No-Tax Pledge Is Paralyzing Congress

Staff / Truthdig Oct 5, 2011 A House Republican spoke out against anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist on Tuesday, saying his no-tax pledge and demands for "ideological purity" are responsible for "paralyzing Congress" during a time when a discussion about tax reform should be a high priority. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China Pledges Fewer Executions

Staff / Truthdig Jul 29, 2009 China, which carries out more executions than any country -- Iran comes in a semi-close second -- is pledging to reduce the number of people killed by the state. While far from abolishing the death penalty, the government is narrowing the definition of execution-worthy crime. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Virginity Pledge? What Virginity Pledge?

Staff / Truthdig Jan 1, 2009 A new study looking at virginity pledges -- promises made by teenagers to wait until marriage for sex -- has found that such vows largely fell flaccid, as sexual behavior of pledged teens was little different than non-pledgers, and that, hilariously, a whopping 82 percent, five years later, had either forgotten or denied taking the pledge. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Virginity Pledgers Often Dishonest About Their Past

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2006 Yet more evidence that the abstinence-until-marriage crowd is deluding itself into believing that virginity pledges have any real value. (Above, virginity pledgers and their fathers at a so-called purity ball.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Gene Gerard: Abstaining from Sex Education Politics

Gene Gerard / Truthdig Jun 2, 2006 New Truthdig contributor Gene Gerard, a longtime college professor of history, religion and ethics, examines the efforts of conservative legislators to stifle discussion of contraceptives in public schools--in favor of abstinence-only education. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Christian Sex Author: Time to Retool Abstinence Pledges

Staff / Truthdig May 22, 2006 An Op-Ed writer in The N Times says that it's no wonder chastity vows don't work: Christian communities don't meaningfully support those who make them . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Most Youths Break Abstinence Pledges

Staff / Truthdig May 11, 2006 A Harvard study further confirms that abstinence pledges are basically bunk. Want to dig deeper? Check out Purity Balls. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Senate Resolution: Sing Anthem in English

Blair Golson / Truthdig May 11, 2006 In lieu of having anything really important to do, the Senate just approved a resolution stating that the national anthem, the Pledge and citizenship oaths should be sung or spoken in English. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Purity Ball Entrance Fee: Intact Hymen

Staff / Truthdig May 4, 2006 States like Colorado are holding dances in which fathers goad their daughters into pledging to remain virgins until marriage. (Never mind that abstinence pledges actually increase risky sexual activity.) You won't believe the creepy anti-sex scripts the fathers read. Blog entry on the phenomenon Blog entry with actual scripts Purity Ball website Damning study on abstinence pledges Bill Maher's reaction to the study Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )