Comments on: Bristol Palin and sex ed

By: Mina

Mina — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:49:20 +0000

You say that this is a personal matter, and it’s none of our business, but I disagree. I’m sure it must be tough to be 17 and pregnant, I can’t imagine how awful she must feel. But at the same time, Sarah Palin knowingly put her daughter in the spotlight when she accepted the VP nomination. Sarah Palin should have known that her anti-abortion stance, and abstinence only views would cause controversy. Especially since her teenage daughter is now pregnant.

Look, teens are going to have sex, and we need to educate them. Teach them about STD’s and the proper use of condoms. Maybe if we addressed the issue instead of ignoring it, teen pregnancy wouldn’t be so high. If you take a look at Sweden and the Netherlands, sex ed is taught at a young age, and the teen pregnancy/STD rates are the lowest in the world.

And might I remind you, the media most definitely (and quite enthusiastically) covered Edwards personal life. So, it kind of sounds hypocritical when some in the media are saying hands off. Where was the media’s outrage when the Bush twins were called drunks, and Chelsea Clinton was called ugly. One can’t pick and choose which politicians private lives are off limits. Either you cover them all, or you cover none.

By the way, John McCain is the last one to be outraged about personal attacks on children. Especially considering this “joke” he made in June 1998 at a Republican dinner. “Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.” Class act John, Class act.

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:13:45 +0000

I agree with you Amy. This is not our business. If she was not the VP candidate i don't think this would be as big of a deal. And i'm sorry.. but to all of you out there who are stuck in the old days....premarital sex happens, accidents happen...i'm NOT saying it's right but it's a fact just as interracial dating is and people just need to get used to it! It will be a task for Sarah to do the VP thing and help be the mother she needs to be with her daughter at this time...but if she didn't think she could handle it, i don't think she would've accepted it. Stop criticizing her and her daughter....this is completely not our business! We don't criticize every pregnant teen out their and her mother do we? Not all of those situations are brought to the public as this is is it? Why this one? Why now? It's just something else to stick our nose in when it don't belong there.

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:01:54 +0000

Heather wake up this is a woman who preaches about family values and is against sex education in schools but is for teaching about abstenance uuuuuhh am i missing something here its not working duh. She cant even control what is going on in her own household give me a break if this were the Obama family I think u would be singing a differtent tune.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:53:28 +0000

What kind of mother claims to be about family values but accepts a VP nomination knowing that it will put her teen daughter's pregnancy in the spotlight? It's not like Bristol got pregnant yesterday and someone dug up the story. Palin accepted the nomination, and her politics are heavily anti-abortion – and yet we're supposed to think that her daughter's teen pregnancy is a personal matter?

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:39:53 +0000

So many of you have totally lost sight of the main point. Sarah Palin's daughter is NOT the issue. It is Sarah Palin's accomplishments we should be looking at. Here is a woman who has taken on corrupt government, almost single handedly at times, and won the battle! She has been a middle class family, like most of us, she has stepped up in different positions in government and done an incredible job for a state that was really a mess before she got in there. She cleaned house on corruption, and didn't discriminate between parties to do it.
This may be EXACTLY what we need in Washington right now! We need to clean some house in our congress. She would do that. She's not afraid to go up against the inner culture that has been created there.
People need to think about that. She could be the best thing that has ever happened to Washington. Everyone keep shouting they want things straightened out there. Then we get someone who can actually DO the job, and what do we do... we lambast her family and the fact that she's what... a woman?
Obama has handled this with dignity, unlike the press. But I do have to say if one of Obama's daughters got pregnant at an early age, you'd probably never know about it, because he has said he'd have it taken care of.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:16:32 +0000

I can't believe you are doing this. Her daughter is supposed to be off limits! Including her into a discussion regarding sex ed is totally crosses the line. She is not running for political office her mother is. Please leave it alone. What decision she made with her family and the young man involed are totally and completely none of my business. If you want to talk about sex ed in this country fine,but don't do it and include a teenage girl. Respect her privacy.

By: Kristi Borchers

Kristi Borchers — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:41:01 +0000

So HER private life is off limits for us to comment on, but when she wants for force her breed of "family values" on me or my body . . . I have to let her have her say so?????? I think not.

By: Michele

Michele — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:35:59 +0000

Amy, you are so wrong. This is completely relevant. The Republicans have set themselves up consistently as the party of "family values" and tried to make the rest of the world feel like residents of Sodom. I appreciate that the Repugs have to spin this, but if Young Miss Palin doesn't know how babies are made, we all sure do and we know what she and Levi had to do to make one. Point. The youth of the Repugs take their pants off one leg at a time just like everybody else. Let's have a dialog about that.

By: Miriam from Philly

Miriam from Philly — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:28:30 +0000

I again question Palin's judgment in considering this job when she has underage children and a special needs infant. I don't thin she needs the money. Why would she take on a job that would make her unavailable to her kids when they most need her? How can she say that she cares so much about America, when she is considering missing the most important years of her children's lives?

By: craig

craig — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:22:19 +0000

I think if the shoe was on the other foot, and this situation was happening with barracks child, the republicans would be all over this story calling the democrats out on how they raise their children, and should america vote for a person with LOW family Morals. This whole story smells of republican posturing, by calling this family courageous for facing this head on.... Give me a break, what they are not willing to talk about is their own paries morals, because that would be hypacriticle.(spell check please) lol

By: Lee

Lee — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:19:36 +0000

To all of you, especially Amy
I am interested in how this Sarah Palin will get her oil on our soil. You gossipers want to talk about her daughter, who is a product of our current society. You would think that she is the first child who ever screwed up, and she did. We know she is not the first, because, why else would we have abortion laws to "help" these poor little girls and why would we have umpteen programs to support unwed mothers and illegitimate children. Her mother could have talked to her every day about birth control (and who knows for sure that she did'nt?) and the results could have been the same. Republicans have the same problems as democrats when it comes to home life. Raising kids is not easy. Talking to them does not always work, they are their own people and will make the same mistakes that generations of we the people have made. We are supposed to be a united nation, not venomous demons that throw salt in other people's wounds. I feel sorry for Obama today, because he barely has a lead in most polls and this is going to have a negative effect on the voters. WE want to know what is going to happen in the next four years with OUR country. We already know what will happen in four months in the Palin Family....and it will have NO impact on ME or YOU. Grow up people and dig for the stuff that will help you make an educated choice in two months. Let this one go for the sake of all of the candiates.

By: Holly

Holly — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:19:21 +0000

Amy,

Yes, politician's children should be off limits. But a discussion on whether sex education is necessary in this country certainly is. Sarah Palin believes that abstinence and no sex education is the way to go. Obviously, it's not worked out well in her own family.

Bristol is fortunate to have a family that stands beside her in this difficult time. Many, many young women in America today would not be in the same supportive situation.

Not to mention those women that have been raped, or in cases of incest. If Sarah had her way, they'd be having those children, no matter what!

Is Sarah going to take support all those young women and children too?

By: Victoria

Victoria — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:19:14 +0000

OK - Cheney's daughter is a lesbian, the Bush girls were involved in under age drinking, and now Bristol is pregnant - I can certainly see that those firm family religious values are really strong within the Republican party. If this is what the children are up to just think about what their parents are hiding. Oh, never mind – we know what they have been doing for the past 8+ years.

By: Bill Plastina

Bill Plastina — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:16:05 +0000

I have no problems with the moral issues involved with this young girl being pregnant, this should be a situation that is handled within the family unit. What I find so hypocritical and appaling is that her mother, the Vice President nominee, would release a statement saying how "proud" she is of her daughter's decision to go through with the pregnancy. Isn't this the same person who supports having this decision deemed illegal? I would think that there would be no choice in the matter as far as this family is concerned.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:10:02 +0000

What does John Edwards have to do with this?

By: Kendall Aschoff

Kendall Aschoff — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:09:23 +0000

It seems to me that the issue that should be addressed regarding Gov. Palin's pregnant teenage daughter is not about the pregnancy itself, but about the ruthless disregard with which she dragged her daughter into the national media spotlight. She must have known that this issue would become national news when she accepted the nomination. This calls into question Palin's judgment regarding protecting family first. It seems to me that she and McCain accepted her nomination knowing fully that she would be sacrificing her daughter and family's privacy on this matter. If she is unwilling to exercise good judgment to protect her own daughter, what assurance do we have that she has the judgment to protect our country?

By: Donna Zuk Adley

Donna Zuk Adley — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:05:38 +0000

I have great empathy for this child being brought into the limelight for the choices she has made.

What concerns me is Palin's mindset and her voting against sex education. Did she also believe in no sex education taught at home as well? We need to make not just choices in life, but informed choices. That was not fair to this child. This Repubican "head in the sand" mindset continues and is potentially dangerous.

Who will financially support this child? Mom? Dad? Grandma V.P.? The taxpayer? How old is dad? Is he 17 or 18 as well, so he cannot support the child? If he is a lot older than her - I do not know the statute in Alaska, but it is usually 2 or 3 years older where it would be considered statutory rape regardless of her consent.

By: s smith

s smith — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:59:29 +0000

Gov Palin has an 80 per cent approval. Discuss.

By: marvinohio

marvinohio — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:58:02 +0000

This is the type moral issue is private, but when you are running for office you have to expect this type play.. i think Sarah is a good person and all that, but one would gather she hasn't been a home much and you that happens when kids raise themselves...

Go home Sarah!!!
your family needs you your counrty don't !!!!

By: Rick from Alaska

Rick from Alaska — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:44:20 +0000

Who our we kidding I didnt learn about sex from the schools I learned from my friends in school. We cant expect to lock up or watch our children 100% of the time we can only hope that we have given them the best values we can. I would speculate that 99% of you have had sex before the age of 17 (unprotected).