Regardless of how you feel about Sarah Palin, are the following things correct to do?

[Sylvia727]

I don't hate teenage parents, (it takes two to conceive). I just feel that their egregious mistakes shouldn't be forgotten or glossed over as it doesn't just screw up their lives, but that of innocent children.

Who are you to call Bristol's choice a mistake? She chose to get pregnant, and she chose to have the baby. Sarah Palin is hardly going to disown her grandchild, so the baby will be well cared for. Whose life is "screwed up"? How do you know that they don't like it this way?

Take offense all you want it won't change the fact that teenage parents, and women that spew out far more children than they can possibly care for in the attention department let alone financial means that their selfishness and need for immediate gratification hurts them, thier children, and the world in general.

You're saying that Sarah Palin can not care for her five children in the attention or financial departments. Well, financially, she's set, not only as the governor of a state but also as an overnight celebrity. Which leaves the attention department. Her husband is a stay-at-home dad, but that's not good enough? Should she go back to baking cookies and serving teas? There is absolutely no evidence that Ms. Palin and her husband do not love each and every one of their children, and to condemn them for having "too many" is arrogant and malicious.

"Women that spew out far more children than they can possibly care for." My mother loves all five of her children very deeply. My aunt emotionally neglects her only child. Without knowing each individual family, you can't possibly pass any sort of rational judgement on them. For you to say that my mother "couldn't possibly care for" me is nothing short of hateful.

I think you owe Sarah and Todd Palin, my mother, and every other parent of a large family an apology for your hasty judgement. Say what you want about Sarah Palin's politics, but when you condemn her for a lifestyle choice many others share, you cross a line.

[Rapscallion]

Who are you to call Bristol's choice a mistake? She chose to get pregnant, and she chose to have the baby.

I'm completely non-partisan in the debate, but I'm curious as to whether or not she actually was able to make that choice, or were her mother's preferences in anti-abortion the deciding factor?

Rapscallion

[DesignFox]

Who are you to call Bristol's choice a mistake? She chose to get pregnant, and she chose to have the baby.

Well, I'm not sure if she chose to get pregnant, but she obviously chose to have sex...

It's debatable whether or not her mother is the one forcing her to keep the baby, but for better or worse, her family is obviously dealing with it. That's fine in my book.

The politics on the other hand...well...I'm scared witless for our country. This election round isn't giving us very good choices...

[Sylvia727]

I'm sure her mother's opinions were a factor, both in the formation of her views and in her perception of how the different options would play out. But she wasn't forced into anything. Coerced? It's possible. I assume Bristol knew she had choices, but either way she did have them.

[AdminAssistant]

Well, I'm not sure if she chose to get pregnant, but she obviously chose to have sex...

I wouldn't even say that, since I wasn't in the room when it happened. Date rape is woefully common amongst teenagers - even (or especially) those in relationships.

I really hate this situation for the daughter. She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. Either way, she's become a pawn for her mother, John McCain, and the media to play with.

[Giggle Goose]

Who are you to call Bristol's choice a mistake? She chose to get pregnant, and she chose to have the baby.

CHOSE to get pregnant? Maybe this gal is different, but I know damn well when I was 17; having a baby was the LAST thing on my mind. I had to get a date to prom first!

Joking aside, I find it hard to believe that Bristol WANTS to be in this situation. But she's dealing with it the best she can; and I just hope she can deliver a healthy baby given all the stress she's under.

[IDrinkaRum]

I just have to wonder (and this is my own brain thinking things), would we be having this discussion about her daughter's pregnancy and how the daughter is being forced to keep her baby, if this scenario happened:

Teen daughter of a Veep candidate gets pregnant. Said Veep candidate is widely known for being pro-life, pro-choice, wanting to remove all restrictions for abortion. Then daughter makes announcement and says that she's keeping the baby. Why? Because she thinks abortion is the most evil of all evils and she can't believe her parents ever told her (in private of course) that she has to abort her baby and that her & her boyfriend are getting married, etc.

[Sylvia727]

We'd have the same argument, but everyone would switch sides in the debate.

[AFPheonix]

I just have to wonder (and this is my own brain thinking things), would we be having this discussion about her daughter's pregnancy and how the daughter is being forced to keep her baby, if this scenario happened:

Teen daughter of a Veep candidate gets pregnant. Said Veep candidate is widely known for being pro-life, pro-choice, wanting to remove all restrictions for abortion. Then daughter makes announcement and says that she's keeping the baby. Why? Because she thinks abortion is the most evil of all evils and she can't believe her parents ever told her (in private of course) that she has to abort her baby and that her & her boyfriend are getting married, etc.

Wanting abortion to be available for those who wish it does not mean that advocates think that all unmarried or young women or women in bad situations must abort.

[IDrinkaRum]

Yes, but we're talking about a teenaged girl who is pregnant, has decided to keep the baby, marry the baby's daddy, and we're saying it's because her mother's making her (or at least she's "brainwashed" by her mother to think abortion is bad). But what I'm asking is would this be an issue of Bristol Palin was the daughter of a pro-abortion candidate and Bristol still extolled the evils of abortion and wanted to keep her baby?

[AdminAssistant]

What many people are saying is that Palin opposes sex education (beyond abstinence only) in schools and...her very own daughter is pregnant. In her family, there is a living example of how abstinence only education does. not. work. And, frankly, I'm sick of conservatives talking about how fantastic it is. How it makes Palin "human".

Now - what if it were a daughter of a pro-choice candidate who ended up having an abortion? She would be crucified on FoxNews as a murderer.

[Boozy]

But what I'm asking is would this be an issue of Bristol Palin was the daughter of a pro-abortion candidate and Bristol still extolled the evils of abortion and wanted to keep her baby?

No one is really "pro-abortion", but I wont harp on that because I realize that you meant to say "pro-choice".

There have been tons of congressional and senatorial candidates in the past whose children have come out and said they disagree with their parents views. It doesnt have much of an effect on the campaign unless the opposing party makes it an issue. We dont live in a society where teenagers opinions are taken seriously.

(Side note: Does anyone know why every time I hit my apostrophe key Firefox brings up "Quickfind" across the bottom? I cant punctuate properly...)

[Flyndaran]

The sins of the father should not be visited upon the child.

I have no right to claim what my father did or thought as my own for good or ill, and niether should anyone else.

[Slytovhand]

Similar to Rap's thoughts, I'm wondering how the father is actually feeling about this whole situation.. is he be 'forced' or coerced in any way? Is he being paid off? Is he happy as Larry and really excited?

Is it an irrelevant thought? No - cos if he is being forced into a situation because of politics, then what does it say about those politicians??

But otherwise, I pretty much agree with the OP... what's really relevant, and what's hype?

Naive as I am, I'd like to think it doesn't really matter what her views on things are, as long as she carries out the will of the people - not the will of her ego.


Slyt

[AFPheonix]

No one is really "pro-abortion", but I wont harp on that because I realize that you meant to say "pro-choice".

There have been tons of congressional and senatorial candidates in the past whose children have come out and said they disagree with their parents views. It doesnt have much of an effect on the campaign unless the opposing party makes it an issue. We dont live in a society where teenagers opinions are taken seriously.

Thank you. A true pro-choice candidate would let their child do exactly that, make the choice to keep or not to keep the pregnancy in whatever matter they see fit. They would give their kids the tools to know how to have sex safely, not just limit their knowledge to "don't do it".