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I knew a long time ago that I was not cut out to have kids. While I do not have any direct experience in the field I feel pretty comfortable saying it must be one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs one can have (for an entire lifetime).
It is all too common to hear stories like Bristol Palin's and I feel for any kid who is having one while still one themselves. What a nightmare...your mom is the darling of the right wing abstinence only crowd and you are pregnant at 17. It happens in all kinds of families across all class lines, and everybody knows that. Teenagers make bad choices and it happens. I find it highly unlikely that this girl planned to get pregnant at 17, but I respect her decision to have the child and while I am not a proponent of abortion as birth control I don't believe I or anyone else has the right to make that decision for a woman who is pregnant.
Sarah Palin, the politician, believes abstinence only is the way to deal with other people's teenagers too...perhaps her own child having a child might convince her that a more comprehensive approach to helping our teenagers deal with sexuality might be in order. One can only hope.
But the thing that bothered me more than anything else about this story was this line from the statement they gave:
"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."
Love and support...duh...one would think that goes without saying...Having a child when you are one yourself is hard enough at any socioeconomic level but is getting married as a child in response to that really going to help matters? I have always found that particular response somewhat Polyanna, to say the least. One thing it does do is help redeem her mother in the eyes of her right wing uber-conservative constituency, but I don't see how it helps Bristol one little bit right now.
Good luck, kid.
Peace y'all
