Kathleen Sebelius has overruled the FDA and decided to make Plan B a prescription drug for minors. It's raised a ruckus, and some people have asked where her science is. That's a good question.
But the defenders of the decision (including some liberals) have gotten a few other things wrong:
Some have said that most parents would want to be consulted if their daughters had sex and/or got pregnant. Quite possibly true. But irrelevant.
Some have compared the decision to use birth control to other decisions we do NOT let teens make: They can't vote, smoking is illegal, younger teens can't drive, and so on. True. But irrelevant.
Some people have said that doctors should be consulted when making decisions like this. OK, it's probably a good idea, at least in some cases, but it's also irrelevant.
All these things are irrelevant because they are based in fantasy land.
In fantasy land, every teen age girl has a loving and trusting relationship with her mom or dad or other guardian.
In fantasy land, every teen age girl has access to a doctor.
Those of us who are good parents tend to forget that not all parents are so.
Those of us who have medical care tend to forget that not all people do.
In reality.....
"Mom.... uh mom?"
"Yeah? What?"
"I .... might be pregnant"
"GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE SLUT!"
happens
In reality.... "honor" killings happen
In reality .... teens denied birth control get abortions, often not under a doctor's care.
In reality .... teens get pregnant, have babies, and (sometimes) are completely unprepared to be mothers.
In reality .... the boyfriend gets beat up by the parents or other relatives.
In reality .... girls get raped and are too ashamed to talk to anyone.
All this happens. More often than we'd like to admit or know about.
Plan B will save girls from being abused, it will save girls from having babies, it will improve lives. Not in fantasy land. In reality.