Does Bristol Palin Matter?

[last1standing]

This is going to be a contentious question for DU until either Sarah Palin is dropped from the GOP ticket or the election is over. Some are always going to say that the children of politicians are "off the table" and some will dredge for every salacious tidbit they can in the attempt to hurt the other party.

But in this case, Bristol does matter specifically because she is a lesson for all of us, on the left and the right.

Bristol is a 17yo girl who wanted to live like any other young woman who falls in love or lust. She made a decision with her own body to experience sex and that is not a bad thing. Bristol did nothing wrong.

The problem is that it appears Bristol, and her boyfriend, did not use protection to avoid STDs, or in this case, an unwanted pregnancy. This young woman has decided to have the baby, so now there is about to be another teenaged mother in this world because of foolish choices.

And there lies the first lesson. Bristol had choices and made decisions because Democrats and progressives fought hard to ensure that Bristol would have the ability to take control of herself and her body.

But there is a second lesson to be learned her as well, and it is the most important one.

Bristol's parents taught her that sex before marriage is sinful. They taught her that the use of birth control is evil in the eyes of God. They gave Bristol no choices, she was to be abstinent only. She was supposed to suppress her feelings and bottle up her hormones. No exceptions.

Of course Bristol could not stop being a young woman and so she probably took the path of least resistance. She had sex but most likely did not use birth control. This is because republicans and reactionaries like her mother, Sarah Palin, are trying to take back the rights of women to control their own bodies and in the process are giving them false information, and even no information, to keep them from making intelligent decisions.

Because of this, Bristol will lose out on much of her youth as she is forced to marry someone she will most likely grow apart from and come to despise. She will never know what it's like to live on a college campus making new friends. She will never have the chance to grow into her own skin during these formative years.

So I do come down on the side of using Bristol Palin in this election, but let's do so in a way that actually helps.

Let's talk about how Sarah Palin's hateful message of repression hurts young women everywhere because Bristol will be better served and may one day be thankful if she is able to continue to grow in a country that tells her she is a valued, and equal, member of society, not in a country that calls her a whore.

[Stephist]

1. It's Not About Using Bristol Palin

It's about using Sarah Palin. pointing out the hypocrisy of everything she stands for. Pointing out how her own family the victim of her false beliefs. That seems so obvious to me. But I guess I am just some old nut who disgusts people.:o

[ben_meyers]

2. Did Cheney's lesbian daughter matter?

"We're all God's children, Bob, and I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was. She's being who she was born as. I think if you talk to anybody, it's not a choice."

Just substitute Palin for Cheney and slut for lesbian and you have a sly way to frame the debate.

Or maybe just leave the kids out of it.

[rasputin1952]

3. No...it's all about McCain/Palin...

not the kids.

[last1standing]

7. Even when there's concrete evidence that Palin's social beliefs are bad for the country?

I don't think we should attack Bristol, she's done nothing to warrant that. But I do believe that there is no alternative but to use her as an example of what happens when young men and women are not given the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions. Anything else is ignoring facts and hurting the American people.

On the other hand, I don't think Obama/Biden should bring it up. I just think we should not only discuss this amongst ourselves, but use it as a solid example of Palin's hypocrisy and lack of qualification.

[rasputin1952]

24. No matter how this is brought up, it will look like an attack...

especially after all of the nonsense concerning the allegation that Trig was the "love child born of incest" and all of that junk.

It would appear WE are the party obsessed w/sex and "degenerates" instead of the GOP which is truly obsessed w/all kinds of sexual "concerns.

IMO, let the thing go, it's a family matter, and if the GOP or Religious Right make excuses, just ask why is it "fine" for Palin, but not so for anyone else?

[trueblue2007]

4. YES

I think it matters when YOU SAY YOU STAND FOR SOMETHING....AND YOU TURN AROUND AND DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE.

Like my dad saying all the time to me: Do as I say...and not as I do


McCain and Palin are hypocrites. They don't stand for WHAT IS GOOD.
THEY ARE FAR AWAY FROM THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

[Avalux]

5. This is about Palin's judgement as a mother.

She chose to accept the VP spot knowing her 17 y/o daughter was pregnant and knowing that public acknowledgement would thrust that poor girl into the spotlight. It's hard enough being 17, but when you're 17 and pregnant, you need your mother.

Bristol's mother, instead of doing what was best for her daughter, decided to use the pregnancy for political gain.

Sarah Palin is a very selfish woman.

[ladywnch]

17. its about Palin's judgment PERIOD.....her pregnancy, her daughters pregnancy, etc

it's about MCCAIN'S JUDGMENT...so yes, it does matter. it shows a pattern of bad judgment and careless disregard for her family and country......ambition over all!!!!

[IndianaGreen]

6. No! My reproductive rights is what matters!

Shame on Sarah for doing this to her daughter.

[last1standing]

9. LOL! All these years I thought you were a guy.

It must be the avatar that threw me off. And yes, shame on Sarah Palin for robbing her daughter of her ability to make informed decisions with regards to her own body. That is the point we need to make to every parent.

A child cannot make good decisions based on ignorance.

[Alwayshere]

8. Yes

Republicans have us believe that "family values" matter. Let's make them matter then.

[Az]

10. Sex ed can be an issue but Bristol should not be directly targetted

Sorry but she did not sign on for this. Its her mother running as VP not Bristol. Hold her mother's feet to the fire concerning sex ed and how abstinence only does not work. There is no need to mention Bristol any further. Palin has no way to respond to this issue. We don't have to use Bristol. The damage has been done and we need not beat it directly any further.

[last1standing]

13. So you are against discussing the practical effects of Sarah Palin's repressive beliefs?

Sarah Palin is the issue here. She raised her children in ignorance and fear and this is what happened. Now she wants to force everyone else to raise their children in the same ignorance and fear. This will only compound the problem.

Yes, we need to beat this until a solid majority of the American populace openly states that they will never vote for such a hateful human being. If you choose not to do so, that's absolutely fine, but I will continue.

[Az]

18. Absitence only sex education does not work

The arguments can be made on either side and the simple statement that it doesn't work is enough to send her reeling on the subject. We don't need to stake her daughter out in front of her. We have the facts and numbers behind us and she has the shame and humiliation behind her. We simply do not need to raise her daughters name any longer. Her condition is no longer a secret. In fact the more we raise her name rather than the issues behind it the more we turn people against us.

This is about emotions rather than reason. The more we pound on the daughter the more sympathetic she becomes. And that causes backlash and inverts our efforts. If instead we simply back off on the daughter herself and pound on the abstinence only position that got her where she is in the first place we have a marvelous weapon to beat the candidates over the head with. One they cannot even defend themselves from.

[last1standing]

19. I think you're wrong.

And you think I'm wrong. Neither of us will change the other's mind so we should probably leave it at that.

Have a good night. :hi:

[Az]

20. I can live with that

I don't expect everyone to agree with me. It would make things tremendously boring. So you have a great night too. Rejoice... the GOP is imploding as we type. :party:

[MrModerate]

11. There is almost no way for Dems to directly talk about Bristol . . .

And not be seen (correctly, IMO) as bullies. While everything the OP said about the unwisdom of parents who think telling kids to keep their legs crossed actually works to avoid teen pregnancy may be true, anything the campaign does to speak to this directly in the person of this one young woman will lose us votes.

Let the amoral ghouls of the press drool all over the story. That does the lion's share of the consciousness raising that needs to be done.

[last1standing]

14. I would never suggest that the Obama/Biden campaign be a part of this.

That would be political suicide. However, I do think that we on the interwebs need to discuss this in a way that doesn't degrade or judge Bristol because her mother wants to force her ignorant views on all of us.

[MrModerate]

23. I agree. And one reason it's important to do so is that . . .

Many Obama supporters trend younger and more plugged into the interwebs. Also, potential supporters. If we can influence the frame here, we may do more good than we think.

At the same time, even in the rough-and-tumble we're used to, we need to be a little delicate and caring with this one.

[L. Coyote]

12. YES! Best dstraction since naked people.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/1/1829/47514

[last1standing]

15. I'm not so slow that I can only focus on one storyline at a time.

I don't believe the majority here are, either.

[L. Coyote]

16. That's good, because that analysis s complicated.

[DirtyBirdNorth]

21. The issue is Sarah Palin and..

John McCain willing to hide this issue from the American public just to win the election. The McCain campaign was ready and willing to keep this a secret, all the while hypocritically telling the American public that no sex ed in schools and abstinence was the way to go.

[Zookeeper]

22. My problem isn't with Bristol Palin; it's with her mother....

(and probably father), who is most likely forcing Bristol to marry an 18 year old boy who has these statements on his MySpace:

"I'm a f - - -in' redneck" who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes.

"But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- - - and just f - - -in' chillin' I guess."

"Ya f - - - with me I'll kick ass," he added.

He also claims to be "in a relationship," but states, "I don't want kids."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3901942&mesg_id=3901942

What I see is a parent who is likely forcing her child into a shotgun marriage, just to rescue her shot at becoming V.P. This level of selfish ambition would be equally reprehensible in a man.

Perhaps Sarah Palin feels that the sacrifice her children, and the people who will have to keep her family running for her, have to make is worth it so that she can grab the opportunity to push her RW Fundamentalist agenda. (I'm thinking Phylis Shafly had the same excuse while she told other women *they* should shut up and stay home.)

Whether it's callous ambition or the chance to be a RW Fundie crusader, Sarah Palin doesn't sound like someone I want anywhere near the White House.