Ann -
To be perfectly honest, I was a bit afraid to open your post for fear that I hadn't been coherent or that you might take issue with something
- most likely the abortion thing [don't ask me why except I was most specific there
]. Is abortion legal in the area? Of course. There's just no clinic that currently provides that service. Springfield recently [last year? Two years?] passed or tried to pass an ordinance that said any doctor performing an abortion had to have privileges at a hospital within 50 miles of where it was being performed [so they could admit the patient if needed etc.]. None of the doctors who were providing abortion services at the time were. I believe it was overturned or not passed because it would be overturned, but I forget on what grounds exactly. The doctors who had been traveling once a week or every other week no longer come [though it's possible this has changed since I last heard]. My guess is that the time/cost analysis was not worth it. Women from the area can, of course, travel elsewhere in the state or to surrounding states if they desire [Branson, for instance, is about 5 miles from Arkansas so that's not necessarily the hardship it may sound like].
There are Pentacostals like that in this area - and in many areas. The Assemblies of God and Baptists are headquartered here [not HERE but in Springfield]. I think more and more, however, acceptance is the norm. Not necessarily acceptance of whatever behavior, but certainly not like your cousin [rather he would likely be commended for not choosing/pressuring for abortion and taking care of his family]. Support and compassion are generally found instead - at least among those I know/know of. Does that mean the church doesn't... support abstinence rather than premarital sex? Of course not, but once a young lady/couple finds themselves in that situation, they need compassion and care and support in making the decision whether to put the child up for adoption or not [very few would condone abortions, but I would hope continue to love the young woman if she did].
That is one thing that I commend the Palin family for. My understanding is that most [not sure what the percentages are - I want to say over 75%, probably more like 90%] Downs pregnancies are aborted. They have chosen a difficult row to hoe. Bristol Palin's pregnancy was dealt with - afaik - in the manner I described above. Probable disappointment, but love and support as well. Whether you [the ubiquitous you, not you Ann], agree with their beliefs or not, they are living what they believe and that's commendable. They're not saying one thing and doing another on this issue.
Whether she should have accepted the nomination given Bristol's pregnancy is another matter all together.
On a quasi related note...
I did find
this opinion piece regarding the facts of the VP debate. I don't know anything about John Lott, but the VP/Constitution stuff seems to line up with what I've read/etc on the VP's role in the Senate. As for the rest, I didn't check his links or anything. It is... slanted towards Palin [defending some of what she said, has been attacked for while take a hard look at what Biden said], but I haven't seen that in any of the other ones I've looked at. [And yes it is on Fox News... Without FoxNews Obama thnks he'd be 3-4 points farther ahead, but I'm sure McCain thinks the same thing about MSNBC
].
Carol [who needs to write before Beth gets back online and they watch NCIS 'together']
