Comments on: Bristol Palin: GOP Abstinence Ambassador? http://www.smugbaldy.com/2009/05/08/bristol-palin-gop-abstinence-ambassador/ It's hard to think when you're not used to it. Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:42:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Smug Baldy http://www.smugbaldy.com/2009/05/08/bristol-palin-gop-abstinence-ambassador/comment-page-1/#comment-4063 Smug Baldy Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:31:10 +0000 http://www.smugbaldy.com/?p=365#comment-4063 I suppose that the irony that struck me was that Ms. Palin is a high profile example of the abject failure of Abstinence Only Education as policy, and yet she's now a spokesperson for it. Clearly, abstaining from sex is one way to keep from having lots of negative consequences - especially if you're young. But some of the items you list, Leona, such as broken or faulty condoms, or birth control that fails point to the need for adequate education about these methods for those millions of Bristols out there that don't abstain. For example, it's well known that condoms are highly effective against the spread of many STDs, it's also demonstrable fact that condoms rarely fail and are rarely defective. Of course, they need to be used correctly - and I think it's the responsibility of anyone who is choosing to be sexually active to know how to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and STDs. According to a recent study - the proportion of sexually active teens has been trending downward between 1992 and 2002, although there has been a recent uptick in teen pregnancy - which some attribute in part to a couple "pregnant celebrity teens" like Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears: <blockquote>It's not yet clear why the percentage of teen births has begun to climb again, Manlove said, although she agrees that massive coverage of celebrity teen moms like Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears could be one factor. "There has been a lot of media attention given to pregnant teens. You can't underestimate the power of the media."</blockquote> (source: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE54S4T120090529) I suppose that the irony that struck me was that Ms. Palin is a high profile example of the abject failure of Abstinence Only Education as policy, and yet she’s now a spokesperson for it.

Clearly, abstaining from sex is one way to keep from having lots of negative consequences – especially if you’re young. But some of the items you list, Leona, such as broken or faulty condoms, or birth control that fails point to the need for adequate education about these methods for those millions of Bristols out there that don’t abstain. For example, it’s well known that condoms are highly effective against the spread of many STDs, it’s also demonstrable fact that condoms rarely fail and are rarely defective. Of course, they need to be used correctly – and I think it’s the responsibility of anyone who is choosing to be sexually active to know how to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and STDs. According to a recent study – the proportion of sexually active teens has been trending downward between 1992 and 2002, although there has been a recent uptick in teen pregnancy – which some attribute in part to a couple “pregnant celebrity teens” like Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears:

It’s not yet clear why the percentage of teen births has begun to climb again, Manlove said, although she agrees that massive coverage of celebrity teen moms like Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears could be one factor. “There has been a lot of media attention given to pregnant teens. You can’t underestimate the power of the media.”

(source: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE54S4T120090529)

]]> By: Leona Bushman http://www.smugbaldy.com/2009/05/08/bristol-palin-gop-abstinence-ambassador/comment-page-1/#comment-4061 Leona Bushman Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:27:25 +0000 http://www.smugbaldy.com/?p=365#comment-4061 I'm a sci-fi author, so maybe I'm not one to talk about speaking on things you have never experienced, but it seems to me like Miss Palin is the perfect person to speak about abstinence. She has the proof of what kind of problems happen when you don't. She can speak to how hard the consequences are if you don't listen to your parents and wait for sex. Broken condemns, faulty condemns, birth control that fails for whatever reason, abstinence is still the best policy. She is proof as to how her mistake can affect the whole family. She went against her family's teachings and yet it is her mother who is condemned for being a hypocrite because her daughter made a mistake or, if not a mistake, a choice to live her own life by her own standards and not her mother's. keep up the good work Bristol. Our daughters need to see that it's hard even for those who are not from impoverished families. Leona Bushman I’m a sci-fi author, so maybe I’m not one to talk about speaking on things you have never experienced, but it seems to me like Miss Palin is the perfect person to speak about abstinence. She has the proof of what kind of problems happen when you don’t. She can speak to how hard the consequences are if you don’t listen to your parents and wait for sex. Broken condemns, faulty condemns, birth control that fails for whatever reason, abstinence is still the best policy.

She is proof as to how her mistake can affect the whole family. She went against her family’s teachings and yet it is her mother who is condemned for being a hypocrite because her daughter made a mistake or, if not a mistake, a choice to live her own life by her own standards and not her mother’s.

keep up the good work Bristol. Our daughters need to see that it’s hard even for those who are not from impoverished families.

Leona Bushman

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