Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and a former contestant on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, gave birth to her second out-of-wedlock child two days before Christmas.
Upon announcing her second pregnancy, she wrote on her blog, “I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you.”
Palin, now 25, gave birth to her first child as a teenager not long after her mother’s unsuccessful 2008 vice presidential bid. In 2009, Palin went to work as a spokesperson for The Candie’s Foundation, which describes itself as “a non-profit organization that works to shape the way the youth in America think about the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy and parenthood.”
Palin, then a teenager, became the target of intense media criticism because she gave speeches advocating abstinence before marriage.
“There may be multiple forms of contraception, but I’m here to say that one fact remains: those that practice abstinence have no chance of becoming pregnant,” Palin said at one event. “Abstinence is not about morality, it is about reality. It is the only thing that works every time. My message is a simple one: Don’t make the same decision I made, just wait. Young ladies, please hear me.”
Palin was ridiculed by some for being a hypocrite, while others defended her comments, noting that if anyone could communicate the challenges of raising children outside of marriage, it would be someone who has actually been through it.
The Associated Press wrote an article titled “Bristol Palin announces birth of second child,” which mentioned her abstinence advocacy. But when Alabama sports website and liberal political blog al.com picked up the story, they changed the headline to attack Palin head-on.
“Abstinence-only advocate Bristol Palin gives birth to 2nd out-of-wedlock child,” the headline mockingly declared.
The outlet’s original tweet received 2,700 retweets from its predominately leftwing following.
Abstinence-only advocate Bristol Palin gives birth to 2nd out-of-wedlock child https://t.co/D2ZGfd4eAd pic.twitter.com/ufdrTV9PQX
— AL.com (@aldotcom) December 25, 2015
But the reaction was far from all positive. Conservatives pushed back, criticizing the state’s largest sports website for its liberal bias when it veers into politics.
My goodness. Is this a damn opinion piece? If she had aborted them would you celebrate? https://t.co/AzFlazmn0H
— Matt Murphy (@mattmurphyshow) December 27, 2015
@aldotcom Really??? A picture of mother and child strikes you as an opportunity to advance your agenda. Is nothing beyond the pale?
— David Gondek (@mutex7) December 25, 2015
@aldotcom He who is without SIN, Cast the First Stone………(crickets)
— JOHN BRASHEAR (@CHIEF_CABIOCH) December 25, 2015
@aldotcom judge much?
— Bert Secks (@BhamBC) December 25, 2015
@aldotcom @eossipov Biased much?
— Rocky (@Catrocky22) December 25, 2015
@aldotcom maybe all u idiots would prefer planned parenthood and sell the babys parts
— David Hutchison (@getreal1234) December 25, 2015
