We have stayed away from talking about the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter because it didn't seem particularly relevant to her mother running for Vice-President. That was before we read an article by Associated Press writer, Sharon Theimer. Her article is titled "McCain Fought Money on Teen Sex Programs" and was put out by the AP on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. In the article, Theimer wrote the following:
Republican John McCain, whose running mate disclosed that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter is pregnant, has opposed proposals to spend federal money on teen-pregnancy prevention programs and voted to require poor teen mothers to stay in school or lose their benefits.
The article goes on to explain that not only does McCain oppose such programs, but so does Sarah Palin. This is from Theimer's article:
McCain's record on issues surrounding teen pregnancy and contraceptives during his more than two decades in the Senate indicates that he and Palin have similar views. Until Monday, when the subject surfaced in a deeply personal manner, teen pregnancy and sex education were not issues in the national political campaign.
Palin herself said she opposes funding sexual-education programs in Alaska.
"The explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support," she wrote in a 2006 questionnaire distributed among gubernatorial candidates.
Conservatives often say that parents, not the government, should be the ones to educate their children about the consequences of having sex before marriage. They are absolutely right. In an ideal world, every parent would sit down and rationally discuss sex with their children, and parents would give their children comprehensive sex education. Here's the problem: A lot of parents don't do it. A lot of parents are embarassed to have such discussions with their children. The result is too many teen pregnancies, and too many children raising children.
Allowing schools and other governmental agencies to educate teens about contraception is not condoning teen-age sexuality, it is realizing that someone has to provide such information. So, the question is, was such information provided in the Palin household, or did the parents just pray that their daughter knew not to engage in premaritial sex and hope for the best?
1 comment:
Oh come on. Where have the rules/morals gone? Now it's the rule vs. the exception to it?
Next...this will be the new fad. All the teens will get pregnant to be the "All American Family"?
God help us. Values have plummeted over night.
Like I asked a family member recently whom is always speaking of the "anti Christ to come"...are you sure it isn't a woman?
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