From Detroit Free Press writer Stephen Henderson:
What if Palin were a black woman governor from, say, Illinois, who had been added to the Democratic ticket? What if her 17-year-old daughter had been impregnated by an 18-year-old, basketball-playing black kid from Chicago with no college plans or discernable means of income?Mr. Henderson is absolutely correct. There would have been that reaction.
Bet the house that we'd have seen a number of insulting and demeaning stereotypes invoked - some of the same folks praising the Palins' handling of the situation - over and over again.
The real issues go beyond the daughter getting pregnant.
So while Mr. Henderson may be absolutely correct about the reaction to the pregnancy, we must ask whether it is because of a "double standard" toward black, pregnant teenagers or because there is a significant lack of "having standards" within a portion of the young, black population.
- It is unrealistic to say that black, teenage pregnancy rates are irrelevant [twice the white rates]?
- Is it unrealistic to say that the black, teenage abortion rates are irrelevant [2-1/2 times the white rates]?
- It is unrealistic to say that the significantly higher rates of black, unwed mothers who have multiple children on government support is irrelevant?
- It is unrealistic to say that the very high rate of black, teenage boys who get their girlfriends pregnant and abandon them is irrelevant?
Perhaps such a reaction... stereotyping, right or wrong in this example, would be the result of so much previous experience with the situation. [click on images for larger view]..
