It looks as if the media is trying to sanitize a sticky situation

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=d1acc55e-5273-4968-9b1b-20624aebee31

Palin's daughter's hurry-up marriage

Merlene Davis, Lexington Herald-Leader
Published: Tuesday, September 09, 2008

LEXINGTON, Ky. - I have a problem with some news organizations that have used fiancé when referring to Levi Johnston, the young man being introduced as the father of Bristol Palin's unborn child.

In a statement released by Gov. Sarah Palin, the vice-presidential candidate for the Republican party, and her husband, Todd, announcing their daughter's pregnancy, they said, "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family."

Johnston's mother, Sherry Johnston, told the Associated Press that Levi and Bristol had talked of marriage before they knew about the pregnancy. "This is just a bonus," she said.

I respect that and don't doubt it.

But I can say -- well out of earshot of his wife or my husband, mind you -- that Denzel Washington and I have talked of marriage. That doesn't mean he's my fiancé.

The marriage proposal has to be offered, then accepted, and a date set. Anything short of that is play-acting.

For the sake of propriety or for the sake of Sarah Palin's new position as a potential world leader, it looks as if the media is trying to sanitize a sticky situation.

[AverageJoe]

1. Merlene Davis is so good

and often so spot on. I used to read her regularly when I lived in Kentucky.

She's sure right about this mess.

[Virginia Dare]

2. Is she going to start billing us for Hockeydude and the grandkid's travel too?..n/t

[progressivebydesign]

3. I have personal experience on this, and can offer this...

I was 16, unmarried, pregnant, and had a "serious boyfriend." We had talked about marriage, but even at 16 I realized that we were too young for that, that it was marriage for the wrong reasons. A decision was made that we'd get married at 18, IF we were still together, but I would stay living with my single parent Mom. I started to buy baby clothes, and yet.. it all felt very unreal as though I had NO clue that I was suddenly jettisoning my teen years and young adulthood to being a parent.

When I was around 7 months along, my boyfriend's parents began exerting pressure on us to give the baby up for adoption. I had been considering that all along, but frankly, I was 16 and NO ONE at 16 is mentally ready to make life decisions like that easily. I simply had no life experience or worldview to make sound decisions. As things progressed, I was convinced more and more that I was not ready to be a mother, I KNEW I wasn't ready to be a wife (even at 18), and that my baby would have a much better life with an established couple.

It was a wise choice. When I gave birth, my baby went home with her new parents. A few months later I felt as though I was being suffocated in my relationship and broke it off, and moved on with my life. What seemed like a life partner and insta-family at 16, made me CRINGE when I got even a few years older.

Oh yes... there will always be people that will tell you that THEY got married at 17 at it worked out great. They are the exception. The statistics in America for teen marriages puts the divorce rate around 60%, not exactly a stable envirnoment for children.

Now, many years later, as the parent of a teen daughter who is the same age as Palin's pregnant daughter. I'm utterly floored that anyone could believe a child that age could actually function as part of a married couple, let alone raising a baby. Anyone with teen girls knows that what seemed like the LOVE OF A LIFETIME is often forgotten within 6 months. I think it's so much more of an issue forcing your morality so hard on your teens, that you don't counsel with every ounce of your being that getting married at that age (especially to a guy that, judging from his Myspace, is in NO WAY ready to be a father or husband.)

[TuxedoKat]

6. I wish more teens...

did as you did. As a mom who has adopted twice I think giving your baby up for adoption is one of the hardest, most generous, most mature and unselfish acts a person could do. God bless you.

[Javaman]

4. so how soon after caribou and mcinsane lose the election does levi skip out? nt

[SoCalDem]

5. I predict that within 2-3 weeks there will be

"an unfortunate" occurence.. and the evil media & dems will be blamed for putting all the stress on the poor girl..Levi will be back in Alaska, soon after (preparing for their wedding & finishing school).. The "wedding" will be postponed until after the election.

they lose, and we are rid of them..

they win, and there will be a DC wedding..baby or no baby..

It "fits" the story..I can see big brother Track even getting special orders, so he can be there, and then a quiet re-assignment in Virginia or DC..

Levi can easily sign on to being part of the 2nd family.. what's he giving up in Wasilla?? not a damn thing.. He gets a cute girl to sleep with, secret service at his beck and call, and an appointed "job" somewhere in DC.. pretty sweet deal for an 18 yr old drop out..

if what Bristol's sporting now, is left-over Trig babyfat, and she's not really pregnant, you can bet she WILL be ASAP after the wedding.


If they lose, there will be no "new" baby, no wedding, and she'll be just a 17 yr old trying to cope with Mom stealing her baby, and trampling on her privacy so she could run for office.. I could see Bristol going to college far far far away..