrants constant attention is to ensure that the focus remains on the subject. In the opening post, it seems to me that the subject was identified as prophylactic use.
Quote:
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… for those kids we need to be talking about other methods of prevention like condom use," …
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I think that osuche and Oldfart have identified a major (THE major?) component to the use, in osuche’s example, or avoidance in Oldfart’s, of condoms: the perceived degree of taboo or social condemnation of a youth’s sexual activities. Another is, as I suggested above, the unsatisfactory physical features inherent in a barrier form of prophylaxis. If this event was not a mere publicity stunt on the part of the radio station executives, then the whys, and the why nots of condom use would seem to me to be more relevant than focusing on the characters of those who do not share one’s opinion.
Your question in re civil liberties implies that there are today fewer rather than more civil liberties than in the past. At the start of this century there are more civil liberties than there were at the beginning of the last. I refer you to the freedom or liberation acquired by women, by Negro and other minorities, and by homosexuals. Are you suggesting that their lot is worse now than in the past?
If someone feels compelled to point out that this liberation is incomplete, it is only because the liberation has already begun that one can claim that it is incomplete.
Further, if that is not enough to make it obvious that we enjoy more civil liberties today than in the past, take a moment to recall that your constitutional right to privacy did not even exist until 1965. This “right to privacy” extends to all Americans, not just this group or that one.
Clearly, the U.S is a much more liberal (for better and for worse) society now than in the past; with many more civil liberties accepted norms.