Dear Bill Cunningham: The reason the noble poor don't use birth control: THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT!!

[LynneSin]

:grr:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280013

Cunningham: America's "so-called noble poor" don't use birth control so that "the mom can get more checks in the mail from the government"
Summary: Bill Cunningham claimed that "among the so-called noble poor in America ... birth control is not used so illegitimate children can be brought into the world, so the mom can get more checks in the mail from the government." Cunningham then added: "And then once the child is born, that is the key to financial riches in the poor communities -- white and black -- in America."

__________________________________________

Look asshole, there is a reason the poor don't use birth control and it has NOTHING to do with wanting to collect more welfare checks.

#1) First and foremost - reliable birth control is not cheap. You need to get a doctors appointment which will run you about $30 (with some form of insurance) to $200 (with none) just to get the prescription. Then you numnuts right-wingers make it impossible to get whatever prescription drug plans out there to cover the prescription so it makes it even that much more expensive for anyone including myself (and I have a job and insurance).

#2) You're teaching the wrong thing in schools - Seriously, I'm a white kid from a middle-income family and when I was ready to have sex it didn't matter what kind of bullcrap they told me about 'wait until you're married'. Teaching our kids 'Abstinence Only' is like teaching our kids how to drive after hosting a kegger for the group - It makes no sense, it serves no purpose and you won't get the desired results you want. If we're forcing the poor to rely on over-the-counter birth control then people need to know how to use it properly AND what to do if it fails (ie the condom broke). But we don't talk to our kids about that - we just tell them to say "NO" and assume that two kids getting hot & heavy are going to walk away because of some failed Abstinence program. It didn't work for Bristol Palin and it doesn't work for the rest of america either.

#3) Our hands are tied when it comes to Emergency Contraceptive. I bet many of these people do not realize there is an option when the condom rips but we don't talk about the availability of EC and we make it nearly impossible to get. EC is nothing more than a higher dosage of contraceptive that when taken soon after unprotected sex has a strong chance of preventing a pregnancy. And for many states you have to go thru a pharmacist (which could be a fundy nutjob not wanting to give this stuff out) or an Emergency Room (there's another couple hundred dollars down the drain) just to get access to EC. Why not make it over the counter (or at least tell fundies that you can't be a pharmacist and deny medicine to those who need it).

So in conclusion - you can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't sit there and scream about the state of Welfare & other assistance to lower income ESPECIALLY bitch about "They just get pregnant so they can get more government money" and then then turn around and deny the necessary tools needed to keep one from getting pregnant regardless of class.

Shame on you - shame!

[sandnsea]

1. Maybe their religion calls birth control abortion

:banghead:

Or are poor people not allowed to practice their religion the same as rich people.

[LynneSin]

3. there are other options available that aren't the pill

even if condoms are the only choice available for someone they still need to understand how to work it properly so the damn thing doesn't rip.

[sandnsea]

7. There are others who oppose all birth control

My point is, they can't degrade people for having children when they turn around and call birth control murder, or oppose all contraception along with sex education.

[AlCzervik]

2. Haha Bill Cunningham, see this thread and explain please-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4324887&mesg_id=4324887

[leftofcool]

4. In some states birth control pills are free at the state health dept.

[Robbien]

5. You skipped the fact that condoms aren't cheap either

Each dollar in the poor's pocket has many needs clamoring for it. Condoms are far down on the luxury list.

[foxfeet]

6. They should watch Bill Cunningham. One look will kill anyone's romantic buzz.

Bleah.

[gollygee]

8. And then, a pharmacist doesn't even have to sell you birth control if he/she doesn't want to

so you can go through all this expense to get a doctor's appointment so you can get a prescription, scrape together the money to actually pay for the prescription, and then get to the pharmacist and be refused because the pharmacist doesn't believe in it.

[Thothmes]

9. That covers one out of 100,000 cases, what is the reason for

the rest. Condoms do not require a prescription, are virtually available nationwide and are in comparison to prescription contreceptives, inexpensive.
While not as effective as some types of contraceptives, they do work, if time is taken to use them.

[gollygee]

10. Condoms don't have a great success rate, and other birth control is expensive

They work a lot of the time but they only don't have to work once for someone to get pregnant.

[Gwendolyn]

11. That's what the fundies tell their children.

:)

Condoms are effective 98% of the time. People just hate them is all.

[Thothmes]

13. I would think

that 75% effectivess with condoms is much more preferable to the odds of not using them.

[Gwendolyn]

15. I think the 75% rate is for misuse...

... it jumps to 98% with proper usage.

I always thought the real prob was in the poor having difficulty obtaining abortion, not so much a BC issue.

[Captiosus]

12. In comparison to others, yes, inexpensive.

If you're poor and have 12 dollars, which is more important to you?
Food or condoms?

[Thothmes]

14. Of course you cant spare a couple of bucks for condoms

since fathering a baby is free, and of little economic cost to you. Right.

[TalkingDog]

16. Don't forget: Precriptions REQUIRE 6 month visits in order to get refills.

I have to see a PA twice a year and pay 125.00 out of my own pocket(no insurance) each time AND pay for 100.00 REQUIRED blood tests to check my status just so I can get a 6 month prescription for a med. I NEED!!!!!!!

Bastards.

(edit) Think I can sue the government for undue hardship?