Hundreds of youth activists from around the country joined in a campaign to get House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to answer a question about abstinence-only programs at Netroots Nation, a big conference of progressive bloggers held recently in Austin, Texas.

Abstinence-only programs censor information about condoms and birth control and promote ignorance in the era of AIDS. They are totally disrespectful towards youth asserting that providing information about condoms and birth control causes young people to have sex. Yeah, right, just like umbrellas cause rain!

At any rate, these programs were a favorite of the Republican Congress and when the Democrats took over in 2006, they continued to fund them! We’ve spent over $1.5 billion on this “just say no” propaganda campaign, despite Congress’s own study showing they don’t work.

Pelosi has never explained why the Democrats continue to fund this nonsense. Until now. Netroots Nation sponsored a campaign for online users to vote for the questions that Pelosi, who attended the conference, would be asked. Led by Advocates for Youth’s Youth Activist Network, young people voted in a question on abstinence-only programs and, according to a New York Times blogger, here’s how she responded:

“Asked if she would redirect money from abstinence-only programs to sex education, Ms. Pelosi said, ‘Yes,’ adding that the current program ‘caters to a radical right-wing view.’

Hmmm. If the programs cater to right-wingers why have you funded them for two years? Argh! Well, now at least we have her on record. After the elections, we will mount a campaign to hold her and the Democrats accountable. No more B.S.