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SCMP Reporter

Should repeat animal abusers be barred from owning pets?
As pets' rights are increasingly being taken seriously, more and more animal abusers are being condemned by society. I believe  repeat animal abusers should be barred from  owning pets.
Why don't we set up licences for pet owners? People should have to do courses before getting the licence. The courses could be held by the World Society for the Protection of Animals,  a well-known organisation that is concerned about pets' rights.
This could be a solution as more and more people want to keep pets.
Kwan Wai-ching, Kwun Tong
What do you think about teenagers' attitudes to sex?
As the shackles of eastern morality and western religion on this economic hubbub loosen,  people have greater freedom and economic power to indulge more in all sorts of carnal pleasures and satisfy their lusts under the excuse of gaining freedom to be themselves.
Romantic love between two people used to be non-existent, and marriage used to be something older clansmen used to tie two clans or two families together, for the survival or the prosperity of their people.
Kings and princes did it to enlarge their empires or keep peace. But with the disintegration of the feudal society and the growth of the concept of the individual, love, or sex, is no longer in the hands of the elders.
With this new-found freedom, sexually mature youngsters and unhappily married grown-ups do not know how to handle their burning desires, or rather, do not feel the need to curb their wild passion once lit.
This often results in uncared for children growing up unloved and unruly. They will go on to create problems for us and become society's headache if we do not have a policy to take care of them.
Sex is fun, no doubt about it. But the caring of a baby is not, at least not to those who have no direct relationship with it. If a baby is not prematurely aborted or flushed down the toilet by a teen mother, but left around some street corner, then it requires many people's  concerted effort to see that it grows healthy  until it becomes independent.
Do we have a way to rebuild the moral fibre of our society or even the willingness to treat sex as not just fun but something more? Just look at all the posters  in MTR stations and count the number of half-naked women. Women are pictured as objects of desire.
Who is allowing this? Who is encouraging this? This attitude to sex, like good food, is to be enjoyed. And women, in this atmosphere, have to make themselves palatable to men.
Zachary Ng, Mei Foo
Is the sex education curriculum outdated?
Obviously, I think the system is outdated. I am shocked by the staggering increase in the number of teenagers having sexual intercourse, with one survey revealing the youngest one was just nine years old.
This shows sex education in Hong Kong is far from adequate and there is an urgent need to nurture students with the correct values about sex. In Chinese beliefs, sex is seen as taboo and it is forbidden to discuss such matters openly. Also, parents  feel embarrassed talking about sex with their children. Out of curiosity, youngsters will try to get access to a great variety of information, which can mislead.
There is insufficient sex education in school, and some teachers try to avoid teaching the subject.  It is outrageous in a modern society that teachers should be too shy to talk about sex. Students who do not get proper guidance are likely to develop misconceptions.
The rapid rise in teenage pregnancies shows the young have an unhealthy attitude towards sex and many do not know when they have gone too far. The present sex education curriculum no longer suits the trend and it is necessary to implement compulsory sex education in primary and secondary schools.
More importantly,  parents should be less conservative and must not avoid answering their kids' questions about sex.
Isa Shek , Kwun Tong
As technology nowadays is so advanced and almost every child has their own computer, it is very easy for them to get lots of information on the internet.
However, we do not know whether the information they get is good  for them. To pre-empt any further cases of pregnant young girls, it is necessary to update the sex education curriculum.
It  would be better for the  curriculum to include how to have safe sex but not only focus on knowledge. It is  important to teach students the right attitude towards sex, otherwise their curiosity  might lead to serious consequences.
Li I Kei, Wong Tai Sin
What do you think of the media handling of the nude photos scandal?
The scandal has triggered a heated debate over the past few weeks. The media actually need to be responsible for this event. Although the nude photos were edited,  it was unnecessary to post them every day.
The media is supposed to be a tool that allows the public to know what is happening around them - not a source of gossip. I have been disappointed by the media because they did not do what they were supposed to do.
It is hard to ask the media not to make a profit, but on the other hand, there were still some newspapers that did not print the photos. At least they were more concerned about respecting the victims rather than making money.
Bernice Li Wing-sum, Tsz Wan Shan
What do you think of police handling of the nude photos scandal?
Nobody would object if the intention of the police was to protect youngsters from viewing  pornography on the internet.
However, they might have been too eager to deter other netizens and crossed the line. To make things worse, two senior police officers  slipped up several times in remarks that made the police look stupid.
It is time for the police to get updated on internet culture and its open society. Reliance of force alone as a deterrent is a thing of the past. To achieve the ends of our laws effectively, they have to change their mindset.
Virginia Yue, Tsuen Wan



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