The Palin Saga: An Attack On Motherhood?
Well, it's hard not to snicker and find humor. The governor looks like Tina Fey, so the sketch could write itself. Kind of a Clampett’s comes to the White House and since Palin is a hunter the family can even have a shot gun wedding. Crabmommy had a good post on the comedic side of "choice."
It's so ugly and sexist what is going on? My husband said, "the Democrats have to be careful or it will seem like they are attacking motherhood." Obama's statement almost made me cry when he said that families should be off limits and that this was a nonissue. "My mom had me when she was 18," Obama said. Yeah, and look how badly he turned out.
Other pundits, talk show host, columnists have been very mean about Palin and her family. If I hear one more woman say that she shouldn't be vice president because she can't take care of her kids I will scream. NO ONE says that about a male politician. Say she shouldn't be VP because she is anti choice, thinks global warming isn't man made, has no foreign policy experience, in other words issue that are relevant to the work, but don't piss on working moms. The only "oh my " to come out of this is that Palin opposed sexual education in schools.
I do think they shouldn't pick on the kid, or hold Palin to a higher standard of parenting then a male politician. But, between Jamie Lynn Spears and this soap opera in Alaska I fear an over glorification of teen pregnancies will be the aftermath. Teen mothers and their children have a brutal economic hole to dig themselves out of.
This from G-CAPP:
“The poverty rate for children born to teen mothers who have never married and have not graduated from high school is 78 percent.”
Now, I'm all for sex-ed. I was raised in a school where in 4th grade we were practicing putting a diaphragm in a plastic vagina as part of our sex-ed. I think condoms should be passed on street corners. I would take to the streets to protect Roe V. Wade, or if outlawed help ferry women to a country that would perform a DNC (not the convention, the procedure). If this Christian family believes that they can handle whatever life brings them, Down Syndrome or a teen mom, then leave this family alone.
as a working mom, i too feel like a traitor when i make remarks about her parenting. but i hold men to those standards too.
and let's face it, the woman just gave birth to a down syndrome child 4 months ago. the right to lifers are praising her family values. meanwhile how much attention can either she OR her husband give this infant if they are on the campaign trail.
and how about mr. 18 year old new daddy? does he have any say in the direction is life is going to take?
off limits my… well you know what i mean.
Well, here comes me and my big 'ole 2 cents. Mother Margaret make a pot of coffee - it's gonna be a long winded one. (lol)
I like something I heard yesterday and I'd like to share with this crowd. When it come to THIS 17 year old unwed pregnant young lady it truly is NONE of my business. She's made a decision with the backing of a loving family and I pray it all works well for them. What IS MY business is the 17 yr old unwed young lady that gets pregnant, and expects my tax dollars to pay for the prenatal care, the birth, the formula/food etc, and all the medical care for up to 5-6 years. Once she's mastered the system, turns around and does it multiple times. Oh, and then the tax dollars to go after the dead beat dad for child support and the cost of his incarceration when he doesn't pay up…..I think you get the point.
The media has gone nuts with this story, which like the Spears kid, somewhat glorifies it to some of these gals. Or at the very least has been so blown up that they might perceive a false sense of "if it turned out ok for her, it should be ok for me" mythology.
I for one, definately agree with sex education. When I was in school I also had to take a child development class. But I also certainly do not think that because her mother was too busy being the Governor/working that had some impact on this child going out and getting pregnant. She made a conscience choice and now has some conscience consequences. The media needs to drop it, they are handling things the way the see best and it doesn't affect any of us.
I came from a middle class, Southern Baptist, mother stayed at home with the kids family and was sexually educated. Educated enough to get pregnant at 16. I took responsibility for my actions and handled it with my then boyfriend and we made decisions that were right for us at the time at no expense to anyone but ourselves.
End of rant **passes around plate of pound cake to go with your coffee**
love to have a pot of coffee with you anytime. I love to hear what everyone thinks. the only thing is Palin is a big social spending conservative. she line item vetoed funding for a home for unwed mothers in Alaska. Which is consistent with being a hard ass, but if the goal is to support woman who don't have abortions I don't think it's wise. And since today it was announced we are sending 1 billion dollars to Georgia ( the country) not to mention all the billions we send to Iraq, a few bucks for some pregnant girls doesn't seem too much to ask.
When they say she can't do the job and take care of her kids too, well yes that's wrong, because they never do say that about men. No one assumes the man will change every diaper.
BUT. While Bristol herself didn't ask for this kind of scrutiny (and I really do feel for her), it's tricky to say family is off-limits. You don't get to use the kids when you want to, and throw them out of the ring when it's no longer convenient. Palin agreed to involve her kids when she agreed to the whole thing, to the Republican angle that she a wife mother etc etc. If it was only about her political career and abilities (ha) then they should've led with that.
Also, she's basically proven that her way, abstinence-only education, doesn't work. And, maybe she's not a very good leader. How's it working in your house, Ms Palin?
And finally - I cannot believe the hypocrisy of the Republicans with this "support the teenage mother it's a blessing" bullshit.
well, the abstinence only has always been a joke as it flies in the face, of what, gee what was that? Oh, yeah HUMAN NATURE. I hear you Beth. Course they all trot the kids out.
Instead of criticizing women for having career aspirations — at whatever level — let's ask that men step in and do their fair share of the work raising kids. Let's start teaching our boys and girls that women can grow up to be CEOs and Presidents and still have a full and satisfying home life. Since 93% of women will have to work in their lifetime, let's stop judging women for wanting that work to be meaningful and fulfilling.
**Barb gets extra pound cake**