" Cogito: you are confusing me with someone else's post. I never made any assumption that Bristol would choose an abortion, whether Sarah Palin was her mother or not. I have no reason to believe such nonsense.

Dogs: I still think it is hypocritical to say "don't do this, even though I did" - especially when you have advantages that the majority of your peers in the same situation do not, and when it directly contradicts what you said two months earlier.

Some years ago I attended an abstinence rally at a school where a pro athlete said he was a "virgin" preaching to the kids to wait to have sex. Then as he kept talking he revealed he wasn't a "true" virgin - after a wild life he found religion and chose to be celibate until he marries. The majority of the kids I talked to afterward felt his message was "bogus" because of this. Cognitively, kids tend to see things in concrete terms more than adults, so mixed messages can be counter-productive even if the intent is right. "

" WC Patty, thank you for the nice words. But one thing I would take exception with' is that there are no better experts than those who have learned through experience. Having a member of ones peer demographic speak about teenage pregnancy and it's consequences would be very effective in getting the point across. Assuming that Bristol would have aborted the baby if not for her mother is asinine. "

" Prevention prevents conseption. A pregnant teenager needs all the help and advice she can get, never the less it is her decision as to what to do with that life that is growing within her body.

WC, while I agree with most of your post, I can`t accept the last line calling Bristol hypocritical, you cannot un-ring the bell, but you can pass on your experence and maybe stop an unwed pregnancy. "

" Jerome, again I have to agree with WCPatty in that when Bristol went on the boob tube with national exposure, she placed herself in the public domain.

Abstinence is best; however, we must all be a bunch of old geezers who have forgotten how the hormones kick in and all is dumped by the wayside.

What is the old saying? An ounce of prevention (birth control) is worth a pound of cure (abortion)? Since I, personally, do not believe in abortion, I would much rather Ms. Egg and Mr. Sperm never meet. "

" Jerome: regarding "this really isn't our business" and "so much for leaving the kids of politicians alone", I would totally agree with you had Bristol not done interviews on Fox's Greta and Good Morning America, putting herself into the public domain. "

" I don't think anyone would argue that having a baby out of wedlock or at such a young age is a great idea. And while I don't know Bristol Palin, I suspect that her claim that her baby is a blessing was not her way of insisting that others should follow her lead.

However, to suggest that had Bristol not been Sarah Palin's daughter the baby would have been aborted is preposterous. Situations like this occur within many families the world over. I would rather believe that even though she was upset that her daughter had become pregnant, the final decision as to what to do was left to Bristol herself. That decision probably did come after extensive discussion within the confines of the family and perhaps even their pastor. But this really isn't our business, is it? Don't we all have issues with our own children that should remain private? I suppose when it's someone who's pilloried as much as Sarah Palin is, she and her children are fair game. So much for leaving the kids of politicians alone. "

" Totally agree with your 8:22 AM statement WCPatty. "

" I would rather Bristol stand by her earlier assertion that abstinence-only ed is "unrealistic" and support sex education in public schools and better access to birth control, which studies have shown areas that have such also have lower abortion rates. "

" From what I gathered from the letters, the baby itself may be a blessing, but teenage pregnancy out of wedlock is NOT a blessing for the vast majority of situations. Bristol Palin has the luxury of being in a family that can well-afford an unexpected addition without it jeopardizing her education or future. Not every girl comes from a family as supportive or financially able as hers or Cogito's (who I applaud for stepping up for your daughter and grandson). Having Bristol campaigning for abstinence only-education rings hollow and hypocritical. "

" Thank you Cogito you are spot on. I am appalled at the letter writers remarks but yet again, that is what makes this country great. I just had this discussion last night with my Mother in Law after sharing with her that one of my close friends just had her second daughter. Her first words were "another one, out of wedlock....terrible. She should have learned from her mistake the first time!" Well I don't consider her frist daughter, whose 5 years old now, a mistake at all. She is a BLESSING. Whose to say that you arn't in a loving marriage and your husband decides to leave once you are pregnant...what would you say then Bob?! Let me guess, probably that she married the wrong guy! haha! "

" Bob, I will give you credit for one thing though, getting pregnant out of wedlock isn't a great idea. But unless your love life has only been consummated within the bonds of marriage, you have no room to criticize. "

" Bob, go ahead and "stand by" your stupidity. It's your right as an American to be clueless. I have a 25 year old daughter with a 5 year old grandson. When the father found out she was pregnant, he bolted, and now won't even pay child support. And the worthless agency called Child Support Services does absolutely nothing. When she found out she was pregnant, abortion was something she would never consider, because she considers it what it is, and it's murder. That being said, that little guy is the greatest blessing ever bestowed on our family, without question. I cannot imagine our life without him. We know exactly what Bristol Palin means. Because we are living it too. "