So Sarah Palin Outranks Me on the Morality Scale?

The New York Times reported yesterday that Christian conservatives were gratified by John McCain's choice to run with a pro-lifer who married her boyfriend when she got pregnant out of wedlock and whose 17-year-old daughter is marrying her boyfriend now that she too is pregnant out of wedlock. I'm a pro-choice advocate who waited until college to have sex because I knew I wasn't ready to handle the consequences if I had an accidental pregnancy--which I later did, and which I aborted. Years later I had three daughters with my husband. But I'm the bad liberal and Sarah Palin is the good conservative. How's that again?

I know I'm supposed to be over the conduct that results in an out-of-wedlock pregnancy--whether Palin's or her daughter's--since conservatives don't seem to think it's an issue. But I think it's worth discussing. The Republicans can't have it both ways. I certainly didn't.

When I was in high school, I was pretty nervous about safeguarding my future. So although I had a steady boyfriend from tenth grade through graduation, we limited ourselves to mere fooling around. I knew that if my birth control method failed, I would have an abortion. I didn't want to take that chance. So I waited until I was nearly 19 to lose my virginity, and a few months later I found out the hard way that the diaphragm I had obtained from the college health service didn't fit. I certainly wasn't thrilled to have an abortion, but I knew I had done what I could to prevent it, and at a time when I was mature enough to handle it.

But if Christian conservatives really wanted a Vice Presidential candidate who toed the line, wouldn't they want someone who behaves conservatively herself and raises her children with conservative values in general? Is the only criterion that when you have an out-of-wedlock pregnancy you have the baby and marry the boy?

Republican voters who were interviewed for yesterday's Times story about their satisfaction with Palin said that they are pleased McCain chose a pro-lifer because that signifies he will appoint pro-life judges for the next two Supreme Court vacancies. Oh, goody. Without legal abortion, I would have waited until my mid-twenties to have sex, and that's a pretty long wait. But my "conservative" high school classmates would be free to party. That is, before and after their stays in the maternity ward.

Comments

[jaf]

Okay Stephanie, I think I can explain this to you. Now pay attention. The only thing that matters is what the Republican National Committee says matters...TODAY. In 2004, the distant past of Kerry's decorated military career and principled and courageous stand against the war following his discharge, Bush's ne'er -do-well alcoholism, serial business failures and wartime cowardice while being an ardent hawk, WHY THAT DID NOT MATTER. Earlier this year, only the distant past mattered. John McCain was a POW, forget everything after. Forget his lackluster career in the Navy(twenty-odd years and, despite the family connections, all he could reach was captain), forget his abandonment of his first wife, forget the Keating Five scandal. Earlier this year, experience was all that mattered. Until Sarah Palin came along, now not so much. WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT THE REPUBLICANS SAY MATTERS TODAY. If you can do that Stephanie, there is a future for you inside the Beltway or with the AEI or Heritage Foundation. If not, i just can't help you.

[milskovich]

This is a really important conversation, especially since we could very well be at the brink of being catapulted back to 1972, prior to Rowe V Wade. The candidate's soap opera life is a great distraction and so many have been distracted. Many seemed mesmerized by her vim and vigor, yet we must take heed. There is much at stake. It certainly would be ironic if the first woman to be elected vice president led us back into the dark ages.

[blaqntelligence]

"Oh, goody. Without legal abortion, I would have waited until my mid-twenties to have sex, and that's a pretty long wait. But my "conservative" high school classmates would be free to party. That is, before and after their stays in the maternity ward."

No fair Ms. Losee. You are using logic in your discussion and that is sure to confuse them.

[BBackSoon]

So did you marry your first? As someone that has been fairly promiscuous and therefore able to site quite a few "Data Points" I must say that no all partners are created equally. Some of the nicest women were dead between the sheets and a couple that were unbelievably fun in the sack were so nuts any other time that I had to get away from them. My wife is comfortably in the middle of the two extremes, and let me say she had her own previous experiences complete with kids.

Many years ago a drinking friend had his bachelor party at the bar; they had a stripper put on a show for all of us. We were in a back room so it was fairly risque. She was topples and crawling all over him while he was lying on the ground. The big trick she did was to pull down his pants and rip the elastic off of his shorts. There were a couple of us that were questioning how he didn"t seem to be aroused by all this attention. For the grand finally she lifted his shredded briefs and threw a pitcher of ice on his crotch. There was an audible gasp when it was revealed he was indeed excited to the extent that 1(One) full inch can be called excited. We all wondered if his fiance knew.

There is a reason you test drive a car and I think it applies to marriage also.

[RedWhiteandBlueStater]

Um . . . BBackSoon have you lost your mind? Do you have children? In some states 16- and 17-year-olds can't even test drive *cars* -- much less one another. It's not that we don't want young adults to be able to experiment, but we do want them to be *adult* before they start. I'm all for the test drive theory but I think you've missed the point.: the Repubs have a nasty habit of turning what they call vices in others into virtues for themselves. Bristol Pailn having a baby? Ooops -- but at least she isn't aborting the child -- isn't that wonderful? What a fabulous family and what a fabulous set of family values!

The joke of it is that for all their hoo-hah about family values, clearly the Pailns succeeded in imparting their religious beliefs to their child in all respects except perhaps what evangelicals often tell you is the most important one: no sex before marriage. Ooops, indeed.

[BBackSoon]

Yes I have a 13 year old daughter. The fun has just begun.

I didn"t miss the point. I understand that Repugs will point a finger at anyone for doing things that they have deemed to be inappropriate. Yet when they are caught doing the exact same things they turn it around to some kind of a moral victory after a single moment of weakness. (Insert canned apology and crying.)

My point and I thought I was in the same ballpark as the original post was that not everyone is so straight laced and the idea of virgin wives might be outdated. I am all for young people growing up before they do "the deed", but I don"t have the same prude like attitude. I, for better or worse, want my kid to have a good time during her life. I want her to have both good and bad experiences since it takes both to make you a complete person. I have 3 goals for my daughter that should take her thru high school and beyond.

No Arrests, No Bad Accidents and No Unplanned Pregnancies.

Tall order I know but it is a goal.