Hypocrisy is rampant in this country, but never more than in the new ad campaign being "performed" by wannabee actress and D-list celebrity Bristol Palin. For those of you who don't know, Bristol is the daughter of Alaska's resident imbecile Sarah Palin? You know the soccer mom, turned Governor, turned vice presidential nominee, turned butt of more jokes than a John Gosselin. Now I have nothing against anyone who gets pregnant by mistake. Mary got pregnant by mistake and we got Jesus, pretty good deal, huh? No, I mean I have nothing wrong with anyone who makes the teenage mistake of having unprotected sex and unfortunately gets pregnant. You know the ramifications and thankfully, you can get an abortion and your lesson is learned. From now on, have your partner wear a condom. Oh, you're Catholic? Never mind, add another member to the clan, you've earned it. Funny how sex out of wedlock is a sin, but if you should do that, having the baby isn't. Isn't that the definition of hypocrisy? Abortion is frowned upon for one reason and one reason only...one less Christian!
OK, so the ad starts and there's some chatter about how if she wasn't famous and didn't have this wonderfully supportive family the mere act of having a child would be so unbearable she would be in great despair. The add shows her in a room with nice furniture, wearing a nice jacket, face caked in makeup holding her adorable baby, telling us of her cushy life, but then the camera pulls closer, her hair gets messier and then it pulls back to show her in jeans and a v-neck white tee, hair in a pony tail, no makeup with her baby on the floor with nothing but a couch and a crib in the room. She says that if she didn't have all these perks "it wouldn't be pretty." Then she says the tag line, "Pause....before you play."
Let me tell you, that is some powerful stuff. If you buy it. This is coming from a girl who wants to turn her mother's name to good use. She wants to act and in this commercial she is acting. Now I know she's not the first celebrity to do one of these things, but she is one of the few pregnant teens who are notable. Not that other famous people haven't been pregnant, but they were already stars, she's trying to become one. The biggest issue I have is the symbolism. Having a child is hard work for anyone. For any couple. The problem is having a kid doesn't make your hair messy, your furniture disappear or clothing to suddenly change. Family doesn't leave you like you're a wounded deer on the side of the road. They usually embrace you and struggle along with you. Friends look out for you more than they used to. The problem isn't that she is sending out this message, it's that she had the child. If you think that the only reason it's good that you kept your child is because of your situation, you've lost already. If your reasons for keeping a child are religious or even worse, because image counselors can't allow you to have an abortion or give the child up for adoption, then you have more issues than being a single mom.
I have many friends who have had children at young ages. They weren't married and some even knew, maybe not 100%, but many knew they were going to most likely be doing it alone. Families come together. People find inner strength, especially moms. The problem today is that we still treat sex like it's taboo to talk about, yet everything we see is littered with sexual references and images. Why can't schools give out condoms? Why can't schools give out birth control? Maybe our new health care will address this issue, but I doubt it. Wouldn't it be better to have a 15 year old girl, come out and say, I had unprotected sex and I should be pregnant due to my mistake. Luckily, I was given birth control at school or at home and thankfully I'm not. My father gave me a condom when I was 15 years old. He said "not sure when you'll be needing this, but be careful." I wasn't careful and I got lucky. Many times over. But I'd much rather see a girl, sitting with her family, telling how her supportive family talked to her, prepared her and warned her of the consequences and how while she did have sex, she was prepared, because she paused....before she played.
OK, so the ad starts and there's some chatter about how if she wasn't famous and didn't have this wonderfully supportive family the mere act of having a child would be so unbearable she would be in great despair. The add shows her in a room with nice furniture, wearing a nice jacket, face caked in makeup holding her adorable baby, telling us of her cushy life, but then the camera pulls closer, her hair gets messier and then it pulls back to show her in jeans and a v-neck white tee, hair in a pony tail, no makeup with her baby on the floor with nothing but a couch and a crib in the room. She says that if she didn't have all these perks "it wouldn't be pretty." Then she says the tag line, "Pause....before you play."
Let me tell you, that is some powerful stuff. If you buy it. This is coming from a girl who wants to turn her mother's name to good use. She wants to act and in this commercial she is acting. Now I know she's not the first celebrity to do one of these things, but she is one of the few pregnant teens who are notable. Not that other famous people haven't been pregnant, but they were already stars, she's trying to become one. The biggest issue I have is the symbolism. Having a child is hard work for anyone. For any couple. The problem is having a kid doesn't make your hair messy, your furniture disappear or clothing to suddenly change. Family doesn't leave you like you're a wounded deer on the side of the road. They usually embrace you and struggle along with you. Friends look out for you more than they used to. The problem isn't that she is sending out this message, it's that she had the child. If you think that the only reason it's good that you kept your child is because of your situation, you've lost already. If your reasons for keeping a child are religious or even worse, because image counselors can't allow you to have an abortion or give the child up for adoption, then you have more issues than being a single mom.
I have many friends who have had children at young ages. They weren't married and some even knew, maybe not 100%, but many knew they were going to most likely be doing it alone. Families come together. People find inner strength, especially moms. The problem today is that we still treat sex like it's taboo to talk about, yet everything we see is littered with sexual references and images. Why can't schools give out condoms? Why can't schools give out birth control? Maybe our new health care will address this issue, but I doubt it. Wouldn't it be better to have a 15 year old girl, come out and say, I had unprotected sex and I should be pregnant due to my mistake. Luckily, I was given birth control at school or at home and thankfully I'm not. My father gave me a condom when I was 15 years old. He said "not sure when you'll be needing this, but be careful." I wasn't careful and I got lucky. Many times over. But I'd much rather see a girl, sitting with her family, telling how her supportive family talked to her, prepared her and warned her of the consequences and how while she did have sex, she was prepared, because she paused....before she played.
Let me first commend you on the "many times over" you actually got lucky (and didn't get anyone pregnant). You stud you! You should stick to blogging about just getting lucky period, but alas, you sparked something to which I choose to reply.
ReplyDelete1) Your comment about Jesus being a mistake, though comical in its origins, is a slight of a core religious belief of Christianity. There is no "mistake" about the Immaculate Conception, as it was God's will that Mary be pregnant. And leaving aside the medical probablity of said account, it is safe to say that Mary probably had sex with Joseph and Jesus was the result. Your comment lacks some integrity and really has no right in an intellectual conversation regarding abortion.
2) Moving on, you like to talk about hypocrisy. Its the first word of this blog. And while I have no immediate issue with your argument of hypocrisy pertaining to Ms. Palin's role in the ad, I do however need to debate your use of hypocrisy as it pertains to the sinfulness of having a baby out of wedlock. First of all, history has shown us that children born out of wedlock have been stigmatized enough (bastards) throughout the years. And the parents who bore them were equally stigmatized by society and the Church. However, as you pointed out, it is not a sin. You seem to think that this is hypocritical. I disagree. Lets agree that the Church's position that sex out of wedlock is a sin is not only outdated, but completely impractical. Having said that, you pose that it should therefore be a sin to birth a child that is conceived in this sinful act. I pose that the child is the mere result of a sinful act and not a separate conscious decision. You cannot be punished for the same act twice. Its double jeopardy. You cannot sin when having a baby is the RESULT of the sin. Now, taking this logic further, after having sex outside marriage, chosing to abort the fetus created during said act, you are making a conscious descision to overturn the result, and therefore it could be (and is by the Church) considered ANOTHER sin. (Note, my personal beliefs are not at issue here as I believe that there are instances where abortion should be an option.) Therefore, I believe you misused "hypocrisy" when you tried to define it by using the cited example. The premise of the Church's position and other aspects of the argument can be discussed, but cannot be used to define the word.
3) The religious arguments removed, you also make the argument that abortion allows people (more specifically teens) a way to learn from their mistake (unprotected out of wedlock sex) and correct the path their lives might have taken otherwise. This may be true. I am sure everyone knows someone who made this mistake and had to deal with the result either by having an abortion or having a child. And maybe those who had the abortion realized how lucky they were to have the second chance. Just as someone realized how lucky they were to have made "a mistake" (as I am sure we all know soeone who was a "mistake" and are better for it). But I fear your view gives people too much credit. Whats the chances that someone who makes a mistake and has an abortion actually learns that there are no consequences to having unprotected sex. After one, how quickly can it become 3 or 4? What if the lesson learned is that as long as there are abortions to be had, there are no consequences for premarital unprotected sex? In theory, if everyone saw the world as you did, then everyone would get a do over if they mistakenly got pregnant, had an abortion, and moved on with their lives never to err again. But thats just not reality. And using abortion to correct a mistake, while meritted at times, is not a strong foundation to premise your argument.
ReplyDelete4) The ad itself. I dont know about it. Havent watched it. I am sure your description is fair and accurate (to an extent). But I will say this. Whoever produced the ad has a right to portray their message in any way they see fit. They can hire whomever the want. They can portray their message in whichever way they want. It is no different than Calvin Klein using sex to sell underwear. It is up to you, the buyer to chose. I do not think its crazy for someone to put the message out there. But the message has a right to be put out, the same way this blog has a right to be published. Again, not having watched it, I dont know if its a good ad. And maybe its skewed in its portrayal of teen mothers. And definitely Bristol Palin is a stretch of a spokesperson. But the message should have a voice. And lets face it, the more distorted or misrepresented, the more it will be discussed, and the more the underlying message will get airtime. It caught your attention. Its not even aimed at you. You have a right to buy the message or not. So does everyone else.