Is This a Coincidence?

It’s a correlation until you can determine whether other things factor into it. Shotgun weddings can also occur due to an overabundance of shotguns, excessively conservative views on marriage, and lack of condoms. Which, as it happens, are also the causes of abstinence-only education. And it all comes together…

You would expect to find a correlation if causation is indeed correct, but correlation != causation. There’s enough evidence to suggest that without proper sex education teens will still have sex. Ignorance of birth control leads to pregancy, and not just in teens. I do not know if there is any studies on “shotgun” weddings.

About 50 years ago there was a “shotgun” wedding in my family, it didn’t end well, and I can’t imagine many marriages do that are spawned in this way. The Republicans say that gay marriage would lessen the institution of marriage but they’re the ones forcing people into sham marriages like this and marrying into money.

I don’t think the government should be telling people what a marriage is or isn’t. It should be up to culture, the church doesn’t have to recognise gay marriage, only gays do. I’d rather two gays marry for love than two straights marry to save embarrasment.

and shotgun weddings causing more abstinence-only sex ed causing more shotgun weddings is a positive feedback loop.

atheism is so educational. but not the abstinence-only kind, the real kind.

Isn’t Bristol a minor? But her boyfriend, I understand, is 18. Why haven’t they thrown him in the slammer? (Maybe he was 17 at the time?)

Yeah, it’s hypocrisy; and, despite the objections of some, it’s right to point that out. On the other hand, of course, I wish her, him, and their baby the very best.

Schools in Alaska do teach comprehensive sex ed.

Poor girl. Imagine your “oops” being turned into a national controversy.

Dammit Hemant, quit dicking around and ask her out already!

Um, Perez Hilton has uncovered drinking photos of Bristol Palin:

http://perezhilton.com/2008-09-02-what-did-her-mom-do-wrong

Underage drinking by the daughter of the governor. Let’s see. A lot of kids drink, I suppose. How dumb are they to pose for pictures while doing so, when their mom is the governor of their fair state?

This is turning ugly fast… First the rumours about Sarah’s fifth child. Then about her being against birth control, that seem to be lies. Now they’re posting picks of her daughter Bristol drinking alcohol, big deal, all the teenagers I know did. I don’t think this is doing the Democrats any favours at all.

However, she’s a Republican, she should swallow the comments about abstinence education when her teenage daughter gets pregnant. It’s her damn party, and it’s been one of their corner stones in recent years. Her party is putting many girls into this situation by keeping them ignorant and restricting abortion.

I don’t know what “explicit” sex education is although I’m guessing it’s normal sex education, but Sara Palin is against that and school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools which certainly doesn’t help making sure teenagers don’t have any unwanted pregnancies. So while she’s not pushing abstinence only like some in her party, she’s not an advocate of sex education either. We’ll have to adjust our jokes, “I bet sex education and free condoms don’t seem like such a bad idea now Sarah”.

Statement from the Palin family, as quoted in a Seattle Times story today:

“Bristol [the pregnant daughter] and the young man she will marry [identified only as "Levi"] 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.”

Smacks of “ha – you sinned, now you have to pay the price, but look how wonderful we are in supporting you”

poor guy, just think all you want to do is get lucky, probably in the car, under the bleachers, just a little action and the next thing you know, BAM! You are on a national stage.