A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER

Sarah Palin's a grandmother!  How sweet.  

As reported today, Alaskan  Governor Sarah Palin's UNWED daughter Bristol gave birth to a seven pound son this week.  And the father, Levi Johnston (referred to several times in today's AP article as "the young man") can't wait to take him hunting and fishing.  Send them a rifle, amo, hooks, and a box of worms as a gift. God bless America.  Pass the bait.

Back in October I wrote about Governor Palin campaigning against gay marriage during the presidential race.  She had been interviewed by CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network), home of former presidential hopeful and television preacher Pat Robertson, about the gay marriage subject.  My main point was that gay marriage was (and still is) a non issue.  At the time it was a smoke and mirror subject that pandered to the religious right for votes, got a segment of the voting population lathered up with emotional content, and diverted attention away from the little matter of the conservative Christian Governor's reported family disfunctions, most notably her UNWED pregnant daughter.  Oh yeah....As I mentioned in October, it also diverted our attention away from issues like the Afgan and Iraqi wars, health care, energy, education, and the crumbling economy, just to name a few. 

It's not my intention here to rehash that story.  I just want to point out, and keep in view,  yet another example of the ongoing hypocrisy we tend to ignore about these public figures as they blather on out of both sides of their mouths about how we should be living our lives and how what they do is ok, fine, or none of our business.  According to the AP, the governor's office would not comment on Governor Palin's UNWED pregnant daughter giving birth, saying that it was a "private, family matter."  Indeed.  I would imagine that thousands of gay men and women would say the same thing about their own marriages, if they were allowed to marry.  

As for Bristol Palin and "the young man" getting married, it was hinted in today's report that they were "considering" getting married next summer.  Sweet!  My question is, what the hell are they waiting for?  The responsibility has arrived.  Let's see some of those evangelical Christian values put into action, even if the morality part was cast aside nine months ago.  

Well, that's ok.  No one needs the governor's office to make any official announcement.  And the Christian Broadcasting Network need not blush over the matter either.  Sarah Palin doesn't have to call Tina Fey and have it announced on Saturday Night Live.  No, none of that.  Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol's grandmother, according to the AP, spilled the bait.  

She's the family member who was arrested this month on felony drug charges for allegedly trying to sell OxyContin to a couple of police informants.  Another "private, family matter"? 

In the mean time, let's hope (where's Obama when you need him?) this doesn't tarnish Sarah Palin's image.  After all, according to the media, she's a potential candidate for president in 2012.  And all of these trials and tribulations simply "humanize" her and her family, according to the AP report.  

Pass the bait.  But don't tell anyone, it's a private family matter.

(c)2008 R. Burnett Baker