According to the latest reports and campaign statements, Trig, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, is Sara Palin’s child. It should be noted that Down’s Syndrome is more prevalent in children who are born to mothers over the age of 35 (iirc). However, Palin’s 17 year old daughter is pregnant, but plans to keep the child and marry the father (no age given). While it is to Miss Palin’s credit that she plans to keep the child and marry the father, those circumstances will not make the marriage easy for either parent.

pd

Pilt –

I was glad to read your comments this morning. I never took you for just another “slime merchant” who does their business on the “blogosphere”. I’m not sure I buy the “Bush made me do it” explanation, but I believe you’re sincere in your regret and look forward to squaring off against you (on the merits of the candidates!) as the campaign continues to unfold.

Thank you for re-establishing my faith in blogging.

The Gentleman From Pennsylvania

Three quick points, pd:

1) As for the abstinence issue, read my response to Blackrobe below.

2) “Arranged marriage”? Are we in India? I personally know several couples who faced situations extremely similar to Bristol Palin’s (child at a young age, marriage, etc.). Those couples remain happily married and their families are intact. Was it necessarily easy from them? Not at all, but their love for each other and their children provided the strength to survive through the tough times. They may not live “comfortably”, as defined by some, but they feel they have everything they need and are happy. Who, in their right mind, would take issue with that?

3) Yes, some Republicans do indeed look down upon unmarried women who give birth out of wedlock. Privately, so do a lot of Democrats that I know. As I said to Blackrobe, ignorance doesn’t know a party. I don’t agree with those Republicans who would cut food stamps and some other forms of aid to young mothers. Bristol Palin is lucky to have a lot of support behind her. Many young women faced with the same situation unfortunately don’t have the same type of network behind them. It takes much more than federal, state, and local government programs to raise a child, but it makes the process a little easier. I personally believe “pro-life” should mean “whole-life”. The support and care for poor young women and their children shouldn’t end at birth. That doesn’t mean a free ride, but it means government should stand beside those women in a time of need.

Its time for KP’s big guns to cool off.

Blackrobe –

Since you’re hell-bent on making Bristol Palin a political issue, let’s have at it.You seem intent on imparting the sins of the daughter onto the mother, in an effort to gain nothing more than political advantage. Sad, yet somehow predictable. So let’s play this situation out. First, we have no clue what Bristol’s personal values are. While her mother may believe in abstinence, Bristol may not. Governor Palin’s political opponents will endlessly point to her daughter’s pregnancy as evidence of hypocrisy, but that only holds water if Bristol shares her mother’s values and beliefs. We simply don’t know if that’s the case. In addition, we don’t know what the circumstances of the pregnancy were. Without going into detail, we simply don’t know if Bristol and her boyfriend’s contraception failed, or if they used any, and in any event, I’m not sure it really matters. I’m guessing Governor Palin wasn’t thrilled when she learned of her daughter’s pregnancy, but the Palins accepted what they probably viewed as their daughter’s mistake in engaging in pre-marital sex and are offering Bristol nothing but love and support. While they may not approve of Bristol’s behavior, the Palins accept Bristol as she is (and will welcome her child with open arms), which is the essence of being a Christian.

Blackrobe, you obviously see a political payday in all of this, but I’m afraid you’re greatly mistaken. To generalize a bit, people are imperfect. Nobody realizes this more than (dare I say it) Christians. Yes, some Christians are extremely judgmental. However, I’ve come across quite a few secular liberals who would give those Christians a run for their money in that department. Ignorance doesn’t recognize parties or religious affiliation. In my opinion, a true Christian “hates the sin, yet loves the sinner”. Just because Bristol Palin went against her mother’s value system shouldn’t mean Governor Palin loses the right to advocate for what she views as the “ideal”, which she believes is abstinence. A quick sidenote here: many who believe in abstinence don’t have their heads in the clouds concerning teenage sex. Kids are intrigued by sex. Most of us were growing up. Everybody realizes this. Does that mean we should do everything in our power to push them down the premarital sex road? Personally, my philosophy is “Don’t do it, but if you are going to do it, use effective contraception and accept the consequences of your choices”. For all we know, that is exactly what Governor Palin told her daughter. You shouldn’t be so quick in throwing around the “hypocrisy” label when you have no clue as to precisely what the Palins told their children about sex. The bottom line is that Bristol Palin and her soon-to-be husband made a choice and are living up to the responsibilities of that choice and the entire Palin family will offer their unconditional love and support. Period.