Bristol Palin is 17 and Pregnant — But is it Our Business to Know?

September 2, 2008     Posted in News

bristol-palin-baby-pregnant-sister-teen-vl-vertical.jpgIn case your first days back to campus have left you too shell shocked to turn on the news, let me inform you that the biggest thing to hit the media in the last two days besides hurricane Gustav is the fact that Sarah Palin’s 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.


By Jess

The McCain camp is claiming they came out with the news because people all over the web were speculating (for some reason) that Palin’s newborn son was actually Bristol’s baby…and Palin was covering up some kind of horrible scandal. In an attempt to quiet people down, however, McPalin have only blown on the embers of the political rumor mill.

Now, it’s pretty obvious that some of us at CC are wary of Creationist and polar-bear-ignoring Palin, but after hearing report upon report about how a 17-year-old unwed mother spells trouble for the highly conservative Republican ticket, I can’t help but feel conflicted.  When it comes to going after Palin and her family; is all fair in love and politics?

Last night, Obama was quoted as saying “People’s families are off limits,” and from a personal stand point, I agree with him.  But in an age where we know the gritty details of celebrity love triangles and weight battles, isn’t it kind of naive to think that the media would leave Washington’s most famous alone?

Right now, America is totally obsessed with teenagers, and when a Conservative like Palin has a daughter who seemingly goes against her mother’s teachings and gets pregnant, doesn’t it make complete sense that the media will pounce and tear the story limb from limb?  It’s controversy!  It’s Right vs real.  It’s the “don’t have sex until you’re married” viewpoint once again smashed against “teach teenagers how to have safe sex.”  Lindsay Lohan isn’t doing anything weird or slutty so we have to turn our feelers toward whatever sordid story we can — and Bristol Palin had the unfortunate timing of getting pregnant before her mom got the biggest career boost of her life.

What do you think, lovely readers?  Does the media need to back off the families of politicians?  Is it none of our business?  Or is thrusting yourself into the limelight acknowledging that it’s open season on everything that was once private?

20 Comments on "Bristol Palin is 17 and Pregnant — But is it Our Business to Know?"

  1. Elizabeth - Baruch C says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 200810:41 am 

    I personally feel as though the drama with Bristol goes beyond the media dragging Palin's family through the mud. One of her own most controversial issues that she has made public has been her extreme stance on abortion. Do you think that Bristol felt as though birth control, or god forbid, abortion, were options in a home like hers? I somehow doubt it. I somehow bet she was taught abstinence and abstinence alone and highlighting the pregnancy of her teenage daughter, I feel, is drawing attention to a problem (teenage pregnancy) that will only be on the rise if someone of her extreme ethics is elected into office.

  2. Hmm.. says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 200811:34 am 

    Families should be off limits, but let's face it – that's not going to happen anytime soon. Michelle Obama has faced the same kind of scrutiny and her past put under a microscope. So it really isn't all that surprising, or unfair in the realm of media, that Bristol's unfortunate circumstances are being brought to light.

    And does it even matter that she's pregnant? I'd say yes. Americans want to be represented by respectable people with respectable families – and being 17 with a child just isn't that.

  3. Hilary says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 200812:10 pm 

    I agree that families are off-limits, but there are special times when it's relevant to talk about them if it relates to the politician. The girl herself is not under fire personally, and shouldn't be. It's her mother.

    Like said before, this girl probably didnt have the option (even in her mind) of birth control because of her mother's strict (narrow minded) view of sex. Palin believes in abstinence-only education. Obviously this didnt work for HER OWN DAUGHTER. And now she's forcing (i'm guessing) this poor girl to marry this hick boyfriend just because she's preggo?

    This would not have happened if she had proper sex education, and if it HAD happened, at least she would have more ways to deal with it than YOU MUST MARRY HIM AND BE MISERABLE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE YOU SHAMEFUL CHILD. I dont understand the stubburn and ignorant views that this mother has…

  4. Kat says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 200812:59 pm 

    Where to begin? I actually applaud Palin for coming out and saying she is going to support and love Bristol through her pregnancy. We don't know what their family life is like and can only go by what Palin's stances are in the political world so lets not jump to conclusions about whether or not Palin is forcing her daughter to get married and have this child. It is very likely that Bristol, being 17 (and in most states a LEGAL ADULT) has already made these decisions for herself and understands that she needs to suffer the consequences of (obviously) having unprotected sex (whether or not she believed in or was taught abstinence only education). Getting pregnant, whether you are on birth control or using condoms, is still a possibility when you have sex, it's just the risk you take when you decide to engage in that. Teenagers (even the ones who are taught abstinence only) are not stupid, they understand what will happen if they don't use protection and have sex ESPECIALLY 17 year olds.

    On another note, we are all human, we make mistakes and SHOULD deal with our consequences like adults when we have unprotected sex. To be honest and in my opinion, abortion should only be an option if you are raped or molested and should NOT be used as a means of birth control. SO with that said I think what Brisol is doing is the right thing to do.

    And I don't think these politicians families should be in the spot light. It's not about them anyways its about the person we want to run the country and where they stand on issues and how they are going to change America.

  5. Stephanie says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 20083:41 pm 

    …Well little kids are off limits.

    But at the same time..you’re not exactly a little kid well you decide to have sex and get pregnant. Don’t do things that would put you in the limelight like that and you’ll be fine. I feel like the American public does deserve to know..in a way the Presidential hopefuls and their families should be “the” families to look up to. . Having a pregnant 17 year old just does not send a good message to the American public..

  6. jes says:
    Tue, 2nd Sep 20086:59 pm 

    Yeah well I hardly think that the poor girl getting pregnant at 17 is as shameful as the fact that McCain deserted his first beauty-queen wife after her crippling accident when he got back from POW camp, and cheated on her for months with Ms. Cindy before finally begging his former (then fat and wheelchaired) wife Carol for a divorce. (After she sat and waited, with his child, for him to be released for 5 years.)

    What a prick.

    Those are some REAL morals to shake at Obama.

  7. jes says:
    Wed, 3rd Sep 200812:00 am 

    I almost cried when I found out about that.

    Shit like that breaks my heart… that poor woman.

    :(

  8. Cecca says:
    Wed, 3rd Sep 20081:22 am 

    I feel for Bristol, and I agree that the campaigns shouldn’t be talking about it, but it would be hopelessly naive to believe that the media’s not going to go after this. And considering Palin’s stance on abstinence-only education and her intensely anti-choice rhetoric, it’s a point that Palin needs to address. I don’t think that Brisol needs to be dragged into the spotlight, but I believe that Palin needs to be questioned on her beliefs/ideals concerning reproductive health and the justice of withholding vital health information from teens. I went to schools with abstinence-only programs, and if I had a dollar for every time I’d heard a harmful bit of misinformation coming from a classmate, I’d probably be able to pay my college tuition.

    And finally on the “children are a consequence of having pregnancy and people need to deal with the fallout of their decisions” mentality: If I hear one more person describe children as a “consequence,” I will punch something. Children should not be a punishment, they should be a gift. If you are in a position where all a child can be to you is a consequence, then you need to not be raising children. Not all people find themselves immediately able to embrace the “joys of having a child” and the “beauty of childbirth.” While teen mothers should not be looked down upon for their choice to keep their children and begin families, women who choose to give children up for adoption or choose to abort for whatever reason should not be looked down upon, either. Though all of us have the equipment for making babies, not everyone has the desire to raise them.

  9. Kat says:
    Wed, 3rd Sep 20086:20 am 

    jes, I know! I read about that too and it's really sad :( .

    Cecca, I'm sorry I didn't mean for my comment to come out as children are a consequence. What I meant was getting pregnant is a risk you take when you have sex. My main point was to say that when you mutually consent to have sex with another person and get pregnant that you should be able to handle having a child and not use abortion as a means of birth control (or a way out). I think adoption is a wonderful thing for some people and a very selfless thing for a young adult mother to do if she is not able to take care of her child but wants to make sure that the child gets a good home and is brought up right. I think having children is a blessing and a lovely thing. The child is not the consequence but getting pregnant because you had unprotected sex is.

    haha sorry such long posts. I've been feeling very opinionated lately :-P

  10. Lissa says:
    Wed, 3rd Sep 200811:07 am 

    It’s great her family supports her to keep the baby. A parent’s responsibility is to love their children no matter what! However it isn’t really respectable to be pregnant at such a young age. I think it is funny that Sarah Palin does not believe in sex education and then her daughter gets pregnant. Well, maybe this will helpt her to get realistic. Abstinence and sex ed should both be taught. Abstinence is ideal but unfortunately it is not practical. I don’t think Sarah Palin is a bad mom. You can try to instill your values into your children but you can not be with them all the time. They make decisions for themselves that you may not always agree with. This is life. The Republicans can cry fowl that this is getting a lot of attention, but the same thing would be happening if it were a Democrat. John McCain brought it on himself when he chose Sarah Palin as he knew her daughter was pregnant. I believe he thinks it will bring him more votes. I think that is pretty cold and I hope it does not work.

  11. thinkharder says:
    Wed, 3rd Sep 200811:55 pm 

    what a slut! Palin has such a messed up family, but it is not surprising anyway. Those "model" replication families try to show the world a perfect image, but every one of them has skeletons in their closet. Sarah Palin looks slutty to me, she is the typical kind that sleep her way to the top (I know plenty of her type at work). What is her talent? What is her education background? did she even have any professional degrees? Just saying tough things does not make her a valid. She is preaching family values, now she has this confirmed slut daughter. I am sure they will force her to get married, poor girl and the poor boy. What a messed up party, what a messed up family!

  12. Kat says:
    Thu, 4th Sep 20086:10 am 

    thinkharder, maybe you really should THINK HARDER about what you write because all of what you just said sounded unintelligent and since you are criticizing Sarah Palin because you don't think she is educated enough you should take your own advice and learn how to string along an intelligent comment.

  13. Court says:
    Thu, 4th Sep 20087:23 pm 

    i think people's children should be off limits. everyone else is fair game lol

  14. noreen says:
    Thu, 4th Sep 20087:24 pm 

    has anyone realized if sarah palin or thought that possibly she is still able to give birth to other children and that a down syndrome child requires around the clock care and love from her mother. what happens to her family if she isn't there personally to help on a regular basis. I guess she feels USA comes first !

  15. Liz2 says:
    Fri, 5th Sep 200812:10 pm 

    Oh geeze, girls. This isn't the place to bag on either of the families- just answer the freakin question and move on, *cough jes and noreen cough*

    This ISN'T the place to post crap about either candidate either. It asked specific questions, which were to be answered. Period. So here's my response-

    IT DEPENDS. Yes, we need to know about the families, but NOT to such extremes (i.e. tabloids).

    What her daugher has and hasn't done is her business, not the worlds. And, just so this sentence is noticed, I will put it in all caps- WHO HASN'T MADE SOME STUPID MISTAKES AT SOME POINT IN THEIR YOUNG LIFE? I made a lot of them when I was around her age, and I have since then done a 180 and straightened out without permanent scars, BUT- sometimes I am still reminded of what I've done in the past.

    IMAGINE the trauma to poor miss Bristol when she hears anyone or any big-shot news anchor or sees a headline of some newspaper proclaiming BRISTOL IS PREGNANT, OMG. I'm sure that's helping her a lot. Not. So if you've never screwed something up in your life, go ahead and bag on Bristol. If you have, then clam it!

  16. jes says:
    Fri, 5th Sep 20083:59 pm 

    *cough* Liz2 *cough* "fuck off"

    It's pathetic to get upset over an internet post. It's called a blog, you can post what ever the hell you feel like, so chill.

    You can't really tell anyone what to do or say, and I think you are taking other people's comments on here way too personally, possibly because you're looking to make someone wrong, and yourself therefore in the right.

    Go do some yoga, geez…

    It isn't always about arguing with other people and asserting that your beliefs are more correct than theirs.

  17. Inness says:
    Sat, 6th Sep 200811:12 pm 

    I don't think Sarah Palin's family should be off limits because, were she in charge, nothing about our families would be off limits to her.

    Palin says Bristol made the "choice" to keep the baby. If Palin had her way, we wouldn't have that choice in the same situation. The government would make it for us.

  18. sara says:
    Mon, 8th Sep 20081:48 pm 

    Thinkharder:

    "She is preaching family values, now she has this confirmed slut daughter"

    A 17 year old girl getting pregnant does not mean she is a slut. Maybe it was just an accident, or who knows, it could have been a cry for her mother's attention. The fact is we just don't KNOW the facts, and if she and her boyfriend had a baby that doesn't make her a slut.

    As far as the media getting involved in the candidate's personal lives, I think it is absolutely necessary. The American public should be able to make informed decisions about who they are voting for to lead them for the next 4 years. Obviously I don't think the media needs to take this to the extreme- I don't think the Bristol situation is a "scandal" but I DO think that this reflects a bit on Sarah Palin. Palin's family situation perfectly illustrates what WOULD (not might) happen to many American families should she be elected, based on her view that abortion should be completely eradicated, even in cases of rape. According to abortionno.org, in 1996 (most recent I saw) there were 1.37 million abortions. Think what would have happened if abortion were not an option for these 1.37 million cases- while people might have been more careful, the number of abortions is nonetheless enormous. Just something to consider.

    Back to the whole media-scrutinizing-families thing, the public has a right to know details about the people they are electing. I'm trying to keep this post objective, but just as an example lets look at Obama. He has a stable family situation, with a wife and I believe a daughter..? Anyways, my point is, would you look at him differently if he had 6 divorced wives and 2 sons out of wedlock? OF COURSE YOU WOULD! We as US citizens expect reassurance that the presidents, VPs, congressmen and women, etc. that we elect have stable family situations themselves, before we put them in control of even more people, say like, a country.

  19. Genevieve says:
    Tue, 9th Sep 20084:06 pm 

    Family should not be off-limits, in fact, nothing should. For some reason, we seem to think that what Paris Hilton ate for lunch is our business, and if that's so, this is DEFINITELY our business. If you're going to take any public office, it's expected that your personal life will be scrutinized. It's common knowledge. I want to be as informed as possible, not just about the position each candidate takes on the important issues, but how they handle personal issues as well. What if her daughter had gotten an abortion? What would the public be saying? Would they still be concerned about digging too far into her personal life? Probably not. They'd most likely be more focused on the fact that Palin was a hypocrite. I'm not saying it's fair, I'm saying it's too be expected.

  20. Blossom says:
    Thu, 18th Sep 20085:39 am 

    only the person in question is our business, and maybe not even then…….

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