But this time everybody is talking about it including uber scholar Lindsey Lohan. Seventeen, yes 17!, year old Bristol Palin, daughter of Vice presidential Republican candidate, is pregnant and the father is a local ice hockey star (he's from Alaska) and they are going to get married. So that's all right then.
NO its not!
Teenage pregnacy in the US is the higher than anywhere in the 'developed world' despite it falling from over 10% of births. The age of majority in the United States is effectivly 21. However on life and death issues then it is seen as acceptable to die for the flag or add another citizen to its numbers below that age. The United States is not a signatory to the UN Convention on the rights of the child, the only country along with Somalia (who has no govenment who can sign) who not have ratified the treaty. Indeed the World Health Organisation states:
"More countries have ratified the Convention than any other human rights treaty in history?192 countries had become State Parties to the Convention as of November 2005."
Indeed the US's focus on preserving young life led it to abolish the death penalty for those under 16 in 1988 and for under 18's in 2005, and only at the behest of the Supreme Court.
My grumble, is not with a culture of double standards, or the stupidity of abstinence based sex education but to paraphrase Maude Flanders (deceased) of Simpsons fame - "Won't someone think of the children!" In this case that, sadly, means both mother and child. Youthful indescresion or sex and drugs as its better known can wreck lives but usually don't. However if caught with drugs (and especially if you're black and male) this indiscretion can lead to long prison sentances. Bristol, on the other hand is white, rich and well connected. She will be fine as will her child. Youth is wasted on the young, true - but that is no excuse to throw it away.
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Trig Palin - Bristol's brother... or not?
Babble.com has listed a few interesting facts, devotees of Desperate Housewives will understand the plot here...
