It’s fine I guess but isn’t it really just saying that if you’re wealthy feel free to have all the unmarried sex you want because consequences don’t apply to rich people. But you poor people can’t afford to have sex so don’t because you might have icky poor babies and who wants that?
OK. It doesn’t say that exactly but it’s definitely not sending the right message.
April 13, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Yes, on the surface, it comes across as a shallow reason to abstain. There are a lot of glamourized teen pregnancies out there, and it does have an effect on teenagers getting pregnant. There is a young lady in my life who got herself pregnant on purpose, and this message – a reality check on the glamour – would be good for her to hear. It's not the ONLY reason for a teenager to abstain, but it is a valid one. Actually, the main thing that bothers me about the commercial is that it could just as easily be a condom commercial as an abstinence commercial. Again, this is only a small part of a big message. It's better than nothing.
April 13, 2010 at 7:20 pm
The only thing I can think about when I see that commercial is that I was just about as poor as she is at the end of that commercial when I had my first baby.
And I was never so happy – never felt so much joy. Babies are possible and delightful in even the sparest of circumstances. I hope this video doesn't discourage people of simple means not to have babies.
April 13, 2010 at 7:29 pm
It's also not totally an "abstinence" campaign. From the website:
The overarching message of our campaigns is ”… Pause Before You Play”: pause to think about your future; pause to think about consequences; pause to evaluate your relationship; pause to delay sex; **pause to get a condom**; pause to ask “why now?”
April 13, 2010 at 7:29 pm
What a weird commercial. I don't get it at all.
April 13, 2010 at 7:29 pm
TOTALLY! What a horrible commercial and message. In other words: "Um…I'm like special and everything. So, um…the rest of you shouldn't be having sex cuz it's like wrong or something. Unless you're a celebrity like I am. Oh, or unless your parents are powerful. Then it's cool. Oh, or unless your boyfriend's REALLY really hot! Like that guy from Twilight. Ooooh, I'd do him! So…um…what was I saying? Oh yeah, always remember to wear a condom."
April 13, 2010 at 8:03 pm
It's not the best message. But is it a good message – don't fool around if you can't afford getting pregnant? The implied message however is solid i.e. if you do get pregnant, you must have the baby; abortion is not an option. So, in that sense, it's good.
Sometimes the best is the enemy of the good.
But before a person can walk, he needs to be able to crawl. So, this is taking people where they are to lift them up slowly to make them crawl. They need baby food right now. Meat comes later with teeth.
April 13, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I agree it's not perfect, but around the parts I live in, it's a GREAT message to start the conversation. I think some of these girls believe Mama Welfare will take care of everything.
April 13, 2010 at 8:34 pm
So she couldn't afford to have three lamps in her living room if she didn't "Pause before she played?"
Lame.
April 13, 2010 at 8:39 pm
If I were a teen and saw that commercial, I would laugh and forget about it in 2 seconds. It doesn't send a very concrete message…. kind of corny and lame to me.
April 13, 2010 at 9:31 pm
This commercial is to abstinence among teens what condoms are to AIDS prevention are for Africa. Good luck with that.
April 13, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Well, now. What exactly does Ms. Palin think? I suspect she thinks like her parents and most of Americans–how horrible it is to be poor. Poor people should use birth control when they have sex because they can't afford to have babies. Look at me, I'm lucky. I can give my baby the best of everything. Gross. This isn't a message at all. It's just silliness and a way to keep herself, and her family, in the lime light. (Um, no I don't like the Palins at all). I would just LOVE to hear a story like this—"I had a hot boyfriend when I was 16. We thought we would be together forever. He said he loved me. We had sex because we loved each other so much. We were even excited to find out we were pregnant. We could handle everything. But then the baby came. It was a lot of hard work. Crying for no reason, smelly diapers, sleepless nights. It was too much for my boyfriend. He left me alone. Now I have a little boy to raise all by myself. He will never know what it's like to have a father. Statistically, I may never find a husband. I will have to live at home with my parents until I'm 30, if I'm lucky. My son may never experience a real family, a real home, or have any siblings. I worry about his future. He will very likely repeat the same mistake. He may have a son and never know him. Boy, I wish I had waited until I got married before I had sex. That way MY HUSBAND and I could have worked together, shared responsibilities, have grown in our love for each other." Nope instead the most famous teen unwed mother gives us "Pause before you Play." What a joke.
April 14, 2010 at 1:52 am
@catholicmomof6
love that pitch. The raw truth.
Don't like the actual commercial. Not well thought out and doesntcteally say anything.
April 14, 2010 at 2:48 am
right on, CatholicMomof6
Isn't it odd that both John McCain and Sarah Palin have daughters that are a disaster for the conservative movement?
April 14, 2010 at 2:57 am
Loved Catholicmomof6's response. I also, like Blackrep, was just about as poor as she when our first child was born. We didn't have much, but, like our doctor (a father of six, if I recall) told us once during an appointment, "If you wait 'till you can afford children, you'll never have any."
I'm sorry, but that was weak–even by "baby steps" standards. "Gee, if I didn't have a supportive family with lots of money, my life as a single mom sure wouldn't look as cool as it does now." I can see the collective eye-roll of millions of teens. "Gee, Miss Bristol, maybe you couldn't hack being poor, but it's all we know, and we're not as afraid of it as you are."
Sorry, but I'll be surprised if this makes any difference at all. Besides, as others have pointed out, "Pause before you play," doesn't mean "Save yourself for marriage." It could just mean, "Don't forget to put on some 'protection' first. Otherwise, you could end up in a sparsely-furnished apartment with a screaming baby and no future–unless you're Bristol Palin."
April 14, 2010 at 5:51 am
I had my husband watch the video. He laughed and said, "Hey that looks like the living room of our first house." It was funny. We had just had our second son, and we had a sofa that we found beside the road. Some one elses garbage…We had sheets for curtains and our kids frequently wandered around in diapers. It was hot and we couldn't afford to run the a/c that much. It's way better now–but I do hat running the a/c in the summer—it just costs too much. Maybe we learned something in our poverty—oh well, here's wishing Bristol, little Tripp, and all the Palin's the best.
April 14, 2010 at 3:57 pm
This is a tough crowd!
80% of those who are in poverty are single moms and children from single parent homes. This video is designed to make kids think – you have to start somewhere.
The video addresses young people where they are at, it's not designed to be a total commentary on the problem.
He that is not with sin may cast the first stone…
April 14, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I didn't like it either… It almost seems like the message is dangerously close to making the baby the problem- not the immorality or sex outside of marriage. It's giving in to Obama's "I don't want my daughters to be punished by a child" comment. I wasn't impressed… it's very negative, aside from being corny. How about spreading the good news about chastity and the gift of our human sexuality, rather than giving into the Margaret Sanger ideals that only wealthy people should have kids when they want. And only a couple… let's not get carried away.
And that apartment looked about as furnished as my husband and my place and our first baby is on the way!!
April 15, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Hahaha, good comments. It reminds me of those religious leaders and parents who tell teens that they should refrain from pre-marital sex because if they get pregnant they won't be able to go out on Saturday night. Never mind the morality aspect of it.
April 20, 2010 at 2:04 am
Right on Bristol! Sex should be Denied to the less fortunate–Abstinence for the great UNWASHED! Only those of privilege and means should do the down and dirty!!! Every time you unfortunates feel the libido rising just sublimate and shop at WalMart! If we can't exterminate the poor let's at least guilt them into abstinence!!!
Long live the Palins and the BOOBOCRACY!!!
April 23, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Wow – I'm apparently the only one who thought this was good. I think there are way too many messages to young girls indicating that having a child is easy and something to be attempted as soon as possible. I think this does a good job of saying – hey…I was lucky…but don't look at me as a reason to become a teen mom because most likely your life won't be like this. Nothing wrong with sending the message to think about the consequences of your actions.