The Honorable Thing to Do

It's old news now, but, Bristol Palin and her highschool boyfriend/father of her child Levi Johnston have called off their engagement. The really cynical part of me (along with many others) says "typical--they were only engaged for political reasons anyway."

This thought nagged at me, and I soon began to realize why.

There was a time (I hate nostalgia, but here I go) when a man who got a woman pregnant had to do the honorable thing, and marry her. There were plenty of forces, social, moral, familial, that encouraged and even bound the will of young couple to beocme married thought they may not have been a perfect fit. But in those days there was a sense that doing the honorable thing would not only make you a better man, but would likely make you happy as well.

Let's change the scenario, and say McCain and Palin had won the White House. Would Bristol and Levi still be together? Probably--and for those base political reasons, no doubt. But maybe, if handled properly, they would be a witness to the honest truth that doing the right thing makes you a better person.

In the American Middle class it is easier than ever to raise a child on your own, and there are no longer the social stigmas of such an action. But in loosing those social stigmas we have also lost an opportunity for boys to do well, recognize the consequences of their actions, and become better men.

I don't know why Bristol and Levi broke up, and frankly, I don't care. But I do wish there was a stronger sense both in the media, and in our lives, that choices have consequences, and that it is good to do right. That's where real manliness lies.