Forget for a moment all the important topics churned up by the Palin pregnancy story (topics like reproductive freedom, abstinence-only education, the family turmoil that often comes from too-early parenthood, the idea of teen marriage, the impact this may or may not have on voters and the GOP ticket, and oh, the future that awaits this and the other 400,000+ babies who will be born to teen moms this year) and think for a moment about poor Bristol Palin whose life as she knows it is pretty much over.
Not only has her mom had to publicly address her personal life (as a former teenage girl I cringe at the memory of my own mother discussing anything having to do with my social life) but pretty much everyone else in the country is talking about it too. She's going to marry her high school boyfriend (whose MySpace page reportedly said he doesn't want kids). She has to become a parent, to a living, breathing, human being who may indeed give her unconditional love but who will certainly require that same unconditional love by his or her parents. And she'll do it all in the public eye.
Like it or not Bristol Palin is now the poster child for teen pregnancy in the U.S. Jamie Lynn's a mother now, those Gloucester girls likely didn't have a pact at all, and Juno MacGuff is so last year. So now it's Bristol. And if there's a bright side to all this it's that it's now getting harder and harder to say that teen pregnancy happens to other people, to people from bad families, to people in poverty, to people in Hollywood, to people who live in public housing (although the Alaska governor's residence probably qualifies on a technicality), to people who aren't "like me."
Because teen pregnancy can happen to anyone (anyone having sex as a teenager that is). It happens to nearly one-third of American girls (and those girls aren't pregnant by themselves). And it is totally preventable—either don't have sex or use protection consistently and carefully every single time. Which is actually the most important topic of all.
She lived her entire life under her mother's abstinence only guidance.
The celebration of teen pregnancy with this is scary. There is nothing going on here that at all resembles what teenage pregnant girls go through. Most have no money or future - this one will be living in either a governor's mansion or housing for a VP. It's hypocracy at it's worst.
I am sure that this was all discussed before Sarah took the nomination. Yes Bristol is going to have a hard time, but there are thousands of girls in here shoes in this country right now that have no help from their families. The news media needs to drop this and get on to more important items of this election. Leave the children out of politics they aren' running for office.
Is anybody awake? - this campaign isn't about teen pregnancy - it is about saving this nation from the Republicans who continually knock us down, stomp on us, give us a little sweet talk (lies of course) and knock us down again -- To save this nation and the constitution from further abuse we need to seriously take a look at Republican candidates for what and who they really represent. Enough is enough...we must say NO to the abuse!
Putting her in the national spotlight as a VP candidate's daughter is a bad role model for teens.
It makes it seem OK when it is not. Birth control is what should be promoted among teens and young adults. She is a perfect example of the fact that abstinence does not work. People need to get real about the realities of teen life.
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Do you mean to tell me, that there's someone in ploitics, actually running for such a high position, and she has a "gasp"
past? Skeletons in her closet? Pics? A pregnant teen? Personaly don't know where she got the gall, or this far.
I think she's just plain stupid, and should have done it the right way.
like everyone else. Hide it well until you're already IN office.
As of this week its part of republican family values,,levis my space page is gone now,,he also will probably have a ged by tonight,
what are the statutory rape laws in alaska?would levi be branded a preditor for life by chris matthews live at the house ? "why are you here"
Here's a thought...
If you are NOT teaching sex ed, are AGAINST abortions for unwanted pregancies (teens are a great example)....don't you need to SUPPORT subsidies for food/shelter/clothing/childcare for the resulting babies, and social services for the moms as well?? Hmmm....aren't those the programs that Republicans oppose?? How do they answer that question? That the grandmas should pick up the slack?
OF COURSE this campaign is not about teen pregnancy, and Palin's daughter is not the one trying to run for office.....DUH! But you cannot overlook the fact that this is an important issue. Not to mention the fact that this goes even deeper than "people make mistakes, but she's going to do the right thing now". We have to open our eyes people!!!! The problem is that they are trying to make this seem like it is NOT a problem. If Palin was a Democrat the Republican's would be OUTRAGED!!!! But since she's a conservative who taught her daughter the right "values" and she is now doing the "right thing" by keeping the baby...oh then this is WONDERFUL!!!! So girls, it is OKAY to have unprotected sex...because if you end up pregnant, ALL you have to do is keep the baby, and marry the guy that knocked you up. Are those the types of values that Palin wants to impose on us???? Are those Republican values now?? EVERYONE is RIGHT!!! PALIN IS HERE TO MAKE CHANGES!!!! and those changes include changing conservatism. Republicans are tools.....they will really do ANYTHING to win. Even if it means changing their beliefs.
I wish her all the best with her baby. She's going to have a tough time being a teen mom,possibly a teen wife and if McCain wins the presidency, doing this in the public eye.
I personally spent 5 years training middle school teachers to teach sex education and 15 years running a program for pregnant teens in a high school in California. From my experience it is admirable to promote abstinence but totally unrealistic to presume that teens without accurate information that supports their parent's values will not take a risk.
We need to leave Bristol alone;she has more challenges to face than she's ready for. Let's hope that Sarah realizes that she does not have all the "correct" answers for all of us.
I think I most agree with Marny's comment on Sept. 6. Forget whether her mother's a republican or a democrat or anything else. She's still a teenager, who obviously made some bad decisions. So is everyone else saying that her mom should not give her good information and not instill her values in her children??? How many of you did exactly EVERYTHING your mothers told you to do and in the very way she told you to?? I thought not...Do any of us as mothers have ALL the "correct" answers? Be careful in your judgments, folks. Those same judgments may look you square in the face some day. We look at parents like Jamie Lynn's mother, who SEEMS more concerned with her daughter's popularity and success than with what she's doing on a date and we criticize. Then we have Bristol's mother who teaches abstinence values and we criticize... Is there any happy ground???