Anthony Ozimic, SPUC communications manager, has sent the following report and reflections about a truly disturbing development in north-east England:"Newcastle City Council and Newcastle Primary Care Trust has launched a magazine for teenage girls and young women called Mint. The magazine's main purpose is to promote contraception in order to reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections. Mint will be distributed free outside schools and colleges - and outside the control of parents, teachers or clergy.I would add to Anthony's comments that we must not forget that such assaults are occuring continuously, as you read this blogpost, institutionally: inside schools, including inside Catholic schools, and even with the co-operation of the official Catholic educational authorities. I have blogged before about how the Catholic Education Service of England & Wales (CES) has welcomed into Catholic schools Connexions, a government agency committed to promoting the culture of death amongst schoolchildren, despite their transparently worthless assurances to Catholic officials. As a Catholic parent who has been working in the pro-life movement for 35 years, I regard the CES policy of welcoming Connexions advisers into Catholic schools as possibly the greatest ever betrayal of the sanctity of life and families in Britain.
"Mint is depressing reading for anyone wanting to protect teenage girls and young women from the modern adult culture of promiscuity. As well as tips on tanning, clothes-shopping and other girly pursuits, Mint gives explicit advice about the mechanics of sexual intercourse and a whole range of false and dangerous misleading information.
"Mint claims that it is 'rubbish, a 'fairy story' and a 'myth' that the birth control pill 'builds up in your body and causes side effects'. Yet anyone even vaguely familiar with any medication knows that it can cause side effects. The NHS lists a number of side effects of the birth control pill. It is therefore sinister that the Newcastle Primary Care Trust - a part of the NHS - has published a magazine which denies these facts, vital to patient safety. (See the work of Professor David Paton for another list of side-effects of the birth control pill.)
"Mint makes a similarly dangerous false claim that: 'You should always use a condom...to protect you against all the sexually transmitted diseases out there'. But condoms don't protect users against a number of sexually transmitted diseases. Again, why is Newcastle Primary Care Trust spreading such dangerous medical misinformation?
"Mint claims that 'The only way to avoid getting pregnant is to use contraception'. Really? How about not having sex at all?
"Another piece of Mint's advice to young females is: 'If your mate wants to go and get contraception, go with her. It's a lot easier when you've got someone there to support you.' Not 'Ask your friend why she wants contraception' or 'Suggest that your friend consider not having sex', but (in effect) 'Make sure your friend doesn't have a baby!'
Mint's advice given in response to the question 'Help! We had unprotected sex. What should I do?' is 'You need emergency contraception'. Not 'You should check if you're pregnant' or 'You should ask yourself whether you should be having sex at all', but (in effect) 'Make sure no unborn child is allowed to be born!' It should be remembered that the morning-after pill manufacturers say that it can affect the lining of the womb so that embryos can't implant, thereby causing an early abortion. (It's important to note that other contraceptive drugs and devices also cause early abortions.)
"Mint's response to another of its hypothetical questions, 'Think you might be lesbian or bi-sexual?' is "Remember - whatever you are, it's completely normal." In that case, does Mint think paedophilia and other minority psycho-sexual disorders are also 'completely normal'?
"Mint represents a truly evil assault upon our nation's children."
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