The American Spectator

daddio| 2.17.09 @ 2:20PM

If it's a "been there, done that, don't do what I did" kind of way, she might have something to offer. She's right, though, preaching abstinence only works part of the time. Nothing can stop two determined teenagers. (Short of a bucket of cold water). Maybe there is something to be said for reality based sex ed. Not just saying no, or merely passing out condoms and pills (which is just like saying-go for it!)

JP| 2.17.09 @ 4:02PM

"She's right, though, preaching abstinence only works part of the time. Nothing can stop two determined teenagers."

Of course there are plenty of things. For the male start with:

1)Fear of the law (esp if the girl is underage)
2)Fear of the father (and his shotgun)
3)Fear of being forced into a "shotgun marriage", and having to raise a family at the age of 19.
4)If you are Catholic -fear of eternal dammnation

For the girl:
1)Fear of the father
2)Fear of dishonoring the family
3)fear of STDs
4)Fear of getting pregneant
5)If you are Catholic, fear of etnernal dammnation.
6)Public humiliation for the girl who was "found out".

Of course, today we have generous welfare benefits; lax prosecution of men who seduce underage girls; no fear of Hell (God is my co-pilot); artifical contraception (free at various clinics throughout the land); abortion on demand; sex drenched pop culture, and parents whose parental rights are reduced to nothing but material obligations.

So yes, abstinence does not work; mainly because no one tries it. But it did work in the past. All of these religious and civic taboos were set up to protect the girl and her potential offspring from a life of povery, shame, and lonliness. A woman's virtue back then was held in very high regard.

So let's dispense with the BS about kids will do it eventually.

KS| 2.17.09 @ 4:37PM

Greta needs another Natalee Holloway case.

I only watched the clips posted on HotAir. I just hope that Bristol's younger sisters don't follow in her footsteps.

Mary| 2.17.09 @ 5:50PM

How appropriate that a Christian girl -assuming too much perhaps- is the one to tell the world that, um, you know, like, I dddddon't want to get into any dddddetails, bbbbbut abstinence isn't realistic when a hunky boy whose name you write on your notepad, Mrs. Levi J______ really needs you, and you need him too.

She sounds so stupid in the vid.

We were no more moral than her back in the day. I knew two girls who became pregnant out of wedlock. They both went away to an unwed mother's home -provided by the Church- had their babies, gave them up for adoption, married later on and seemed happy.

Neither one was promiscuous, just infatuated with a couple of irresponsible boys.

Their lives -from the outside anyway- turned out well.

There is no way I could have been having sex at the age of 16. My mother knew my every move.

And the beauty was she could look me in the eye when she advised that I think of my virginity as not distinct from my honor. When she married in white it was the truth.

I may have been an awful rebel, but I'm so glad for my parents. When you're given something solid, you have something to return to.

No wonder 30 year olds are starting to need scripts for viagara, and British husbands are the ones now saying "gawt 'edache."

There is so much beauty in sacrosanctity.

There is no beauty in Bristol Palin's path of least resistance, and there is no beauty in the way her Mom described marriage. It's very much the degraded side of Christianity that follows according to Weber's take. But it's not fair to lump the Huegonaut clock-makers in with Palin and other dhat mah baby daddy girls.

One Hung Low| 2.17.09 @ 6:27PM

Bristol would have looked like a complete hypocrite to suggest abstinence education works. Not the best person nor the best of circumstances to pose such a question.

Shane Vander Hart| 2.17.09 @ 7:22PM

I think her story is good in that it doesn't glorify teenage parenting. Also I think it is a great example of how parents should respond when getting news like this.

To those who think she sounded stupid - you try doing a national interview on this topic - as an 18 year old. I mean give me a break!

Regarding abstinence - I gathered she knows that should be the standard, but the prevailing culture tells kids that they are a bunch of minks and since they are going to do it anyway - here's some condoms.

Abstinence isn't a choice to be made in the heat of the moment - it is a plan that helps you avoid such moments. I personally think Greta's question as to "what happened" was inappropriate.

Abstinence works every time it's tried. You just have to think ahead and have a plan and stick to it. We don't know what happened in this case, and quite frankly it isn't any of our business. I am thankful that they are moving on, being supportive of her and Levi, but at the same time not shielding them from the consequences of their choice.

S.L. Toddard| 2.17.09 @ 7:48PM

I'm surprised no BlowBob or InertLeper or Jeremiator has showed up yet. Where's a Palin basher when you expect one?

Bezwaar| 2.18.09 @ 6:33AM

I come from England, so I know for certain excessive 'sex education' doesn't work as we have the highest teen pregnancy rate in Europe. It's barmy to suggest throwing condoms and telling kids how to use them is going to solve the problem!

The solution is a cultural change. It's also the most difficult to implement. Either that, or massive government involvement in everyone's lives and activities.

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 9:04AM

Well, Toddard, it seems that you miss me. There is no need to respond to this article because it is factual and objective. And I don't bash Palin. Indicating her lack of knowledge and that she is not the best example of parenting is just fact. We both can think of far better examples in either case.

By the way, when Palin was first chosen, I thought she was quite attractive because of her pragmatism and libertarian orientation. She worked with Democrats on the pipeline tax increase and that helped her state. She constantly lobbied for more pork because that helped her state. It was her interviews and her partisan attack tactics during the campaign that changed my mind and apparently, about 8% of voters nationally to change their minds.

One thing that is always true is that a convert holds their beliefs more strongly than someone who grew up with their beliefs. I will vote for and support anyone who is closer to the center notwithstanding party affiliation.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 10:05AM

Well, BlowBob finally shows up.There is no need to respond to this article or any other because they are ALWAYS factual and objective. So your presence is not required. I'm still waiting for those pictures of your Marksman and Sharpshooter medals (along with a quarter and a dime), it must be really difficult to find an army surplus store in Malibu. What have you decided to teach this time?

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 10:22AM

Toddard, if you have any question regarding my veracity, the people who run this board have my email and name and can certainly look up my military record and verify my background. I don't consider it very patriotic to vilify individuals who have joined the military and fought for our country. My military record also shows the medals I received if you are interested. I'm proud of my military service even though I was spit upon when I returned. Actually fighting tends to shape your views about military conflict. This was one of the reasons I was so against going into Iraq from the beginning. Perhaps you can tell us about YOUR service to our country.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 10:52AM

I don't claim to be a vet, so the last sentence is irrelevant. Besides I'm not gonna ask anybody on "this board" to check your background or your credentials. Interesting suggestion, though, as this is certainly the kind of treatment we'd get from you. Who do we think we are? Democrat cutthroats attempting to lynch Bob the Blower? I just asked you a link to imageshack showing those two medals. What's so difficult about it? And while you're at it show me that teacher's licence.

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 10:59AM

Well, Toddard, the fact that you think it is irrelevant to serve your country tells us all we need to know about you. Imaging my medals is meaningless but my background can be checked even though you are afraid to do so because that will prove you wrong. I never claimed to be a licensed teacher. I have an advanced degree in business and spent my entire 35 year career dealing with Fortune 100 companies. That again, can be checked.

Toddard, in point of fact, YOU are the blowhard here. Perhaps you can deal with facts and reason in future posts if you have that capability. I'm beginning to doubt it.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 11:01AM

It is so much easier for you to take on an outstanding Lady like Sarah Palin and dig for dirt in every part of her biography. Were you on that Wasila fact finding trip during the campaign?

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 11:11AM

That first sentence *the fact that you think it is irrelevant to serve your country * is really dumb and a weak attempt to deflect the ineptness of the sentence I deemed irrelevant. With your warped way of reasoning, I could tell that the fact you think your medals are meaningless is quite revealing, but I'll let the other readers decide.
You claimed to be a teacher in dozen of topics, you already forgot that? And I'd really would like to be proven wrong.

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 11:16AM

When you run for President, you open yourself up for a detailed examination. Obama had all sorts of claims made against him on this board -- and that is part of the game. Yes, I think Palin is an outstanding lady, but that does not mean she is qualified to be President. She just doesn't know enough or is intellectually curious enough to run the country. Even now, she is beginning to have a hard time back in Alaska.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 11:44AM

This would make more sense if it was written in Aramaic. By the way, BlowBob, where did you learn it? In 'Nam?

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 1:57PM

OK, Toddard, I admit I am not a Hebrew scholar. I studied directly under a Rabbi and quit when I was 14. That was more than 4 decades ago. I remember that he told me some of the words were in Aramaic. Ran knows far more than me about this, but the fact remains, that is what I was told and I believed my teacher. If the Rabbi was wrong about this, I stand corrected.

But I see you changed the subject again with personal attacks rather than facts and reason. When people don't have a valid response, they hit back just like they were in elementary school. When do you graduate from the 6th grade?

This is why social conservatives like you are bringing down the Republican party. You resort to attacks and name calling without regard to a valid argument. If you had any education at all, you'd know what I am saying about Palin is absolutely true. But it seems that you can live with mediocrity in the presidency. Well, no more for me. Republicans have good, qualified people like Romney who would have been the best choice at this time even with his drawbacks. We needed someone who understood Wall Street, economics, and was a good manager. He was all three. But instead we got McCain who graduated 5th from the bottom of Annapolis which is far from the heights of academia.

So please, continue to use attacks and name calling. That should convince Republicans that most social conservatives here should leave the party.

And before you say it, I also use attacks, but they are accompanied by logic and fact. I have never suffered idiots well, and at this stage in my life, I probably never will. I made it in this world because of education in great schools and hard work. I've been on my own since 15 years old and still finished college by the age of 20. So yes, I have a hard edge and no charity to those that eschew education or try to get something for nothing. That includes people who took out mortgages they couldn't afford even though they were misled by lenders. That's why I have absolutely no regard for bailouts and little trust in any politician, Republican or Democrat.

You can continue to live in fantasyland, but the future of my grandchildren is important to me. Too important to leave it to a mediocre and unknowledgeable hick from Alaska.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 4:14PM

I still don't know why you never mention P.J. O'Rourke or Jesse Ventura if you're a real libertarian. And you know what's really wrong with you, BlowBob? You just got no sense of humor. You're the saddest guy I ever saw on a blog, working with you must be an ordeal. My first math teacher survived Mauthausen, he was the most clever and funny guy I ever met. Had he been a liberal (which I doubt) I would have respected him anyway for what he was and what he represented, because he displayed so much strength and gallantry under adversity and incredible odds. Cheer up and I'll reconsider.

S.L. Toddard| 2.18.09 @ 4:28PM

... unless you're a liberal, of course.

Bob| 2.18.09 @ 4:35PM

Toddard, I think you've got my number now. Working with me is an ordeal, there are no two ways about it. I've mentored dozens of executives and they've always come back to me unsolicited after a number of years and told me how much I helped them in their careers and how much they hated working for me because my expectations were too high.

I became a Republican as soon as I was able to vote even though my entire family were Democrats. I thought liberal thinking was sloppy and still think the same today. For that matter, I consider social conservative thinking to also be sloppy. They are both based on belief over reason.

I will never be a true libertarian except on social issues. I believe there is a place for government albeit limited. I like O'Rourke a lot, but never mention writers of any sort.

As for humor, people who know me laugh at my satire a great deal. Whether they're laughing with me or at me, I'll never know, and never want to.

ruth| 2.21.09 @ 12:58AM

At you, Bobi. Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)

S.L. Toddard| 3.13.09 @ 11:31AM

Bob - the person posting with my name is NOT me. It's the same troll who does this with other people's usernames.

S.L. Toddard| 3.13.09 @ 11:33AM

I haven't actually posted here in over a month.

S.L. Toddard| 3.16.09 @ 6:17PM

I am a chicken-sh!t!!