Bristol Palin: That Ain't the Way You Treat Your Daughter
A word from a reader:
As a father and stepfather of two women, I just want to say that I am shocked that Sarah Palin and her husband would ask their 5-month pregnant teenage daughter to carry their baby around the convention hall for two nights. I don't know how much they love that little girl, but you can rest assured neither of my daughters would have ever been asked to carry around their baby brother to eleven o'clock under those conditions.
Nothing she has said or done in the past week says more about her and her husband's understanding about love and nurturing of one's own children. As a father of two wonderful mothers, I am outraged that anyone in today's society would treat their teenage daughter with such disrespect.
Perhaps they should take some time to do some meaningful sex education with their next oldest daughter, so she doesn't end up with a shot gun marriage like her mother and older sister.
Bob Keim
Nashville
Comments
As the father of eight daughters, I just want to say that you don't know what you're talking about.
a) Alaska time is -4 hours from MN, so the kids biological clocks were reading 7pm
b) what difference does it make?
c) are you implying that a pregnant woman should not be allowed to carry a baby? Do you think women are frail and need to be protected? such chivalry might be noble, but i'm doubtful that it was your motivation..
Posted 09/04/2008 at 06:18:45 PMrubbish
Or did I miss the electric collar and looming emotional abuse that Mrs. Palin uses to physicially and psychologically compel her daughter into this most unconscionable of toils---carrying her sibling.
Goodness, just think of all those callous pregnant women that endanger their unborn children by daring to rise out of bed in the morning. Don't they know that their incubator function trumps all other human activities?
Posted 09/04/2008 at 06:49:42 PMUh, Bob. As a woman who has actually been pregnant and actually given birth I am totally in agreement with you. What's more, anyone with eyes can look at the mortification on the poor girls face the night before her pregnancy was announced- that was the only night she had a blanket strategically draped over her. Carrying the baby around, dealing with the stress of being under a magnifying glass at a time when everything in your body is askew has to be a living nightmare. What's more, how exactly do you get an infant to sleep for hours without crying or getting fussy. In fact, how do you have a child in a colliseum with all that noise and hoopla sleeping peacefully for hours on end. The whole scenario is scary, and the only child who didn't look horrified (including Track) was Piper who seemed to be enjoying every minute of it. Perhaps she takes after her Mom.
Posted 09/04/2008 at 07:04:37 PMYou are right on, Bob. Adolescents of 17 and 18 need to be allowed to develop their own lives. As the recent research shows, their brains go through another significant change just like when they were toddlers, 2-5. To ask a very young woman who was very recently a child herself to give birth and nurture a baby is insane. Nature says do it but humans seem to be thoughtfully above some of the rest of the animal kingdom. She just becomes an other. And, yes, I've given birth and raised two children, a boy and girl. Children need focused parents who are helping them develop themselves, not using them for self-gratification.
Posted 09/04/2008 at 07:29:23 PM"In her first appearance with McCain, Palin told a cheering crowd: "I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere."
She sounded very different last year in announcing that the state would seek the most "fiscally responsible" alternative for providing easier access to the Ketchikan airport. Palin said not enough federal money was available to build the bridge.
"Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer," said Palin. "Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge betweekn Ketchikan and Gravina island."
"Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened."
The statement suggests that Palin is a pragmatic politician who knows when to fold 'em . . . not a crusader against pork barrel spending.
Indeed, the state of Alaska is continuing to construct a road on Gravina Island, ending at a deserted beach where the bridge would have been built. U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill. Money for the "access road" would have to be returned to the federal treasury if not spent.
Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein and Mike Elerding, a Republican who coordinated Palin's campaign in the Alaska Panhandle city, have voiced incredulity at her statements last week.
"People are learning that she pandered to us by saying, 'I'm for this' and then when she found it was politically advantageous for her nationally, abruptly she starts using the very term that she said was insulting," Weinstein told the press."
Posted 09/04/2008 at 07:49:16 PMShe's just bait and switch -- and one wonders why she's a Republican politician?!!! Remember a thousand points of light, no new taxes, no intervention in other countries issues? I think Republicans must do "on the job" training and most Americans just aren't paying attention or just have a 30 minutes TV show attention span. How do you spell "shallow" but snarky?
Posted 09/04/2008 at 08:15:39 PMLucinda Law is on the money. Bristol looked mortified on the day her mother's nomination was announced. I watched with my wife and daughter and we said, "What is she hiding? Why the blanket, the baby is wearing a diaper? Why does she look so sad?''
For Sarah Palin to parade her children around in such a fashion, then blame the media for bringing the kids into the politcal fray, is shameful
Posted 09/04/2008 at 09:23:48 PMObama paraded his kids around. He even had them talk during his speech. Why aren't we talking about that? They should be able to be their own people too.
Posted 09/05/2008 at 10:12:30 AMI'm not planning on voting for Palin and I don't agree with her politics, but it's possible the daughter wanted to carry the brother to hide that she is starting to look pregnant. This is before the pregnancy story broke and it's a good way to hide it.
Not necessarily this innocent, but it IS possible.
Posted 09/06/2008 at 02:02:50 PMUh...as a woman whose given birth twice, this article is RUBBISH. A pregnant woman can lift up to 25 pounds without fear of harming her unborn child, providing there are no difficulties. I was pregnant with my 2nd lugging my two year old around and I was just fine.
Sueeey: I don't think Bristol was asked to get pregnant. She chose to do that all on her own. I hope your not suggesting that she should be allowed to abort the baby? Why would you put that kind of guilt on a young woman? Many if not most women who've had abortions suffer from horrible guilt years after the procedure. I can't imagine the harm it would do to Bristol, aside from the fact that it's murder.
You guys are really reaching. It's actually quite comical at this point.
Posted 09/07/2008 at 02:42:16 AMYes, I am prochoice but I would not tell anyone else what to do about their pregnancy. If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one. Until you've actually been pregnant, and still for some, it's merely something that the adults told you would happen as a result of having unprotected sex. And unless a boy/man has a paternity test, it's still not necessarily the result of his activity in his mind. But, since at least 25% of first term pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion, I guess in your opinion those pregnancies are OK to be ended because Mother Nature or god or something made that choice.
Posted 09/07/2008 at 08:48:14 AMI beleieve this Pregnancy is the Palin's business and NOT the NATIONS.. But aside from that what is the big deal about Bristol holding her brother?? Maybe she loves him dearly has a bond with him and wanted to hold him, by her choice that is, Ever think of that? Holding a child while pregnant isn't going to cause any harm to the baby unless your at high risk.. So these women that already have children and get pregnant again shouldn't hold or pick their other children up now that's ridiculous. Also there are sometimes when once in awhile your out late with your children not that you intentionally meant to be but does that make you UNFIT PARENTS BECAUSE THAT HAPPENED? doesn't mean they are out with the little guy that late every night or repeat this on a regular basis!!!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 06:11:14 PMSueyy: I believe you misunderstood what Maddie was saying.
I beleieve this Pregnancy is the Palin's business and NOT the NATIONS.. But aside from that what is the big deal about Bristol holding her brother?? Maybe she loves him dearly has a bond with him and wanted to hold him, by her choice that is, Ever think of that? Holding a child while pregnant isn't going to cause any harm to the baby unless your at high risk.. So these women that already have children and get pregnant again shouldn't hold or pick their other children up now that's ridiculous. Also there are sometimes when once in awhile your out late with your children not that you intentionally meant to be but does that make you UNFIT PARENTS BECAUSE THAT HAPPENED? doesn't mean they are out with the little guy that late every night or repeat this on a regular basis!!!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 06:11:42 PMSueyy: I believe you misunderstood what Maddie was saying.
No, I didn't misunderstand Maddie and yes, I'm prochoice for everyone. And, no, I would not tell anyone else what to do.
And the pregnancy is not Sarah's business but her daughter's. Sarah's business was advising her daughter about how one gets pregnant and what behavior to avoid. Sarah is not now the person in charge but her daughter who will shortly be the mother of a very dependent infant looking to her parents, not yet legally committed to that relationship, to lead her or him. Women/girls all over the world of very young ages are caring for their undernourished and starving children. This is the image that comes to me about prolife, not Sarah's daughter, Bristol, or her newborn brother who will be beloved and cared for in the USA, especially now since they are the "cause" of the campaign.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 09:59:16 PMWouldn't that be Sarah's business too, since that is her minor child ( Bristol) that is pregnant?
I agree Sarah should never of told the nation about HER FAMILY AFFAIRS OR BUSINESS.. But it is her business when her minor child became pregnant. and I believe that we all need to drop it and let the Palin family deal with it on their on without the interference of the Nation.
Undernourished and starving children? So just because you get pregnant at a young age your child will starve is that what your saying?
because my children are fine and believe me they aren't starving nor are they undernourished and I had 2 children by the time I was 17.
But my husband stood by me and helped with them
but that's what a real man/father would do is help the mother. but you don't think Sarah will help Bristol with the baby and would leave her grandchild starve? that's just insane if somebody could actually think that way.
You do have very good points but my one and only point is " It's NOT OUR BUSINESS" and if you think so could you please care to explain how this is any of our BUSSINESS???
Posted 09/10/2008 at 05:51:25 PMIt wasn't our business but they made it everyone's business. The McCain campaign put out the press release and then they were very front and center on the stage at the convention. If you don't want the American public looking in your bedroom, email and credit card expenses, don't run for office. She is not the first, the only or the last one who has been targeted. It's part of the game and Sarah Palin is a very competitive player.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 08:47:52 PM