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.

I received this in an e-mail from my mom and found it worth reading.

Subject: FW: Obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).

His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing.

I've heard it said before that the world becomes a playground once one leaves the comfortable cookie cutter path set during childhood and school years. After graduating from Dickinson College in 2006 with a degree in American Studies and a special focus on Latino cultures and Spanish, there was a blank slate ahead of me and in theory I could fill it in whatever way I chose - what freedom! After an cross country road trip to California and back, I decided to ease my way into the complex web of adulthood and go to a land of milk and honey, let's say- a place where I didn't have to pay rent for a home with a large kitchen and three bedrooms; a place where all the basic necessities of a healthy lifestyle (a track, pool, and gym for exercise, three FREE fresh, healthy, and diverse meals, a post office open daily, an ATM, woods for exploring) could be found within a 7 minutes walk; a place without cellphones; a place where people smile when they say hello; a place where high achievement, intelligence, creativity, goofiness, and worldliness are pillar traits of its people; a place where friends and colleagues support one another; a place where tradition is valued and embraced by the community.

Ok ok, maybe the Emma Willard School wasn't this heavenly all the time but it was a pretty darn good place to start out. Don't be fooled by my official title of Spanish intern. This was no ordinary internship involving coffee and copy machines. I taught two classes - Spanish I and Spanish II to fresh[women] and sophomores. In the fall I was one of the assistant volleyball coaches. Two times a week I was a dorm affiliate on one of the halls, working from 5:30 - 12am watching over students during study hall in their rooms and checking up on the latest events, drama, and gossip in their lives before they went to bed. The internship lasted only a year, but I was hired to return as the head volleyball coach this past fall while the former head coach was on sabbatical.

The Emma Willard Jesters had an incredibly successful season in which we won many matches (making it to the 2nd match of playoffs was a first in 4 years!). More importantly though, we built a real team unit that was hard working, enthusiastic about the sport, and extremely supportive of each other.

While I am not continuing with the teaching and coaching professions at this point, I am grateful for how the experience enriched my life: I developed an incredible respect for teachers and coaches of all kinds, made lasting relationships with colleagues and some students, gained valuable professional skills, and soaked up the blessings of being supported by and integrated in such a strong academic and familial community.

Probably the most exciting update from my end is that I traveled to Asia for a month during the summer. A good friend of mine from college, Charissa, and I ventured into the unknown land of China to visit another close friend, Ally.

Ally studied Chinese in college and studied abroad in Beijing for one year. After graduation she returned to a smaller city called Panjin to teach English to adults at an oil company and then join a law firm for an internship. Our two week journey through mainland China, visiting sites like the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, the Great Wall (in Beijing) and the panda reserve (in Chengdu), and the Three Gorges and Dam Project (along the Yangtze River), not to mention ordering food in restaurants and navigating through cities, would not have been possible without Ally's superb fluency in Mandarin Chinese and her knowledge of the culture. Once Ally returned to work, Charissa and I were left to explore (and survive!) on our own in Hong Kong, China and Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the Krabi/Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. See the photos HERE!



Since moving back home in mid-November, life moves at a pace that is much less structured than that of EWS and not as adventurous as world travel. However, I am enjoying the respite and the time to live in the moment and prepare for my future. While I wait for possible employment opportunities with a staffing agency for non-profits and calls to tutor Spanish in the area I busy myself helping around the house, playing ball with Basie, and writing and perfecting a graduate school essay for the School for International Training and essays for the Peace Corps, which would follow after one year at SIT. My addiction to intercultural social experiences has been partially fulfilled by partaking in the World Bank/IMF Choir, dancing tango at least once a week, and joining a Spanish discussion group.

Should you all be interested in keeping up with my day to day experiences, observations, and reflections, check out my blog.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!