<p>Bristol Palin is hitting the speakers’ circuit and will command between $15,000 and $30,000 for each appearance, Palin family attorney Thomas Van Flein said Monday.</p>
<p>Bristol Palin, 19, is listed on the speaking group’s website as available for conferences, fundraisers, special events and holidays, as well as women’s, youth, abstinence and “pro-life” programs.</p>
<p>I don’t fault her for exploiting herself. Goodness knows the bed she’s made as an unwed teenage mom statistically guarantees a dead-end life of poverty.</p>
<p>What makes me scratch my head is that people would actually want to hear her speak, and will pay $15,000 to boot. Perhaps I could see it if her speech were titled “Don’t Let This Happen To You”. Kinda like “Scared Straight”.</p>
<p>She’s not exploiting herself. She has the incredible good luck to be the daughter of a high profile person, the object of curiousity and is able to market herself that way. No different than many out there who are making money on a number of circuits and not by making decisions that were right or moral.</p>
<p>I also completely understand why she would want to do that. How else is she going to support that child besides letting her parents support her?</p>
<p>But I also cannot understand why someone would pay that kind of money to listen to what she has to say. It is something that has happened to thousands of teenage girls every year. What profound wisdom does she have to add? Has she found a solution to this?</p>
<p>^Totally agree with 3bm…Honestly, I don’t think it will be anything other than an “I-regret-my-decision-don’t-find-yourself-in-my-predicament” speech which will more than likely advocate the failing abstinence-only education that she was taught. And speaking of teenage girls getting pregnant…I don’t understand why a young-woman whose presented so many opportunities in life will forsake them by getting pregnant early. If you were happy with your decision to be pregnant that early, then that’s another thing. However, I just don’t see why somebody would want to grow up so early.</p>
<p>I don’t fault her for doing this stuff to earn money. </p>
<p>It is ironic that her talks advocate abstinence, but that clearly was not a method that worked for her. I agree that the reason people will pay to hear her is due to her name, and not any accomplishments of her own per se. </p>
<p>I recall on the Pol Forum a long while back, that some members were up in arms that people were discussing Bristol Palin and thought she should be off limits. At the time, my feeling was she was in the news and choosing to be in the news, granting interviews and the like. And now again, she is choosing to be in the limelight and so it is fair to be discussing her.</p>
<p>sorghum,
It is not clear what is your opinion on that. Do you want other’s opinions or you have other goal for starting this thread. Please, clarify. If you are looking for our opinion, mine is that she is going to work for her $$, there are plenty of others who do not need to work. I am happy for her that in current job market, she got such terrific offers. Apparently there is a demand, otherwise supply will not exists. Great that she can satisfy certain demand and making good for herself and baby, yep, she is doing much better than her former boyfriend. Baby is going to be taken care much better, than if they got married. Apparently, Levi do not deserve her anyway.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP…does the person who starts the thread have to have “a goal for starting the thread”? It is a news story. It is a high rate of pay for someone who has no college education and is being asked to be a speaker…based on…well, that she became pregnant as a teen, I suppose. Not sure what other reason, other than the fact that she is the daughter of someone who is famous. Doesn’t bother me at all but it is newsworthy. </p>
<p>By the way, Bristol apparently works in a doctor’s office. But hey, good for her that she can earn some big bucks as a speaker. Not many unwed teenage mothers with no education could command such pay!</p>
<p>Agree that if the demand is there, why not go for it.</p>
<p>I don’t have a problem with what she’s doing. She does need to support her child, and being a high paid professional public speaker is an easy way to do that while also mothering.</p>
<p>I wonder how long she’ll be able to honestly indicate she’s celibate, however, since most formerly sexually active young people are not able to give up sex for long. Humans aren’t made that way.</p>
<p>Politics aside, I don’t find her personal message hypocritical at all. </p>
<p>My boys had a very close friend whose gf became pregnant in hs. He was very honest and open with my boys in saying ‘Hey we thought it was okay to become sexually active this young. We made a mistake in having unprotected sex. It wasn’t okay. Don’t do it this way.’ The young couple were at odds with their families for a number of reasons so they spend a great deal of time at our house. The topic didn’t revolve around the pregnancy, there was always a hot meal, and they could just be kids and play xbox if they wanted. We didn’t avoid the topic at all. We asked about ob visits, adoption options, their plans. My boys watched the entire process and learned there is no on single right answer. They also saw as the young woman went through a range of emotions and changed her mind several times as to what she wanted to do. They watched their friend struggle. He gave his opinion as her partner, but ultimately it was her decision to lovingly give the selfless gift of the child through adoption.</p>
<p>He left my boys with this… the LAST CHOICE I had in this was weather or not to have sex. Everything since then has been opinions, support, but the decisions were not mine to make ultimately. MY last choice where I had any control was a year ago when we became sexually active, and then when I didn’t take responsibility for birth control.</p>
<p>This made a huge lasting impression on my boys. They love them both and it was a learning, growing, loving experience for all of us. However, they now understand in a clear reality when their choices must be made.</p>
<p>If they were in the position to reach the young public through name recognition I think their message is valuable and I would not begrudge them for telling it. As a young man whose story is sometimes missed I think it would be very insightful.</p>
<p>I agree that teens can learn from her and any mistakes she may have made along the way. I’m just not so keen on her message being “abstinence” as it realistically was not an effective means of birth control for her either. So, the message could be about making sure one has birth control in place before engaging in sex. Abstinence was not a realistic option for her and so I am not sure she can sell that as realistic to other teens. The message can’t just be “look what happens when you have sex…don’t have sex!” but “look what happens if you have sex without birth control…if you do choose to have sex, use protection!”</p>
<p>Again, I have no problem with her speaking to youth and the fact is, due to her name, she has this opportunity to do so.</p>
<p>MD mom,
"We can all just hope that the "demand’ goes away soon and for her mother as well. "</p>
<p>Not ALL. I might as well say that "We can all just hope that the “demand’ DOES NOT go away soon and for her mother as well.” Does it feel right for you? Do not forget, we are not under dictatorship yet, we can freely express our DIFFERENT opinions. Cherish it, while it lasts.</p>
<p>a) It’s a funny story.
b) I read a lot of threads started by others so I wanted to start one myself.
c) I think the kids who hear her will get a very mixed message “You really should abstain but if you don’t you just might make a lot of money”.</p>