Biology Happens

I sort of like what Don Sipple, on of Bush 2's minions said  in this New York Times Article,  "When you combine the special needs infant with the pregnant teen, some voters might wonder why she is pursuing political ambitions at the expense of maternal or family responsibilities..."

Her son is deployed to Iraq, she's still got a state to run, her lovely daughter, Bristol, is with child, and she wants to run for office to be the first alternate for the most powerful person in the world??    I'm just speculating here, but I wonder if she would have treated, say Hillary Clinton with this much generosity if Chelsea had wound up in the family way? 

I admire the fact that Bristol is having her baby and that she is supported so warmly and unconditionally by her family.  The Palin family seems like a great family.  (And, you know, there's a lot of cold dark weather up there- maybe not enough for the teens to do??  It could happen to anyone's kid).  They are susceptible to the same kinds of problems we are, after all.

And, seeing that this blog is about "Househusbandry," let's not underestimate Todd's importance in all of this.  I suppose he's going to take off time from snowmobiling  to help young Levi and  take Bristol to her Obstetric appointments and Lamaze Classes.  I suppose he is going to send out the invites to the baby shower to Laura and Cindy and Mrs. Dobson and all the gang, buy the chick filet party platters and keep the wine (or should I say beverage) glasses full while Sarah is on the road helping John Mccain.

What I find confusing, however, is that  she is getting  a pass from her conservative brethren (especially the "Evangelical" end of the bench) on a lot of her own personal accountability as a Mother and Parent of a Teenager.  How much of this came about because of abstinence-based education that she so stridently supported?  Could it be true that the blessed event might have happened while Mom was at the state house?   Sarah owes us all a little mea culpa.  Biology happens, but when it happens to a teenager, I think any parent would agree that they are somewhat responsible for the "mistake." (Even though many fine children from great families like the Palin's get pregnant). 

"Mistakes" like teen pregnancy don't happen in a vacuum, they happen in, around and (often) because of an environment of permissiveness, neglect and, well, good old-fashioned hormones.  Teen pregnancy happens because kids get the opportunity to be alone and unsupervised.  It happens because teenage boys "give love to get sex" and teenage girls often "give sex to get love" as a Priest I know once said. (Or, to paraphrase Billy Crystal, "Teenagers don't need a reason to have sex... just a place...")

Fundamentalist Evanglicals are no strangers to guilt. In fact, I think they help us all remember how to exercise it for our own good, on occasion.  I'd just like to see a little from Mr. and Mrs. Todd Palin.  Just a word or two  acknowledging the fact that some of the choices they made as the adults who were presumably in charge of this girl perhaps provided her and Levi with the opportunity to make a baby.  Maybe they could offer  some advice to parents of teenagers like me so we can help our kid avoid "growing up too soon."   Biology does happen, but it happens more often when Mom and Dad aren't around.  I think their taking just a bit of responsibility for her lack of supervision might make me happier.

Of course, I'm  a rookie parent of a teenager and I have a lot to learn about their care and feeding.  I just don't think I'm going to be able to learn much from Mrs. Palin or Todd.  

I wonder what Hillary would say?