A helping hand

By Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted: July 28, 2009 at 6:46 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — In this heavily desensitized age when practically every subject known to man is acceptable for public debate, it's fairly rare to actuallycome up with taboo topics that instantly make a majority of people uncomfortable.

Certainly people are worse off that sexually transmitted diseases are among the subjects considered unmentionable. Admittedly, it's tough to blame parents for being hesitant to discuss these diseases in the frank manner with which they deserve to be discussed with their teenage progeny. After all, doing so suggests at least the possibility that young people may be sexually active sooner than their elders might hope.

Sons and daughters don't have it any easier. The last thing they want to spend their time doing is asking friends and family questions about sex. It's embarrassing. It can't help but lead to more questions. Not surprisingly, this results in kids and grown-ups alike remaining in the dark about any number of important facts, the outcome of which means society's unnecessary cycle of confusion is sure to continue.

For example, simply getting tested for a sexually transmitted disease is its own worry. Where do you go? Who do you see? What do you ask? For teenagers especially, such a situation can be terrifying. Which is why it would almost certainly pay big dividends if there could be some adults around to offer up a little knowledge and friendship in the same small dose.

Enter into the picture Loving Choices Pregnancy Centers of Northwest Arkansas, which has begun getting the word out about its decision to provide free testing for sexually transmitted diseases - specifically, HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Since 2007, the group has offered free and confidential pregnancy testing and counseling services to its clients. Its executive director says the sexually transmitted disease testing is the only such free service in the region.

Loving Choices deserves thanks for offering this service and doing so with compassion. When it would be tempting to get caught up in public policy debates over abstinence or abortion, this organization remains focused on its mission to deliver care to women and girls who need it. Hooray for them for having the courage to say "no" to what no doubt is a gravitational pull by some individuals or groups to "take a stand." Somebody out there has to engage in day-in, day-out compassion and leave the loud, almost insolvable debates raging elsewhere.

Sexually transmitted diseases are serious business that affect people's lives. We're glad to see an organization out there simply trying to reach out to those in need.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 07/28/2009

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