On the Soap Box

The world learned today of Governor Sarah Palin’s 17-year old daughter’s pregnancy. Much respect should be given to both presidential candidates, as both have taken the stance that this subject is “off- limits” (Obama) and “a private, family matter” (McCain).

However, the fact that James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, offered a quote to the media could not be ignored. As usual, he felt the need to weigh in with his two cents on matters concerning the conscience of America.

“We have always encouraged the parents to love and support their children and always advised the girls to see their pregnancies through, even though there will of course be challenges along the way. That is what the Palins are doing, and they should be commended once again for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances,” Dobson said.”
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/01/palins-17-year-old-daughter-is-pregnant/

If it were any other person making that statement, there would be nothing to be mentioned on this blog. It’s a nice, thoughtful, seemingly innocuous thing to say. But. This. Guy. He is something ELSE.

Maybe Governor Palin should have followed this gold nugget of advice while raising her teenage daughter:

"Not only is the typical rebellion of those years a stressful experience, but the chauffeuring, supervising, cooking, and cleaning required to support a teenager can be exhausting.
Someone within the family must reserve the time and energy to cope with those new challenges. Mom is the candidate of choice. Remember, too, that menopause and a man's midlife crisis are scheduled to coincide with adolescence, which can make a wicked soup! It is a wise mother who doesn't exhaust herself at a time when so much is going on at home."
http://family.custhelp.com./cgi-bin/family.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=974

Or maybe she can incorporate this suggestion while raising her other children:

"It is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely."
Dobson, James C. (1977-02). Dare to Discipline. Bantam, 7. ISBN 0553228412.

All past quotes aside, how can this guy reconcile within himself. He is on one hand praising McCain for choosing Palin, while on the other hand he firmly believes that a woman should be at home raising her family. He says when he learned of her candidacy he had not been so excited for a candidate since Ronald Reagan, yet the very way she lives her life seems to fly in the face of his view of “family values.”

Actually, come to think of it…. why is he even offering his opinion anyway? He has already been quoted as saying:

“I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience. I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.”
http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/02/05/dobson-delivers-blow-to-mccain-candidacy/

Our family, (working mom included), wish Governor Palin and her family the best of luck in the future and we wish that James Dobson would crawl back under the rock that he came from.