Bristol Palin has become a punching bag in her short life. Sure, she has put her own opinion out there, choosing the spotlight on occasion. Doing that, especially in the United States, brings all the comments and responses that any public statement is heir to.
But Bristol Palin’s daily lot is much more a by-product of her mother’s misaimed ambitions than her own actions. Many people have babies, cancel weddings, fight with neighbors, and fend off unwanted admirers. But when these things happen to Bristol Palin, is gets trumpeted around the nation as if she were her own attention-hungry mom.
Right now, all Bristol Palin wants is to be left alone. She may not get that, since she has put herself out there in the past. For whatever reason, she felt obliged to tell readers of her blog that she was pregnant with a second child out of wedlock. Maybe she was looking for support and a friendly ear.
“Honestly, I’ve been trying my hardest to keep my chin up on this one,” Bristol admitted when announcing her pregnancy. “I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you.”
Bristol is determined to bear up and handle her actions like a grown woman.
“Life moves on no matter what. So no matter how you feel, you get up, get dressed, show up, and never give up.
When life gets tough, there is no other option but to get tougher.”
At this point, she wants to be left alone to do that without being in the spotlight.
“But please respect Tripp’s and my privacy during this time. I do not want any lectures and I do not want any sympathy.”
Alas, that was not to be. Bristol Palin has the misfortune of being affiliated with, and has occasionally reveled in the spotlight of, her mother. The glee of Palin opponents at hearing she was pregnant was swift.
#BristolPalin 's abstinence education program gives a whole new meaning to "those who can't do, teach."
— Amanda (@AmandaTDA) June 28, 2015
The only problem I have with Bristol Palin's pregnancy is that she made over $250k giving talks about abstinence until marriage.
— Kaylene Wright (@kayleneannawyn) June 28, 2015
In response to these and many other statements like them, Bristol took to her blog again to set the record straight.
“I made a mistake,” she wrote, “but it’s not the mistake all these giddy a$$holes have loved to assume. This pregnancy was actually planned.”
Bristol only recently called off a wedding to Dakota Meyer. She says that she and Dakota started a family a little too soon.
“Everyone knows I wanted more kids, to have a bigger family. Believing I was heading that way, I got ahead of myself. Things didn’t go as planned, but life keeps going. Life moves on. But I do not regret this baby. This baby is not a disappointment, and I cannot wait to be a mom times two. Tripp is going to make the best big brother!!”
As for the claims that she is getting her comeuppance for lecturing others about abstinence, she counters, “Let’s get another thing straight, because I can’t tolerate all the talk on this subject. I have never been paid as an ‘abstinence spokesperson. I was employed by the great people at The Candies Foundation.”
The website for The Candies Foundation does highlight that their mission is “to shape the way the youth in America think about the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy and parenthood.”
Both The Candies Foundation and their partner organization The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy mention that, while they highlight abstinence as the most “effective” way to prevent teen pregnancy, they support a two-pronged approach that includes abstinence for those who will stick with this approach and birth control methods for those who do choose to be sexually active.
More than anything, Bristol Palin is offended by those who use her yet-unborn child for headlines like: “Bristol Palin Makes Great Argument for Abortion in Baby Announcement.”
“I am pregnant. This is not the ideal situation, but life is important even if it’s not in the most absolute ideal circumstance. This is more confirmation on what I’ve always stood for. I’ve always been pro-life and I am standing for life now.”
“Deal with it.”