Disturbing News- not cattle related

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red

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I saw this on the morning news & also copied it from Foxnews. It really makes me sad the direction & misconcepts some of our younger generation. Of course when their favorite personalites do it it must be alright.

Red  :'(  (angel)

Massachusetts High School Faces Pregnancy Boom
Thursday , June 19, 2008

A Massachusetts high school is facing a pregnancy boom with 17 girls entering summer vacation expecting babies in what some have called a pregnancy pact.

Officials at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, Mass., are investigating whether half of the teens made a pact to get pregnant during the school year, Time.com reported.

Officials said that beginning last fall a large group of girls started asking the school clinic for pregnancy tests, the site said.

"Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," principal Joseph Sullivan told Time.com.

The pregnancy rate at the 1,200-student school is four times higher than the previous year, and officials were shocked to learn that men in their 20s had fathered some of the babies, Time.com said.

"We found out one of the fathers is a 24-year-old homeless guy," Sullivan told Time.com.

The Gloucester baby boom is forcing this city of 30,000 to grapple with the question of providing easier access to birth control, something this largely Catholic enclave is slow to embrace, the site said.

Nurse practitioner Kim Daly administered 150 pregnancy tests to students by May, prompting her and the clinic's medical director, Dr. Brian Orr, to lobby for the prescription of contraceptives regardless of parental consent.

That move drew the ire of Mayor Carolyn Kirk, whose public outcry against the pair led to their resignations last month.

"It is very clear that the board [at Northeast Health System of Beverly, which manages the clinic] is not in favor and will not support contraception in the school," Orr told the Boston Globe. "There is an epidemic of teen pregnancy at the school."

Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and FOX News contributor, called the school's epidemic "shocking."

"But the other thing we should realize is that we are hot on the heels of [17-year-old] Jamie Lynn Spears deciding to start a family and of mass media embracing the notion and waiting with bated breath for her baby," he said.

Jamie Lynn gave birth to a baby girl on Thursday.

According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation’s teen birth rate rose in 2006 for the first time in 14 years.

Ablow said the example in Massachusetts should be heeded as a warning.

"In a world that is so technologically based, there will be predictable push-back from young people," he said. "They want to remind themselves that they are alive and human. One of the ways people do this is that they reproduce."
 

Bawndoh

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red said:
I saw this on the morning news & also copied it from Foxnews. It really makes me sad the direction & misconcepts some of our younger generation. Of course when their favorite personalites do it it must be alright.

Red  :'(  (angel)

You know I dont think it is the fact that their "mentors" are doing it.  I believe (and I do not mean to thoroughly offend anybody), that these girls are doing it because of the higher divorce rate these days.  They find themselves not ever having had a strong and trustworthy, loving relationship.  They think that if they find "true love" they will be all set.  They then let the first guy they think they love, get them pregnant in hopes of developing a better relationship with the father, because they have a child that will bond them.  Then it turns back on them, and there are going to be more and more single mothers out there.  It is a vicious circle. 
I do not want anybody to be offended. This is just my opinion of a situation.  I am not saying that every child who has divorced parents is going to do this.  I do know some girls who came from strong households, who got pregnant at a young age.  It sounds like they are trying to blame Jamie Lynn Spears quite a bit.  First of all, since when was she considered a "mentor" of any kind??  Secondly, I think she is the first teen in Hollywood to do this.  It seems a bit odd that they would pinpoint one girl for causing hundreds of thousands of other girls' mistakes.
 

fluffer

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They need to come up with a shot or something they can give babies when they are born so that they can not procreate until they are 25 or something.  It is a fact that people in their early 20's still do not have the ability to think about potential concequences of their actions.  I would have argued that when I was in my early 20's but now that I am in my late 20's I will say that it's defenatly true!  These girls are not considering their actions may not only result in pregnancy but also disease.  Sleeping with a homeless man- You couldn't pay me any amout of money to do something like that GROSS!!!!!  Goes to show what happens when we turn our kids over to the government for an education.  I appoliges to any teachers- that comment is not against you  :)  

Fluffer
 

knabe

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this fits in well with another post i made about those "in" authority not being able to do anything or they suffer the consequences.  the world truly is upside down.  the only thing that saddens me is that i probably won't live long enough in the push back cycle to see a turnaround with a new set of founding fathers.  the relative stasis of national boundries will be revisited.  people are under the false assumption that people like mugabe are not in the US.  mostly they keep to themselves, but when that revenue stream runs out, look out.  there will be a new nickname for the sooners of tomorrow.  at some point, "wasted" votes for candidates not affiliated with the republican or democratic party will turn the tide. 

which is more important, winning or having principle

promoting general welfare or provide general welfare

the words "General Welfare" in the introduction to the enumerated powers of Article I Section 8 were never intended to be an object for extension of the power to tax and spend.

The phrase "the Common Defense and the General Welfare" in Article I Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution are not grants of power but merely introductions to the enumerated powers concerning the common defense and the general welfare.

Let there be no change in the constitution by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.  (George Washington)

James Madison, when asked if the "general welfare" clause was a grant of power, replied in 1792, in a letter to Henry Lee,

        If not only the means but the objects are unlimited, the parchment [the Constitution] should be thrown into the fire at once.

more at.

http://constitutionalawareness.org/genwelf.html

note specifically when this happened, UNDER FDR.  IT DIDN'T WORK THEN AND IT ISN'T WORKING NOW.

CONSEQUENCES WHICH ARE DELAYED BEYOND THE BENEFITS OF DELAYED GRATIFICATION RESULT IN HEDONISM.

another reason this is happening is the education of the public in general that males have no value.  this is reflected in roles on television where almost every male is a buffon, and every kid is smarter than adults.  the authority figure has been completely undermined.  society excels with the combination of a loving mother and the authority of the father, diversity.  we no longer value the diversity most societies were founded on.
 

ELBEE

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Bawndoh, I tend to agree, and may I take it one step farther and add a lack of bonding between Fathers and Daughters. And the discernment between Eros and Agape.
 

ELBEE

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"The authority figure has been completely undermined."

My point exactly! And who is the authority of the family? The Lord Jesus Christ, and He has given us an owners manual.
 

chambero

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I believe Gloucester is an old time fishing community.  You've got a lot of relatively poor kids whose dads (if they are around at all) are gone out on boats all of the time for long periods of time.  I imagine you've got a bunch of kids raising themselves.

This got noticed because its white kids on the east coast.  Happens all the time in other parts of the country and in the hispanic and black communities.  Kind of like how its a media blitz when a pretty white girl disappears but nobody notices when its an average looking or minority kid kidnapped or disappeared. 

This is a bad deal that's very reflective of bad home life.  A boyfriend/girlfriend having an accident is one thing, but this kind of deal shows there's something wrong somewhere.  But its not a sign of the "end times".  A lot of these kinds of kids would be in the same situation in 2 or 3 years anyway.
 

fluffer

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At what point did we (as a race) become so sensitve to relationships and the lack there of?  Back in the 1600's 1700's 1800's and even 1900's the live expectancy wans't all that great.  I am sure some kids (Including my father) spent a majority of their childhood with at least one parent who was deceased.  I just don't understand why now something like that gives you an excuse to do dumb stuff.  Not trying to ruffle feathers- just thinking outloud I guess  ;D

I agree I think welfare has a large part in it too!

Fluffer
 

knabe

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fluffer said:
At what point did we (as a race) become so sensitve to relationships and the lack there of?  Back in the 1600's 1700's 1800's and even 1900's the live expectancy wans't all that great.  I am sure some kids (Including my father) spent a majority of their childhood with at least one parent who was deceased.  I just don't understand why now something like that gives you an excuse to do dumb stuff.  Not trying to ruffle feathers- just thinking outloud I guess  ;D

I agree I think welfare has a large part in it too!

Fluffer

fluffer, these are great comments.  i've wondered about them too, and how to control for that when examining society's track record.

back in the periods you mentioned though, a major difference was that younger people had to contribute to survival, whereas today, things are a little different.  I know my posts seem doomsdayical, is tomorrow, that is not my intent.  i am looking at this from a long time point, and just what has happened over the last 100 years as far as the family unit is concerned and it's pretty startling, even from the 50's.

alexander hamilton's was basically an adult around 12 or 13, and still managed to probably read every book on the island of st. croix when he was a boy.  there was 32 in the house which probably didn't include tom swift or my side of the mountain.  of course those books were a little more advanced than people read today.

a biography i can recommend about him is

http://www.wnyc.org/books/29537
 

TJ

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fluffer said:
At what point did we (as a race) become so sensitve to relationships and the lack there of?  Back in the 1600's 1700's 1800's and even 1900's the live expectancy wans't all that great.  I am sure some kids (Including my father) spent a majority of their childhood with at least one parent who was deceased.  I just don't understand why now something like that gives you an excuse to do dumb stuff.   Not trying to ruffle feathers- just thinking outloud I guess  ;D

I agree I think welfare has a large part in it too!

Fluffer

Something else to think about...

Back in the 1600's, 1700's, 1800's & even part of the 1900's... MOST girls got married by age 13-16. 


RE excuses... people use way too many excuses today, and these girls have nobody to blame except themself.  However, I do think society is "promoting" this type of behavior... in more ways than one. 
 

chambero

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Way back when, very young mothers were ready to jump in and function just like their older counterparts.  Most didn't have to earn a living outside the home and certainly had a husband to take care of that.  Their job was taking care of their family.

You can't support a family now at 15 or 16.  And it still wouldn't be so bad if the guy would be there to help.
 

red

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when I was growing up it was a scandal if your parents were divorced. Later if you were born out of wedlock you earned a certain name. Now most kids come from shattered families & unwed mothers. Also look at the number of kids that have several 1/2 brothers or sisters. I've said it before, at some point if you come from a 2 parent family & you sibling all have the same parents you'll be considered a freak.

Red
 

Dusty

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Bawndoh said:
red said:
I saw this on the morning news & also copied it from Foxnews. It really makes me sad the direction & misconcepts some of our younger generation. Of course when their favorite personalites do it it must be alright.

Red  :'(  (angel)

You know I dont think it is the fact that their "mentors" are doing it.  I believe (and I do not mean to thoroughly offend anybody), that these girls are doing it because of the higher divorce rate these days.  They find themselves not ever having had a strong and trustworthy, loving relationship.  They think that if they find "true love" they will be all set.  They then let the first guy they think they love, get them pregnant in hopes of developing a better relationship with the father, because they have a child that will bond them.  Then it turns back on them, and there are going to be more and more single mothers out there.  It is a vicious circle. 
I do not want anybody to be offended. This is just my opinion of a situation.  I am not saying that every child who has divorced parents is going to do this.  I do know some girls who came from strong households, who got pregnant at a young age.  It sounds like they are trying to blame Jamie Lynn Spears quite a bit.  First of all, since when was she considered a "mentor" of any kind??  Secondly, I think she is the first teen in Hollywood to do this.  It seems a bit odd that they would pinpoint one girl for causing hundreds of thousands of other girls' mistakes.

Coming from divorced parents I think it had the opposite effect on me.  I am absolutely terrified of getting married and having kids...

I think part of the problem is that now a days teen pregnancy is not looked down upon like it used to be to be.  I mean high schools have daycares now....
Parenting is also the root of the problem in a situation like this.  I got the "Be Smart" speech every weekend for 4 years.....
 

inthebarnagain

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Dusty said:
Parenting is also the root of the problem in a situation like this.  I got the "Be Smart" speech every weekend for 4 years.....

AMEN!  I knew if I ever did anything that stupid my mother would kill me.  I am 39 years old now and still think sometimes "Oh great, what is Mom going to say?".
 

ELBEE

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There is a vast gulf of difference between living in respect of a deceased parent or living with the disrespectful reality of abandonment. Not to mention the attitude of the custodial parent.

It all boils down to respect and that is something that can not be dictated, it has to be earned and taught by example.
 

DCC_Cattle

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I think that the parents are to blame! If they would teach these kids some values and right and wrong...there wouldn't be so much of a problem. When I was in high school it became a "trend" to have babies and it was looked at to be the cool thing to do. Also, most of these babies are going to end up being raised by the teenage girl's parents so they probably wont learn their lesson and see the consequeces of their actions.
 
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