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The idea behind Robert's Random is for me to write about whatever I'm thinking about whenever I'm thinking it. I try to write 3-5 times a week, but sometimes real work gets in the way of that. Sometimes I'll share whatever random thought I might have that day but most of the time, I like to write about things going on in the news. I'm a total news junkie, I spend a lot of time online at various news sites. If I find a story where someone does something totally stupid or I wonder "what were they thinking?" I don't mind pointing it out incase others missed it or taking my best guess at what they were thinking. I like to laugh, I like to make others laugh. There's so much serious and wrong stuff going on in the news that when I find an unusual or light story, I like to use it. And while real life news events might be the focus of many of my blogs, I'm just trying to entertain you, make you laugh and maybe even think about something you didn't know before reading. I'm not trying to break any serious news or deliver any hard-hitting coverage. You'll have to read a paper or watch one of the network shows for that.

Bristol Palin may not be the best choice to promote abstinence blog of the day

Posted Thursday, May 7, 2009, at 6:39 AM

Todd and Bristol Palin talk during breakfast.

Bristol Palin recently embarked on a national campaign to promote abstinence. She was appointed as a teen ambassador for the New York City-based Candie's Foundation which highlights the consequences of teenage pregnancy and promotes abstinence.

This makes about as much sense as this guy becoming a spokesperson for jogging.

Palin is an amusing choice to promote abstinence. The key concept behind abstinence is voluntarily choosing to refrain from sexual relationships. This means making the conscious decision to not have sex.

Palin is the single mother of a five-month-old son whose last relationship was heavily scrutinized by virtually every major media outlet in the country. There can't be that many guys lining up to date her, her last name and tabloid writers from around the country. Is not having sex an option for her at this point?

The only difference between Palin and the other 750,000 underage girls who got pregnant last year was Palin's mother was the only one to run for vice president. While she might have been criticized unfairly during the campaign --it's not as if she asked her mother to run for vice president or planned on getting pregnant as John McCain was wrapping up the nomination -- she has opened herself up to any criticism she might receive this time through the national spotlight.

"I don't see myself as a celebrity; I don't want to be one," Bristol said recently on Good Morning America to clear up something she said on Fox News.

If you live in Alaska, get yourself appointed to a New York City foundation, then make your way around the network circuit, you don't get to say, "I don't want to be a celebrity."

She has also said she wants to be a living example of the consequences of teenage pregnancy and will feel a sense of accomplishment if she is able to prevent one teenage girl from following in her footsteps.

If she is serious about preventing teenage pregnancy, is promoting abstinence really the best way for her to achieve this goal?

While not every teenager has sex, every teenager makes the decision whether or not to engage in sexual activities. Even after this decision is made, sticking to it can be extremely difficult for people of all ages, especially teenagers.

If anyone should know this, it should be Palin. Her mother is a well-known supporter of abstinence as the only form of sex education so one can only assume she grew up in a house hearing the message of abstinence. Since she is the mother of a child, there is no need to assume she engaged in sexual intercourse prior to marriage. After hearing "abstinence, abstinence, abstinence" her whole life, Palin, for whatever reasons, still chose to have sex.

Having just turned 18 herself, she can clearly relate to all the reasons underage girls engage in sexual relations. What makes her think that same group of girls will listen to her message of refraining from sex when she herself chose not to listen to her own parents convey the same message?

Palin should not only understand the reasons behind underage sex and teenage pregnancy first hand, but she should be very familiar the reasons sex leads to unplanned pregnancies. Abstinence isn't the only form of birth control, so why is it the form Palin has chosen to endorse when she herself knows how difficult following through the practice can be? Why isn't she pushing safer methods of sex as an alternative to abstinence? Yes, abstinence is 100 percent effective and a solid Plan A choice, but shouldn't she understand the need to have a Plan B, C, D and even E to prevent pregnancy if Plan A doesn't work?

Abstinence is an effective method to prevent pregnancy. For some people, it's the only plan they need. But is Bristol Palin the best person to convey that message and convince young women it's the best choice for them? If she wants to use her voice to prevent at least one teenage pregnancy, is it the best choice she can make?

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I think she was/is a great choice. She knows what it is like to make choices such as the choice to have sex or not have sex. She was taught "abstinence" but chose another road as many young people do. Parents can tell a child what will happen if they do "A", "B", or "C" but sometimes a young person has to find things out on their own with some of the "hard lessons" being the best lessons. It is a hard way to learn granted, but some kids/young adults really have to learn that way for whatever the reason(s).

I think Ms. Palin is a good choice for this "position" since she has been there done that. Just my opinion.

Robert, the petition (to respond to your question) is still going. We plan to turn it in soon and it will be voted on in November. Take care.

-- Posted by OpinionMissy on Thu, May 7, 2009, at 9:18 AM
Who better to give advice than the one who has already gone through it. She would be talking to peers, and not a mother daughter talk where 'mom' is saying 'don't'. She would be a great spokesperson for abstinence. The daddy would be also if he so chose to be an ambassador to the guys; and let them know what the true responsiblities are.You know - how to "man-up".

-- Posted by midea on Thu, May 7, 2009, at 3:34 PM
I agree with Robert. Bristol isn't the best choice. I do not believe Bristol can accurately know and be able to teach about the severe consequences of being a single mother. She has a lot of help. Her life will probably not be as affected by her pregnancy as most teenagers would. She will most likely still go to college and get a decent job. She cannot speak for the single mothers who had to drop out of high school or who finished high school but can't afford college. In that aspect, no, Bristol has not 'been there done that.'

-- Posted by yoB on Fri, May 8, 2009, at 2:02 PM
Yob,

How can you say she cannot teach about the consequences? You are right that she will have help, from her parents, BUT I would add, most young people would! She will be the one raising the baby and dealing with everything. There are a lot of young mothers out there, teenage mothers who have gone to college and landed a decent job!!!! I think she is a good choice for this, until you have walked in their shoes you don't know do you. Its hard being a young mother, especially if you are in high school or just out of high school. You have to take care of the baby, find time to do your housework, keep up with classes and maybe just maybe you will get a few minutes to relax, but usually not. I hope that she can talk to the young girls and boys and tell them what shes going through and how hard it can and will be. Would you have felt different if they chose someone who has not been in the public eye?

-- Posted by ME1 on Fri, May 8, 2009, at 5:33 PM
I agree that ahe IS a good choice. Afterall, a recovering alcoholic or drug addict are the ones who become the best spokespeople for AA or NA. Right? Why would I listen to someone who would have no idea or real empathy? Okay, I know that I don't have to have cancer to sympathize or try to help but I will never be as effective as one who has gone through it. There are powerful young speakers that have made big mistakes and did the right thing by admitting it and telling others about it. How many lives have been changed by teens who told their horrifying experiences with drunk driving? If you hold fast to the belief that sex should wait and tell others that, then I applaud you. We are human beings perfectly capable of having a strong will against sex. IF that were not the case, then we might as well tell sex offenders that it's not really their fault. Matter of fact, we should have support groups and centers to give them "safe-sex" information cause these feelings they have towards children or raping women are just gonna happen. We might as well accept it and give them the help they need. And teenagers are gonna drink, take drugs and smoke pot. They have no control over it. Just accept it! We might as well have classes to teach them how to do it responsively. Self-control and conscience is what seperates us from animals. Teenagers have shown great abilities to have strong will. Those of us who still believe that the future of young girls is better served by teaching them the virtue of having a strong-will must remain strong. I know that being a woman and mother of two girls, I have always tried to teach them about respect for their bodies and how precious a gift sex is. And I can also tell you that most of the women I have ever met have always expressed regret over past sexual mistakes. Why not use that to help others?

-- Posted by kimkovac on Sun, May 10, 2009, at 11:56 AM

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