It was released today that Bristol Palin is currently 5 months pregnant.
A statement from Palin released from the McCain camp:
“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.”
“Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi’s privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates.”
I guess we know why Bristol hasn’t been attending Palin’s speeches lately and has been “taking care of Trig,” huh? Do I think this story broke just as the media coverage of Palin allegedly covering up her daughter’s pregnancy? Yes; hell, Reuters even made it their headline. Do I think there are any facts to claim that the aforementioned is true or believe it 100% when I posted it? Nope and I even said so; but I’m still skeptical, I’m always skeptical when it comes to politics and more so when it comes to politicians. With that in mind, I will refrain from the 50 different talking points and headlines that shot through my head as soon as I heard this story and speak about something else that is a hell of a lot more important than what I think.
For the 17 year old daughter of a staunch, conservative, anti-woman, anti-choice politician to become pregnant goes to show the American voters that not only does abstinence-only education not work, it is dangerous. We have seen “alternatives” to safe sex teens have come up with in the past and that was scary enough, thanks.
While you can preach all you’d like to a teenager, inevitably, they are going to do what they choose to do and if they choose to become sexually active then you have to be confident, as a parent, that you raised them with enough resources to take care of themselves when it comes to keeping themselves healthy. You can say “I do not condone you having sex before you are married” but at the end of the day, you can disapprove of it all you want, that teenager is going to do what they wish and the questions left are–Did they use a condom, is she on birth control, do they know about sexually transmitted diseases and infections? If you do not ask yourself these questions, as a parent who is obligated to ready your child for adulthood, then along with a pregnancy test coming out positive, an HIV test could also come out positive and that is what we have to think about now. With every teenager who chooses to become sexually active, they must have the facts because while we hear about pregnancies and families supporting a young girl with child, it doesn’t always come out that pretty.
My heart goes out to Bristol, a 17 year old child who will be wed to her child’s father…as soon as she’s old enough.
Obama has also released a statement today in response to Bristol’s pregnancy:
“Let me be as clear as possible: I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people’s families are off limits,” Obama said, “and people’s children are especially off limits.
“This shouldn’t be part of our politics,” he continued, “It has no relevance to Gov. Palin’s performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.
“And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories,” he said. “You know my mother had me when she was 18, and how a family deals with issues and, you know, teenage children, that shouldn’t be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that’s off limits.”
Good on him for doing the right thing this time.
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Honestly, this story is absolutely ridiculous and has no business being a news headline — “staunch, conservative, anti-woman, anti-choice politician” or not. Furthermore, realizing that killing an unborn child is wrong doesn't make anyone “anti-woman”.
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This is a plus. As Mark Steyn points out in his recent best seller, America Alone, if our western civilization is demographically to survive in the increasingly “hostile to the west” islamic world — and not end up like the sinking European populations — these are the precise people (the Bristol Palins’) we should thank for increasing their progeny.
oh i just posted a link to that in a reply to you! i think Obama handled it quite perfectly.
as to the abstinence only approach, i have nothing but terrible anger and frustration knowing that there are parents condoning teaching their children (among other unrealistic things) that *condoms are ineffective*. yes! that's what they tell them! they tell them condoms aren't any good, like that's going to prevent them having sex. all it's going to do is discourage them from using protection, when it could quite literally save their lives. and even in these hopeful days when advances in “drug cocktails” have enabled some HIV and AIDS sufferers to survive in the long-term, for the uninsured, under-insured, or those without tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to pay for these advanced therapies, it's still a death sentence. and let's not even get into the thought of teenage girls giving birth to HIV positive babies.
to tell a child that condoms are ineffective is criminal. it's child abuse. the law dictates that we put helmets on our children's heads when they ride bikes, and strap them in car safety seats when we drive them. we've placed limits on teens with new drivers licenses. why on earth is it not mandatory that children receive an appropriate and honest sex education, including a stern lecture on the terrible danger of failing to use a condom?
i have much sympathy for Bristol, but not nearly as much as i do for the young girls out there who suffer an unwanted pregnancy without the family support and resources that Bristol has. if she chooses to complete her schooling and attend college, she won't be struggling to work two jobs and pay for child care, or forced to get by on food stamps and welfare if her baby daddy bugs out on her. sure, her unfortunate situation is national news right now, but there are worse things than that. there are far, far worse things.
and i really, really wish the 'pro-lifers' would just STFU. either that, or get out and protest this stupid war, stand up and make your republican overlords listen and take action to end this terrible slaughter of the already born! if you're gonna be pro-life, you should damn well be anti-war, specifically this war which we got into because our administration LIED to us. good men and women are being killed every day because of these *lies*. anyone who is in favor of life, should be deeply offended at that thought.
exactly. there are just not enough affluent white people breeding with reckless abandon. except for those wacky Spears sisters, that is.
Congrats to Bristol, and I think Obama's certainly right about this.
I honestly dont see the importance as to whether or not Gov. Palin's daughter is pregnant, regardless of age. As for Mr. Obama's comments, its good to see someone finally stand up and say the right thing, even if it's only a pr stunt.
exactly. there are just not enough affluent white people breeding with reckless abandon. except for those wacky Spears sisters, that is.
Shit happens who cares
And to think I was worried about telling my mother that I was pregnant … without being married … at 35! *lol* Anyway, Obama's statement concerning this story raises my opinion of him.
Obama definitely took the high road on this. It's good to see a politician that avoids personal attacks on other politicians. That's only a small reason why Obama has my vote!
Honestly I think that the Repoblican approach to this whole situation is so hipocritical. They have never been known as a party that has shown sympathy to single mothers. Anyone remember Reagan and his welfare queens line? ad Bristol been black or Latina they would be asking who is going to pay to raise this kid?
yes,i think you did
having just returned from my 7th trip to Africa where I work with HIV/AIDs affected & infected orphans & families, it is not that condoms are ineffective… it's that they are not used correctly. PLUS the HIV virus is actually smaller than the molecules that make up condoms. It is true that abstinence is the ONLY effective way to 100% prevent pregnancy and the contraction of STDs, but in all reality… not everyone will stick to that method. I think that in proper education abstinence needs to be taught and the values that go along with it, but protection also needs to be taught for those that could care less about abstinence…
In regards to Palin's daughter… her daughter's choices should not be held against her. This isn't something that should affect her ability to be a candidate. The fact is… there isn't a person out there without something in their background to piss off somebody.
And Holly… no, I still haven't completed all my Palin reseach… I told you I would start here…
This is quite unfair that everyone is trying to use this issue on her it has nothing to do with the public they are just trying to find dirt on her so that they can use it against her and if OBOMA gets in we are screwed!!
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nice