It is no more surprising to read or hear about pre-marital sex in our society today. News of young people caught in the act at restaurants or discreet places by voluntary organisations have been surfacing from time to time.

One press conference where I attended recently focused on this issue of amorous relationship between young people who were caught naked-handed er... sorry red-handed by the organization. They have also ordered a few restaurants who encouraged such 'antisocial' behaviour to down their shutters indefinitely.

Interestingly one of the spokespersons, addressing the press conference, wondered aloud, 'There may come a time when chaste and unblemished Manipuri women would be a rare to find in the near future.'

The woman who made the above statement was right to some extent. I feel she hit the nail on the head with that testimonial. The reasons are not far to seek. The winds of liberalisation and globalization have reached us. This is an age of experimentation and for good or worse, sex is included!

The number of television channels, movies and magazines encouraging sexual escapades are invading our rooms. Magazines like Elle or Cosmopolitan educate the young vibrant girls on topics such as 'How to make unforgettable love inside the Car', forget the traditional king-size bed.

Or movies talking of extra-marital affairs like Jism or Murder where fidelity is taken as a part of normal life by showing lots of skins and intimate scenes. Desperate Housewives or Sex in the City on the television with sexual innuendos and gestures has conquered our minds.

The bottom line is that if you have not experienced sex, then do it and experience the beauty of it. In such an atmosphere, it is nearly impossible not to ignore them. And it builds up a sense of curiosity and the desire to experiment new things and of course sex included.

This brings to question- can we put an absolute end to such 'irresponsible' attitude of the youths today? I guess not. In these times of free love today, where even a French kiss is considered a very normal thing, I guess there is very little we can do.

Therefore, the need of the hour is sex education and surely swooping down on restaurants and catching a couple or two indulging in 'free love' will not be the solution. Sex education has to begin from home, schools and then colleges.

Restricting them and giving them physical or moral punishment such as insertion of apology in news media with their photographs splashed across it will not educate them. Instead, our young people should be given proper education on how to respect their bodies. They should be taught about taking care of their bodies and avoiding pregnancy or even the dreaded AIDS or STD.

Yes, sex is to stay in the young impressionable minds of our young generation. It is practically impossible to keep a vigil on restaurants and put the youths on guard all the time. A notion has been built up in their young minds by peer pressures and other sources that love without sex is no love at all. Only when you have physical relationship, your love becomes whole.

It is time we should accept this fact. Therefore, it is high time we preach safe sex and as far as possible avoid it. If you cannot avoid it, then use Condoms.

This should be the gospel message to the young people in today's world. The point is besides preventing the youths to carelessly indulge in pre-marital sex, greater care should be taken up in sensitizing them on the issue so that they can learn more and practice safe sex. In short, safe sex is more important than reckless sex in dimly lit restaurants.

MORAL BRIGADE

Moral brigade bent on preventing anti-social activities are rising day by day. Oblivious to this fact was this gentleman who came all the way from Delhi to meet his bride-to-be. He was also to meet members of his to be in-Iaws. Being his first visit to the State, he directed his taxi from the airport to take him to the nearest decent hotel.

He was dropped at a hotel located on Tiddim Road. The man rang up his beloved and informed her to come to the hotel. The woman from Churachandpur came and she went up to his room. They were alone. Some sneaky persons reported the matter to local Meira Paibi stating that a woman has entered the room of a non-local gentleman.

A group of Meira Paibee reached the room and demanded what the couples were up to. The man was incensed that a group of old women has invaded their privacy. Last heard of him was his mutterings, “What a damn crazy place is this!” before he shifted his hotel.

PUNCTUALITY PLEASE

If the media has to educate the people, then I believe it is high time we teach them the price of time. Many a time, functions do not start dot on time as is announced in the invitation card. It is high time the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) takes some steps in this direction.

One such extreme measures (extreme situation calls for extreme measure) is issue a disclaimer to organisations who invite press persons for coverage. They should be made to promise that the programme would start exactly on time. If the programme is delayed by, say 30 minutes, then the media persons should have the right to leave the place and cancel the coverage.

This, I believe will make the organizer more organized and start the programme on time. This will save the precious hours for both the media-persons who have to run from one place to another place on a scheduled time and the participants.

As for my news organization, on many occasions I have instructed my reporters and camera-persons to leave the place and go for another programme if they are delayed by more than 45 minutes.

If the organizers do not respect our profession thinking, we have nothing else to do, then the hell with them.