GOP sez pregnant at 17 is A-Ok

[SMT224 10]

I understand that the GOP believes that Palin is a good addition to the McCain ticket and will pull in the support of a number of conservative groups, including the religious right. But do they know what they are doing by pushing this aside as if it normal behavior and no one should worry about it? Getting pregnant is not ok! Getting pregnant out of wedlock is not ok. But now all this is ok because they want McCain/Palin to get elected?

[TheScout 10]

Of course it is not OK. But out of her error she is taking responsibility. She is marrying the father and not having an abortion. We are all sinners.

[Apache Bob 10]

SMT224 - no it is not ok. What is your solution for the girl? What is your solution for all the teenagers across the country who find themselves in that situation? What are you doing to help stop all the young girls across the country who will get pregnant tonight?

Its sad but it looks sometimes like this is normal behavior now days. You don't really think that the girls parents or the GOP wants this to happen, do you?

This has nothing to do with politics. This is part of being young and beliving that nothing will happen to me. It will only happen to another person.

Remember back a few years to when you were 17 and ready to conquer the world and nothing could happen to you.

[BulldogBlitz 10]

" I understand that the GOP believes that Palin is a good addition to the McCain ticket and will pull in the support of a number of conservative groups, including the religious right. But do they know what they are doing by pushing this aside as if it normal behavior and no one should worry about it? Getting pregnant is not ok! Getting pregnant out of wedlock is not ok. But now all this is ok because they want McCain/Palin to get elected? "

 

 

what would you have them do? send palin's daughter to the electric chair? revoke palin's citizenship? draw and quarter mccain? if having a naughty relative were enough to negate a person's ability to be in office, there wouldn't be many choices for voters. seems that we elected a president in the recent past who had done cocaine. we also elected another one that was a womanizing pot head. why struggle so hard to find something to be mad at the GOP ticket (daughter of the VP candidate)? michelle obama's actions are reach a greater number of people. the grandchild of Palin won't be on welfare or any other government tit.

[evmori 11]

Bet ya SMT224 is a Obama supporter.

 

Yep getting pregnant out of wedlock is not OK. But aborting the baby because you made a error in good judgment isn't OK either. She's doing the right thing.(This message has been edited by evmori)

[SMT224 10]

Like it or not, this has everything to do with politics.

 

It's easy to focus on Bristol Palin and say that she is doing the best she can with a difficult situation, which of course she is - she's taken the best course available and may indeed provided a safe and caring environment for her child. It's easy to say that we are all sinners so don't throw a stone. But that's not the issue here.

 

What I'm talking about is the example it sets - what are the girls in my daughters Girl Scout Troop to think if it's ok for Bristol to get pregnant? What are the boys in my son's Boy Scout Troop to think? That it's ok to get a girl pregnant? The truth is, 17 not a good age to get pregnant - neither for the girl or the baby. And then there's the whole issue of emotional maturity.

 

What is upsetting to me is that by saying that she doing the best she can and let's just leave her alone, the Republican Party is not just condoning her pregnancy, but any unwed pregnancy at the age of 17. The problem is the example it sets and the message it sends.

[croushorn 10]

SMT224: please tell us this is tongue in cheek? You really think the GOP is condoning teen pregnancies?

[Apache Bob 10]

SMT224 - I understand how you feel. Yes, there is a 'but" in this. But Obama said the same thing yesterday. It is a family matter and that is private and should not be in discussion.

Both sides are taking the same position. The only people who are no are in the media.

17 is too young for many reasons; however, until all of us start taking that position nothing is going to stop it.

So some history, and I am talking about mine. I was a teenager in the 1950's (that was a long time ago) and if a girl got pregnant back then she was put down as being a bad girl. Everything was keep quiet and only talked about behind closed doors.

The whole world was shocked. You didn't have sex before marriage.

For right or wrong things have changed now. It has happen slowly without anyone really knowing it.

Will it change back. Not until society says it is wrong. Politics is a part of our society, I will grant you that but only a small part.

I'm sorry the girl is pregnant. Having the baby will affect her whole life. But whether one party or all parties come out for or against it will not change what is happening in the world.

[SMT224 10]

Did the Republican strategists sit down and think - "Hey let's find us a VP candidate with a pregnant daughter 'cause we want to condone teenage pregnancy!!"? Of course not.

 

But they did think carefully about who was to be the VP pick, and in choosingSarah Palin, they did get some baggage - as comes with all humans. In order to make the candidate palatable to the public, they need to spin any of that baggage that could be perceived as negative as either positive or not so bad. Some of the baggage they got is a pregnant teenager - by spinning it as ok or not so bad, they are in effect, condoning it.

 

My point here is not just to look a the tree (Bristol Palin), but what message this sends to the forest.

 

[evmori 11]

What I'm talking about is the example it sets - what are the girls in my daughters Girl Scout Troop to think if it's ok for Bristol to get pregnant? What are the boys in my son's Boy Scout Troop to think? That it's ok to get a girl pregnant? The truth is, 17 not a good age to get pregnant - neither for the girl or the baby. And then there's the whole issue of emotional maturity.

 

What kind of example do YOU want it to set, SMT224? No one can change the fact this happened. It's up to YOU how your daughter & son view this. Not the Republicans or the Democrats or even Sarah Palin. It's all on YOU! And to politicize this is nothing more than muck raking! And I'd be wary if I were those who started this! This in no way sways how I will vote.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad 2779]

>>What I'm talking about is the example it sets

[Guest OldGreyEagle]

Wasn't it Joe Biden who said Obama was the first "Clean" black candidate? Something that ate up the soul of Jesse Jackson. Obama was "clean" because he was unknown. At first Palin was a "Clean" white woman who isn't as clean anymore.

 

When Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky were in the Oval Office together, I am not sure the Democratic Party condoned their activities, the Party Line was that it was a family private matter, perhaps this should be regarded as the same. If we get into who is the most "human" party, who will keep score? Are there enough tally board to record that?

 

Do we ignore it? I don't know. I remember Wayne and Garth apologizing for calling Chelsea a "babe in waiting" is that age gone?

[BulldogBlitz 10]

"I agree with SMT224, I think this has to be handled so as not to glorify it all. While I think it is an advantage for McCain because the subject reflects the struggles or fears of average parents, it could easily be turned into something that should be considered normal and not to be shamed if it isn't hangled correctly. "

 

shaming someone for getting pregnant out of wedlock is crying over spilled milk. i've been hearing a different spin on this situation in that this was a "decision" (i.e. "pro-choice"), but this is a little different situation as this girl is a little better off than most that choose death.

[Eagledad 2779]

>>shaming someone for getting pregnant out of wedlock is crying over spilled milk.

[Mr. Boyce 13]

It all depends. Perhaps she wants to be a mom. It's pretty natural to have children in the late teens---I think our "abhorrence" of the idea is pretty recent, based on women going to college (itself a pretty new post-WW 2 phenomenon). Probably a healthier thing, too.

 

Interesting to see the GOP's take on it. The last time I heard this "it's okay" argument, it came from black Democrats.

 

I do think the "Father Issue" is vital. Increasingly, research indicates that dads, yes, are needed. For me, the nub of the issue is whether dad can get a job to make the family unit work at an early age; unfortunately, the times and work situation is such that it's difficult for a young male to get a decent job in his early 20s.