8.06.2008

forced touch

Every summer, EFY descends upon P-Town. This morning I saw many of these fine youth strolling arm and arm up the street. I thought it was sort of silly to make the kids link arms but thought they were being trained in the art of chivalry. However, driving home I saw several more groups of kids all linked arm and arm, and then I thought it was just plain stupid. I've never been fond of forced touch with the opposite sex. So, I would have hated to be told that I had to link arms with some random dude that I would have met 24 hours earlier... only to be required to publicly walk down a busy street. This does not teach teenagers how to be respectful to each other. It just teaches them how to deal with public humiliation.

3 comments:

mskaz said...

Hilarious. I'd love to hear what the whole point of that was. Only in Provo!

HRH said...

And, having been an EFY counselor, let me tell you that these kids sweat and they feel awkward, and then there is the "who is gonna choose me -- please don't let it be him!" But, try telling the kids not to do it. It is such an ingrained tradition, yea, even a tradition of their fathers.

aisy said...

hrh... i don't remember having to do that at efy in calgary. it's oh so sad. please, as a former counselor, please, please, please make it stop!