Fact check on the Palin pregnancy?

Question

There seems to be a common thread that the pregnancy of Gov. Palin's daughter means that abstinence only education does not work.

A couple of things stand out to me:

Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter did not use birth control?

Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter attended an abstinence only education program at her school?

It seems to me that people are making some big assumptions here. Birth control failure happens. Often. Is there any press release or statement that says that Miss Palin did not use any form of birth control, or are people just making assumptions.

If she used birth control and it failed, then by that logic, should we look at this as a failure of the "safe s*x" education?

Answer 1

Her mother is anti- s*x ed, anti- contraception, and anti- premarital s*x. Considering the law as it stands only lets schools teach abstinence I would say it's a safe bet that she was never given proper information.

And yes, abstinence only education DOES NOT work. Teenage hormones will ALWAYS beat out such "teaching".

This argument has nothing to do with her daughter. It's about her ability to control her OWN family. You want to put her in office when she can't even pay attention to what her 17 year old daughter is out doing? It also shows how hypocritical the GOP really is.

Answer 2

The record shows that Gov. Palin is against s*x education in public schools.  She has supported abstinence only education. What does that tell you?

Answer 3

Sarah Palin backed abstinence only education. Abstinence is taught in comprehensive s*x education. It is taught as the only way to guarantee not to get an STD or to get pregnant. But we all know that some teenagers will have s*x regardless so better to at least give them what they need to do to try to protect them and the rest is up to them. Listen or not. It's your choice and you live with the consequences.

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/is_...

It looks like Alaska did not include contraception in its education program. Again, it may have happened anyway. How could she not know that her daughter was drinking?

No program is 100%. It's just truly comprehensive s*x ed is better than other options. Knowledge is power. You can't dispute that. The more you know then the better the decision you will likely make. It's the only thing we can control.

Since she was drinking and so was he, it's very unlikely that they used protection. They are 17 and inexperienced.

It says more about the lack of parenting that was going on. The kids obviously are not all that important. It's just how it is in these power families. There is a lot of pressure and a lot of responsibilities. The kids pay the price for it.

edit: If you have a nurse teaching s*x ed then the kids will get the info they need to make better decisions. They also will be able to discuss it more openly with someone that knows the facts. They will be less embarrassed.

What a tough situation for everyone. We liberals want to reduce the number and reduce the suffering.

Answer 4

There are things that I care about less than Palin's daughter's pregnancy, but at the moment, I can't think of any.

And it sure as h**l won't affect my vote.

Answer 5

It's "safer s*x" education.  There is no "safe s*x" even if you're married.  Birth control goes against the abstinence only stand.  I've never heard a republican preach about "safer s*x" methods.  

Answer 6

Sarah Palin is on the record as supporting abstinence-only s*x education and being opposed to "explicit" s*x education.  Good birth control is almost 100% effective.  We can't of course know the details of the daughter's choices.  

Answer 7

Bravo!!

Answer 8

The pill fails all the time!  People don't realize how common that is- if you don't take it at the same time everyday (which for many teenagers, isn't always likely), it doesn't work, and even if it IS taken as directed, it may not work.  That first month on BCP's is high risk for getting pregnant.

The condom could've broken, too.  We just don't know the details of the failure of the method.  

EDIT:  Thumbs down?  That's medical fact!  BCP's, condoms, NuvaRings, even tubal ligations can fail.  It's a fact, people.

Answer 9

What the media does not realize is that this is not an issue with the average voter.  In fact, it clearly fits into her "brand" which is exactly what McCain wanted....

In short.. The more they drudge up things like this the more popular Sarah Palin will get...

Answer 10

Good points.

Also: Do we know that the mother is to blame for what the daughters choices are? I remember being 17, peer pressure and young love make many, many people reject or at least test some absolute parental limits.

Answer 11

it doesn't matter what the truth is...liberals will distort it to serve their sick and twisted agenda

Answer 12

It's not so much about her daughters pregnancy as it's about what Senator Palin preaches.  Senator Palin preaches and promotes abstinence (which obviously was not done) and Senator Palin is against any s*x education being done in schools.  We can't speculate her daughters decisions or positions.  We can speculate Senator Palin's following what she preaches though.  The point of it is that it is hypocrisy in it's purest form.  So what if Palin's daughter is pregnant, right?  It's a big deal though when it comes to Senator Palin's character.  If Palin was known for something else, like domestic violence, I doubt her daughters pregnancy would even be an issue.  We need to educate our children about all the risks and that whether we like it or not, sometimes abstinence does not work.  We do not live in a bubble.

Answer 13

Very good points!!

Another fact check:  They teach s*x education in nearly all public schools in urban areas.  And how many unwed teens are still getting pregnant?  s*x education does nothing obviously or else there would be no unwed teenagers getting pregnant in America.

And another note, last time I checked most teens date their boyfriends ALONE.  Not with mom there...  so how could she control what her daughter did when she was not on the date with her?  You cannot always control what your children do.  Do you think she wanted her daughter to do this?

Answer 14

My question to all the bashers would be this:  how many of you engaged in premarital s*x?  Even after your parents told you it was wrong?  How many of your parents went on your dates with you to make sure you were practicing abstinence?  We can preach things to our kids until we're blue in the face, but the ultimate choice is theirs.  It doesn't make us bad parents.

Answer 15

There is an old saying: "when you find yourself in a hole that you don't want to be in...quit digging".

You are making rationalizations that you don't have the facts to back up.

Rationalizing is an admission of guilt.

You are not doing the Republicans any favors.  

Answer 16

good point but, you are making sense and that will be hard for some to fathom.

Answer 17

No. It's a "family values" failure. She had s*x before she was married, period. Republicans can't run on family values then change the meaning when something happens to them. That's what they run on. Now values can be bent. Hypocrites.. I lost a lot of respect for McCain.

To the "defenders". BULLS#!T. How many times we heard Republicans denounce welfare saying we need reform because of all the underage mothers "draining the system" as if it's an epidemic, a problem. But now it's a "mistake" and something we can deal with because why? It's Palin's daughter? I'm glad she keeping the baby (I'm pro-life) but don't all of sudden change your own beliefs because "your" guy is running. You wouldn't do the same for anyone else's 17 yr old. In fact, tell the Repubs to stop running on the "family values" platform if they are going to change the parameters all the time. I'm getting tried of them defending their glass house.

Answer 18

>>Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter did not use birth control?<<

No, we don't. I theorize that Bristol's Planned Parenthood-issued condom broke:

http://www.thebody.com/content/art9057.h...

Answer 19

Q: "Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter did not use birth control?"

A: Birth Control?  Duh!!!  She's pregnant.  So obviously NO!

In fact, birth control failures are failures when no birth control was taken.  Any good doctor or clinic will tell you about the pill... of course, she probably didn't go to a clinic since those are "evil"!

Q: "Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter attended an abstinence only education program at her school?"

A: We don't know... maybe she skipped school that day and now she's pregnant!

Since you're the big Republican supporter - I'm assuming moral, ethical and religious then answer these questions...

1. What religion advocates pre-marital s*x?

2. What religion advocates minors having pre-marital s*x?

3. What religion advocates pre-maritial s*x is okay when you're on birth control?

4. Why are you blaming the schools?

5. Shouldn't this stuff be learned in the home? (That's the Republican mantra.)

6. So using your logic...  since this should be learned at home, then did Palin's daughter have a bad role model in her mom?

7. What is Sarah Palin teaching her daughters?

8. What are her family values?

9. Why is she relying on the schools or government to do her job?

  

The State is not a nanny.  (Isn't that another Republican talking-point?)

My opinion why Palin's daughter is pregnant.... Poor parenting.  (Another Republican talking-point that doesn't seem to apply here, but only to minorities and the poor).

Answer 20

"If she used birth control and it failed, then by that logic, should we look at this as a failure of the "safe s*x" education?"

So by your logic,just because one girl got pregant even if she did use birth control,that defeats the whole purpose of s*x education?

Teenage pregancy will never be erased,but we can reduce them

We need to teach kids about everything. Abstinence,birth control,and contraception. We need to teach them about the risks of having s*x when you're young. We need to teach them about the risks of getting STDs. We need to teach them about the consequences they will face if they do get pregnant. Also,parents should be involved in teaching their kids about this as well

That's common sense. So for people to say that s*x education does not work just because on girl gets pregant even if she used birth control is downright stupid

"Do we know for certain that Gov. Palin's daughter attended an abstinence only education program at her school?"

We're assuming that Bristol knew about abstinence because of her mother who preaches about abstinence. Surely,someone who is close knit with her children would teach their kids about abstinence

In some parts,you make a good point.Maybe the condom did break.We'll never now,but overall,it shows hypocrisy from Sarah Palin not her innocent daughter

Answer 21

good ol' plausible deniability...

Answer 22

Pursuing this line of inquiry does not help Sarah Palin.  She is noted for being in favor of abstinence-only s*x education.

By any measure and any way you look at it, her daughter's pregnancy represents a huge and very visible failure of that viewpoint.  Her daughter wasn't listening to that line of reasoning and unfortunately reality shows that many teens don't.  That is why abstinence-only is unrealistic and actually harmful.

Answer 23

Condoms Break. good point

Answer 24

To all those screaming hypocrisy here - we want to stop the suffering - sorry, your option of abortion is not stopping suffering.

Kids will have s*x.  Teens will get pregnant.  This is a fact.  It is the what to do about it that is at stake here.  The Palins are pro-life and guess what - they are living the consequences and walking the pro life walk.  So hmmm.  Republicans can't run on family values?  How so - Bristol Palin is creating a family.  Ideal?  Nope, no one said it would, and whether her mother is governor, VP, or just the average SAHM, kids have the CHOICE to follow what they have been taught.  Some choose to, some don't.  Reality.

Now, what they do about it . . . my vote stays with Maverick McCain and Principled Palin.

Answer 25

you assume too much.

how about the fact that she was too busy to see what her kids were up to.

Answer 26

So what you are saying that abstinence programs are ok for the rest of america and not her own child. it ok for her child to use birth control and not the rest of america. even if Gov. Palin child had attended a school that taught s*x education, it not the point Gov. Palin would have told her kids about her values and morals, I mean she told all of Alaska, so her child got the message! Birth control is 98% effective not using any because you were told not to have s*x and did is 0% effective! nice try but your arguments just proves that Republicans in the last 72 hours sold out their beliefs to elect McCain!

Answer 27

fact check this

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawl...

Answer 28

Sarah Palin actually does support birth control use, which is not 100% effective. You have to take the pill correctly first of all (pretty much same time every day). Also, anti-biotics interfere with the effectiveness. I know a few people who have gotten pregnant because of being on anti-biotics.