I think it’s important to admit that the evidence does not support the claim that real sex education has much of an effect on rates of things like teen pregnancy and so forth

Perhaps in your alternate dimension it does not, but here in “reality” sex education has had an enormous positive effect on the number of teen pregnancy and STD infections, when one considers the higher rates of sexual activity among teenagers.

Very few kids are so ignorant of sex that they don’t know that it can lead to pregnancy, and that contraception can stop it… with or without the help of a sex-ed class. The problem is rather than kids are impulsive, unrealistic, and often act without really considering the consequences. And in some areas, teen pregnancy is actually seen as a normal and even helpful thing given socio-economic realities.

No mere 4th period lecture can change that.

I’d rather kids be informed than lied to or denied information. But without good evidence to the contrary, I don’t think we can in general blame lack of sex ed for this or that pregnancy unless we can really show that sex ed would have helped.

As others have said, she is in no way a ‘child’ that needs protected. HER family put her situation out there. This show’s that Palin’s views on abstinence only cannot be taken seriously if she can’t even keep her own kid from getting knocked up.

Then why is her face on the poster? That’s my *only* problem with it. By putting her face on the poster, the artist has put the girl forth as a subject of ridicule.

I have to ask… what harm does this really do?

Did this photoshopped poster invade Bristol’s privacy?

no.

Did it bring to light any private aspect of her life or her pregnancy?

no.

Did it make you aware of any true or false aspect of the news that you weren’t previously aware of, or wasn’t previously public knowledge?

no.

This is where I can’t quite get what’s wrong about this image… here someone’s taken a photograph of a person who is a public figure, who has consented to being photographed, who is appearing tonight on the STAGE of the republican national convention, and juxtaposing it with the image of a popular movie poster that was about a pregnant teenager.

So, it’s OKAY for the republicans to use her and her image as a campaigner up on stage, but NOT people opposed to Palin’s views on family planning, contraception, sex-education and support for unwed mothers?

That’s just how it looks to me. It’s necessarily subjective and I admit it’s not cut-and-dry, but still, her face is there along with the people who are definitely being criticized. She’s at least unnecessary collateral damage.

That she’s pictured next to people who are criticized? Damn right that’s “not cut and dry”, that’s wafer thin.

Unless you’re the artist him/herself, how can you say that with any certainty?

I am very confident I understand the message of the poster. I don’t see any signs of criticism of teen pregnancy and the source movie isn’t negative towards it.

Seriously, why do people vote for these slimeballs?

Why would her image imply criticism?

That’s just how it looks to me. It’s necessarily subjective and I admit it’s not cut-and-dry, but still, her face is there along with the people who are definitely being criticized. She’s at least unnecessary collateral damage.

The artist is not ridiculing her.

Unless you’re the artist him/herself, how can you say that with any certainty?

If she’s a subject of ridicule it’s in the minds of the ignorant.

Well of course, but how do we know the poster’s maker isn’t one of them?

This information was released by the Palin’s, were they putting the girl forth as a subject of ridicule?

No, but that’s not really analogous.

Then why is her face on the poster? That’s my *only* problem with it.

Why would her image imply criticism?

By putting her face on the poster, the artist has put the girl forth as a subject of ridicule.

The artist is not ridiculing her. If she’s a subject of ridicule it’s in the minds of the ignorant. This information was released by the Palin’s, were they putting the girl forth as a subject of ridicule?