16 yr old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant - WHAT!?

So I heard that Britney Spears' younger sister, 16 year old Jamie Lynn, announced that she is pregnant with the child of her 18 year old boyfriend. I saw this announcement on the local news while at the gym and the pictures and video footage of Spears showed her flaunting her little belly in the latest maternity fashion and grinning ear to ear. The report made it seem that this was the most normal of announcements coming from teens these days. I was outraged, but then, sadly, not very surprised. Here's a perfect example of how our society deals with sex; America flagrantly disseminates sexual images and messages in all media forms (music, movies, t.v shows, magazines and news) but somehow discussions of sexuality remain taboo in many homes, churches, and schools and as a society we are shocked about rapidly lowering age at which sexual activity begins.

And to think that I, along with many others would be shocked about the news - well it fits right in with the values of our culture. It is one that supports the not so subtle expressions of sex appeal and temptation (I'd like to come back later and provide some clear examples). In seeking out the origin of such disturbing developments we should recognize also the fear of discussion and honesty about the difficult and confusing issues and questions about sex in general. But really we must ask some more questions. Is there a false sense of identity at the heart of the issue? What about the what is discussed and modeled about relationships and why we're in them? Is this what leads to shaky marriages and so many divorces?

How is it that so many children and adults end up in such compromising positions where they make a choice to engage in sexual activity without understanding it fulling or without being in a committed relationship? Do we even know what sex is about? Is it our primal nature that drives us to fulfill our sexual needs? Is that all we are - just instinct driven beings? I'd like to make the argument that whether one becomes sexually active due to lack of education or proper upbringing is a moot point; ultimately as human beings we have hold incredible power with the ability to reason and to choose between right and wrong- that's what makes us different from the rest of the animal kingdom. (Obviously, I am not including rape in this discussion). I understand that choices are situational and not so black and white but my point is that we have the ability to gather information on our situation and recognize our options and consider how our decisions will affect our future. What ever choice we make affects us negatively, positively, or both. Jamie Lynn made a choice and it will affect her and her child for the rest of her life.

Jamie Lynn has said that she plans to raise her child. Some have applauded her for taking responsibility for her actions (instead of what, abortion?), but I think it is crucial to ask what is really meant by "taking responsibility". Is raising her child really the right thing to do? Does she understand what it takes to be a responsible parent? Does she realize that the decision to have a child and raise it is one of the biggest decisions one can ever make? Why? Because parents are responsible for raising a child to become a good thinking, loving, and respectful
This society has turned into a mess - there is a small minority of parents out there who actually dedicate their lives to raising a child to become a thinking (this is where the power of choice and reason come in), loving, and respectful citizen that is actively and positively involved and contributing to this society. That's what parenting must be and it shouldn't be taken lightly or seen as just something you do when you grow up. It must be a conscious decision and then result in a commitment to selflessness, humility, and most importantly love. Can a 16 year old pop star make that commitment? Is she willing to drop her social life and education to provide for her child? Is she willing to be a good role model for her child? Really, who am I to say. There could be a myriad of circumstances out there, both for Jamie Lynna and other teens like her. The choice was made and the consequences stand. While we continue to heal this society it's not condemnation that should guide us. Learning from mistakes is crucial, but what matters the most are the decisions made from here on out. What is the most responsible to.....? I guess it all comes down to how each of understands responsibility.