Monday, September 1, 2008

An American Family

I just read today's headline about Palin's 17 year old daughter being 5 months pregnant. I feel for the daughter; it must be awful to be in this kind of spotlight. However, I do wonder how concerned Palin is with protecting her family. She had to have know that in accepting the nomination, a big spotlight was going to be shone on her family. There was no way that her daughter's pregnancy was going to remain private. Already, the conservative right is blaming the media, the Obama campaign, and anyone who dares express an opinion for exposing this young woman to such public scrutiny. Funny, but no one is blaming Big Mama Palin who put her political ambitions before the needs of her daughter.

I can't help but see a certain irony in today's headlines about Palin's pregnant daughter. Her party has appropriated the term "family values" as being exclusively theirs. Her party affirms that it is pro-life, but rarely supports any increases in public benefits, even though most of the recipients of those benefits are single mothers and the benefits help them feed, clothe, house, and provide access to medical care for their children. I have problems with policy that is more concerned with the unborn than it is with the children already among us.
 
I read that Palin's daughter will be marrying the father of her child. I can only hope that this is what she really desires. After all, her mother is going after her heart's desire. She accepted the vice presidential nomination, thrusting not only herself but her entire family into the national and international spotlight. From my vague recollections of what it was like to be 17, I wonder if her daughter really wanted to have her moment in the spotlight. I wonder if Palin's devotion to family values made her pause for a moment and think about her daughter's feelings about having her life become open to inspection and criticism. I wonder if it ever crossed her mind, when John McCain asked, to say no.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sheria, I was just watching a recent discussion on CNN. They praised Sen. Obama for his statement that basically, family is "off limits," and that it is a private matter between the family. The more conservative networks may have a different take on things.

The conservative William Bennett tried to nix the discussion, but others said that because Gov. Palin has put herself and her family in the spotlight, it is legitimate to have a discussion about teaching abstinence vs. providing birth control.

WHY are we still having this discussion?? Have people forgotten what it's like to be a teenager or a young adult? For anyone who pledges abstinence, more power to them, but considering the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases--both treatable and life-threatening--I say pass out the condoms like they're party favors!

When it comes to "family values," my opinion is that rather than a teenage girl feeling that she has to have a child, a better place to start would be preventing the pregnancy in the first place, and maybe preventing an STD along the way. Don't ask me how many times we saw 12 and 13-year-old girls come through the lab with a pregnancy, Chlamydia, AND gonorrhea. How's that abstinence education stuff workin', eh?

WAKE UP.

Beth
http://journals.aol.com/luvrte66/nutwoodjunction/

Anonymous said...

Where was Mom while daughter was getting "pregnant".

Don't they understand that this will backfire big time in multiple ways.

So, what is next, hubby a cheater, one of the younger kids being a "huffer" ???

Go Obama for taking the high road.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't be surprised if the daughter didn't tell her mother until yesterday. I don't believe for a second McCain's people would have let him make the offer if they knew about the daughter.  How do you reconcile being a strong executive who guides and leads, who supposedly taught her daughter strong moral values, and who preaches abstinence and chastity as effective, with the reality of a 17-year old daughter who got pregnant out of wedlock? And did Bristol feel that she could even discuss, sex, contraception, or heaven forfend, an abortion. with her mother?
Of course, Obama has no choice but to react the way he has, but I think it speaks volumes at the bankruptcy of Republican social policy.

Anonymous said...

From what I've read and heard already there are quite a few things that make her questionable.  McCain chose her simply to keep the Race/Gender aspirations in this campaign. He didn't have the race card nor the gender so he made it possible. I hate to say that a few will be voting for either of those reasons, but it's an imperfect world and we know they will. If only people had blinders on and could only see the principles of what each stands for and let that be their deciding factor.

Back to Palin she already disgust me with pushing the bill and lifting wolves off the endangered list in Alaska and giving permission for aerial hunting. A wild animal without knowledge of what was happening, without even the benefit of defending itself on it's own turf, violently killed. Not just the adults but entire packs (yes, this included pups). She seems a bit cold hearted to me. Yet she is suppose to have compassion for her fellow man. I'm a Native American above all else, if you don't have compassion for all Earths creatures, how can you lay claim to that sentiment? (Hugs)Indigo

Anonymous said...

Didn't I tell you it was going to be interesting?  

Actually, I hadn't heard about this yet, have to go do some reading.  I feel for the daughter, on top of something that is So life-changing, to know that the whole world will be judging...
                                                                               :)  Leigh

 http://journals.aol.com/mleighin21st/iwasthinking.../
 http://journals.aol.com/mleighin21st/WalkingInMyShoesHonestly/    

Anonymous said...

Do you really think anyone offered the VICE would refuse it...as I think you know in our present world unfortunately the big word is MONEY...never mind family values,,,I am really sorry for the young lass....Love Sybil xx

http://journals.aol.co.uk/sybilsybil45/villagelife/

Anonymous said...

Indigo's comment made me really angry at Palin! What a crock of moose poo is the Republican party trying to serve as wholesome fare? I know what it is like to be pregant at 17 and unmarried (although it was years ago) never mind it was a result of rape, it is hard to be in the spotlight. Poor girl, bet Mama didn't give her any options- Dannelle

Anonymous said...

Does Ms Palin know how to spell the word 'hypocrisy'? She's made me ill.

Anonymous said...

I love reading and watching about your politics, and I thought our lot were two faced
Gaz ;-)