In The News: Teen Mothers and Lindsay Lohan

There were two news articles on AOL that caught my attention this morning.

Teen Gives Birth, Carries Baby to Hospital

What really bothers me about this story is the doctor's reaction to a teen girl carrying her just born baby to the hospital after delivering it in her shower: "Perez praised the girl for taking quick action."

Okay, yes. I suppose the girl thought quickly enough to take her newborn to the hospital instead of dumping it in the trash or hiding it in the closet. But seriously?! We're dishing out praises now for the friggin' obvious?! Here's an idea...how about you see a doctor when you discover you're pregnant? How about taking some responsibility before you give birth in a shower? And I don't care how angry your mom would have been. That is no excuse. If you are old enough to have sex, not use birth control, and get pregnant, then you are old enough to face the consequences of your actions and that includes you mother's wrath.

Why is there nothing from the doctor about how this girl should have handled her pregnancy? I doubt the doctor would have given this girl "Mother of the Year" award, but his reaction also doesn't suggest he wants to send a message about responsibility and good pre-natal care to teen moms.

On another note, I'm feeling much better about the whole delivery process if all it take is a shower, a few pushes and out pops a baby. (I've never understood why girls who hide or "don't know about" their pregnancies seem to just pee out babies, while those who know about their pregnancies have horror stories of 24 hours in labor and emergency c-sections. But then again, I'm new to this whole thing.)

Lohan Mugshot in Liquor Industry Ad

Basically, the ad published by the American Beverage Institute says (and according to a statement they made), ignition interlocks should only be used on offenders with multiple DUIs, not on first-time offenders (which is the topic of several bills being passed by lawmakers). I guess I can kind of see their point. Why should someone who's had 1 DUI have the same punishment as someone with 5 DUIs?

However, there wouldn't be offenders with 5 DUIs if they were sufficiently punished after their first offense. And really, isn't that what we should be trying to accomplish? Less DUIs all around? Driving drunk isn't less wrong if you're Miss Nobody and drink too much at a wedding rather than being Lindsay Lohan chugging them down at a club.

It is constantly argued that celebrities should be held to the same standards as the "little people." Then in the same breath, we need to be held to the same standards as celebrities. If we want the courts to punish them severely for breaking the law, then we need to be held accountable for our actions as well. And if we want the likes of Lindsay Lohan to have to use ignition interlocks, then the businessman who has a little too much at happy hour should have to as well, whether its is 1st DUI or his 10th.