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Governor Sarah Palin has welcomed her first grandchild, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, born to Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston on December 27.I dislike the idea of Bristol Palin offering generic advice -- "Teenagers need to prevent pregnancy to begin with" -- rather than acknowledging any personal responsibility for her own situation. Is the problem that teenagers in general are getting pregnant, or that you got pregnant? In point of fact, teen pregnancy is at an all-time low. Is it too much to expect something like a mea culpa?
"We are over the moon with the arrival of this healthy, beautiful baby," Governor Palin said. "The road ahead for this young couple will not be easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Bristol and Levi are committed to accomplish what millions of other young parents have accomplished, to provide a loving and secure environment for their child. They are both hard workers, they're very strong, and have faith they've made the right decision in setting aside their own interests to make this child their highest priority."
Palin added, "When Bristol and Levi first told us the shocking news that she was pregnant, to be honest, we all at first looked at the situation with some fear and a bit of despair. Isn't it just like God to turn those circumstances into such an amazing, joyful blessing when you ask Him to help you through?"
Bristol Palin said she "obviously discourages" teen pregnancy and knows that plans she previously made for herself will now forever be changed. "Teenagers need to prevent pregnancy to begin with -- this isn't ideal. But I'm fortunate to have a supportive family which is dealing with this together. Tripp is so perfectly precious; we love him with all our hearts. I can't imagine life without him now."
Bristol begins her final semester of high school next week where she'll get her last credit needed to graduate. She looks forward to continuing her record of good grades and high achievement. Levi is continuing his online high school work in addition to working as an electrical apprentice on the North Slope.
Bill McAllister, the governor’s office communications director, adds: "The governor's office previously declined to comment to honor the family's wishes that the event remain as private as possible. However, the high volume of press inquiries, along with some erroneous information that was published, prompted the governor to make a statement."
UPDATE: PaleoPat agrees with me, but in the process calls me a neocon. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk. Yeah, Pat, tell that one to David Brooks, Frank Fukuyama and Ken Adelman. Here's the difference between me and neocons: Neocons believe we should invade foreign countries in order to spread the universal benefits of democracy. I believe we should invade foreign countries because it's a good live-fire field exercise for the troops. What's the point in having aircraft carriers if you don't occasionally pound some Third World dictatorship to smithereens?
My biggest beef about Iraq is that, if we're going to go around the world toppling evil regimes, we ought to start in Cuba. It's 90 miles from Key West, and occupying Havana would be like a vacation. Military recruiters could use the prospect of Cuban occupation duty as an inducement: Jineteras, mojitos and cigars under the swaying palms. Put some Xavier Cugat music on the soundtrack of the recruiting commercials. "Join the Navy and screw the world."
"Is the problem that teenagers in general are getting pregnant, or that you got pregnant? In point of fact, teen pregnancy is at an all-time low. Is it too much to expect something like a mea culpa?"
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not too much to expect. But compare Bristol's comments to those we saw a couple of days ago with the left's response to the flawed research on abstinence only education. Bristol needs to take more responsibility and to say that her mistake was egregious. She's lucky she had family to help her through to the miracle and support of her birth and child. We're not going to see that on the left where abortion is the first resort, not the last.
Interesting, in any case.
Get over yourselves. It's not her responsibility to apologize to people who aren't harmed by her, and it's not her responsibility to publicly criticize herself because you don't like her behavior. I am as repulsed as anyone by the hillbilly dipshit saga of the Palin clan, but at least I - and those of us on "the left", as you call it - don't pretend they have to hate themselves just to make us feel better.
ReplyDeleteIt's "too much to expect" anyone to live their lives according to your plans and prejudices. Not even the Palins deserve that. The only thing to be objected to is not the decision that Bristol Palin made, but that Sarah Palin has dedicated herself to making it illegal for others in the same situation to make their own decisions for themselves. We're perfectly happy to let them do what they want if they could see their way clear to returning the favor. What's tragic is that they, and you, see other people's problems not as other people's business but as excuses to meddle and make demands. Leave the Palins alone - and do the same for the rest of us.
McCain, for once, you and I agree.
ReplyDeleteSee my posting at my Blog, please.
Oh, come on! No, it is not necessary for her to proclaim a Mea Culpa. Or to wear an "I screwed Up!" tee-shirt. Or a scarlet letter. Her only responsibility here is to provide a better example. Real conservatives don't take lightly to folks telling them how to run their families. So lets let these young folks mature, and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds waaaaay too much like those "conservatives" that claimed the pregnancy should have been announced the same friggin' day the Governor was announced as running mate. Let's just be happy if the new baby's parents don't turn out to be family embarrassments like Billy Carter (or national embarrassments, like Jimmy Carter).
What is depressingly absent amidst all of the "prevent" talk, and even the occasional "mea culpa" is the positive statement about "This is why I am here, and this is what sexuality means."
ReplyDeleteBereft of positive statements, youth are left to assume the genitalia are just a video game in three dimensions.