European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Is values an Early introduction into the most Irile aspects of american consumerism Flimsy Punk clothes trinkets and whatever else is the Las last moving teen craze. One May say that this is Only Lair and Square they Are being Good american Consumers and spend their Nonoy on what Lurns them on. At least a cynic might add those funds do not go into illicit drugs and booze. On the other hand an educator might bemoan that those Young Yel unto Rcd individuals so Early in life Are Devon la buy objects of no Usu indic educational Cullura or social Merit learn so quickly the dubious Neril of keeping up with the Joneses in Ever changing fads promoted by mass merchandising. I thus ironically we must acid youth employment. Tat merely unemployment o our list of social problems and like Many other Shoal ills the unfortunate aspects of Len work resist easy correction \ sure it would be much better if Corpora hons that employ teens would do so in conjunction with High schools and school districts educators could help Bonne what is the proper amount o gainful work not More than a hours per school week How late kids May be employed on school nights not Laler than 9 employer understanding during exam periods. And insist on proper supervision. However. Corporations Are extremely unlikely a accept such an approach that in effect would curb their ability to draw a major source of cheap labor. And in these Raissez Faire Days Congress is quite disinclined to pass new social legislation forcing Corpora hons to be More Allen live to the education. Ii eds of the minors they so readily employ i luckily Lew schools less than 10 percent provide any credit for such work experience. But schools that do should insist that they will provide credit for work Only in it meets their educational standards Only if Tiey Are consulted on matters such As supervision and on the of training and Only if their representatives Are 1 allowed to inspect Iho places of employ Mon school counsellors should guide the youngsters Only to those places of work that Are willing to pay attention to educational elements of these jobs. Parents who Are still willing to take their role seriously May encourage their youngsters to seek jobs at places that Are proper work settings and insist Hal fast food chains and other franchises shape up or not employ their kids. Also an agreement should to reached with the youngsters that a significant share of teen earnings should be dedicated to the family. Or saved for agreed upon items. I Amilani Etzioni. Who has Tivo sons three of them teens is a professor at the George Washington re University. He was assisted in this report by his son 91� Way. Ember 13,19b6 a fort Tnp Hync or in by la ii whim Sweden s lean age pregnancy rate we Only me Thim what h was in the Stales Between 1980 and 19k. Sex in Sweden a shift in Public attitudes associated press he tide of sexual revolution has begun to ebb in Stockholm the world capital of permissiveness marriage is staging a comeback in Sweden abortion and teen age pregnancy Rales Are Low and a Public outcry Over pornography is growing. Altitudes arc still relatively permissive notes sex expert maj Fant but they Are enlightened by sex education and More and to e swedes seem to cherish faithful and close relationships. Sweden was regarded a bit like Sodom and gomorrah with Iree sex and easy said fall Socrat Ary of the government sponsored National association for sexual information. Now she said the hundreds of Ordinary swedes she Speaks with weekly still View sexual desire As healthy but Leel that what s important in a relationship is to be responsible and show at the same time swedish authorities have tightened up on extreme forms of the sexually permissive society. They outlawed live sex shows four years ago Lor example and Are now considering a ban on the Sale of violent pornographic videotapes. The government undersecretary of social affairs Monica Andersson says swedes have a general consensus on sex and living situations a consensus the specialists say Hal Good sex does not necessarily mean free sex. Motivated by this message. Swedish youth seems to Deal with sex better than the Young people of other countries according to a 1985 study by the Alan Geltmacher Institute a non profit Washington based research foundation Ali Liale Wilh Wanned parenthood. Abortions Here declined 12 percent irom i960 to 198s, and the teen age pregnancy Rale was Only one third what in was in the United slates in the same period the study shows. The Institute credits me ready availability of sex information and contraceptives and the tact that teen agers nol morally condemned for sexual relationships can conduct them More openly and maturely. Even some Liberal Bishops in the dominant swedish lutheran Church such As per Olov Ahren of the University town of Lund accept premarital sex in responsible relationships. Fant says information and contraceptives have been important but i also think Fidelity a a actor in handling sexual relationships maturely. I be noticed a great difference when i be visited she estimates she meet about 300 people a week in sessions Al schools labor unions libraries and elsewhere and deals Wilh other people s problems through correspondence. Fan said fear of aids the sexually transmitted disease acquired immune deficiency syndrome also has played some role in discouraging promiscuity in Sweden although the disease has not been nearly As widespread there As in the United Stales As of aug 1, aids had stricken 62 swedes and killed 35 of them the government bacteriological Laboratory says. The sexual revolution of he 1960s and 1970s, spurred by cheap and available contraceptives rocked the institution of marriage in Sweden. By the Early 1980s about 20 percent of All couples living together were nol marked. Bui Hal proportion is now holding steady while in 1985 the number of marriages shot up by 6 percent. Many people want to make a stale men Hal they have Strong ties and Aren t simply cohabiting although legally Here s not much said Fant. 56 la s More important to have a Tong lasting relationship because the world is so unsafe Wilh wars and disasters " Public attitudes toward pornography which was legalized in 1970. Have changed markedly because of popular pressure live sex shows were banned in 1982. Stockholm police inspector Torsten Englund says sex oriented nightclubs Havo ill hut disappeared. Last february a government commission proposed a ban on rental or Sale of violent pornographic films Lor Home videos. Some Loo store chains have been boycotting pornographic magazines and protesters have staged demons rations outside a hard Core pornography shop in Stockholm in lha past year. Campaigning against pornography a group of women in Sealand province in Central Sweden s Bible have mounted an exhibition of Art with sexual themes to help teach swedes to disc Moguish Bel Weon Good erotic Art and purely exploitative dehumanizing forms of sexual entertainment people have a need Lor sexual pictures and it should be listed with something better than pornography says Margareta Niklasson a spokeswoman Lor the group the Varjo action group against pornography which obtained local government financing for the Art show. It s difficult to make definitions but erotic Art asserts sensuality and a feeling of affix my Wilh your partner As a human being " Fant said swedes were naively idealistic unaware of pornography s dark Side when in was legalized. Pornography leads loan anti human society because it destroys relationships by distorting the View of the opposite sex. Pornography is the theory and rape is the practice she said. The exhibition has been extended so that school groups can visit it on Field trips. All kinds of people come Niklasson said. We would like people to discuss it Al Home and explain to their children about Good sex despite Progress problems remain. The number of reported rapes in Sweden has remained steady at just below 1,000 a year and vice squad detectives say the level of prostitution which is not illegal also appears unchanged. But fall says the open attitudes have helped swedes use sex with close personal relationships. There is a lot More happiness play and humor in sex these Days she said. The stars and stripes Page 15
