By J. DeVoy
Certainly many readers have seen this video of a 15-year-old who wants a baby.
Many years after its release, it is now the contentious subject of debate on Facebook. At 0:16, she says “If I can’t support it then I guess I’m gonna s[unknown] it.”
Is she saying “steal” or “sell”? In the video, you can see her tongue move to the back of her top row of teeth, as if making a “t” sound. Contextually, it makes sense: If she can’t support the child, she’ll steal for it — as would any parent.
But here’s just the audio, where it’s much less clear whether she’s saying “steal” or “sell”. Much like the first JFK/Nixon debate, as people have completely different reactions based on video or audio recordings. Contextually, “sell” is also plausible. In some cases, selling things that one can’t afford, like cars, houses and luxury items, is rational; such thinking would be consistent with the thought processes of teenagers committed to a course of action, however destructive it is, without grasping its consequences — in this case, selling a baby. (Really, it’s like selling the Mona Lisa: So obviously illegal that virtually nobody would buy it.) The nonchalance of just selling a baby is funnier on some depressing level, too.
So is she saying steal? Or sell?
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She said sell.
But she wasn’t referring to the baby. She was referring to her body.
In fact, right before that, it sounds like she says, “If it has to come to prostituting my body, so be it.” With that context then her saying, “If I can’t afford it, I guess I’m going to have to sell it.”
I hadn’t thought of that; I figured she boarded a different train of thought after the initial prostitution comment.
I think it’s “steal” since she just said she’d give her baby all designer labels. Selling the baby makes no sense after that comment. Of course there’s editing and she appears to be attempting a rap of some kind in that bit and the selling her body interpretation is plausible. But in context I think stealing designer clothes makes way more sense.
Not to say I don’t think people can be this ignorant, but she sounds very rehearsed and insincere.
“ACTING!” – Jon Lovitz
Right, it’s the Maury show, isn’t it?
I think you’re incorrect in that she doesn’t say “support.” I think she says, “I’m going to dress my baby in all brand names and if I can’t afford it, I guess I’m gonna steal it.”
I think the time is right for re-affirming Buck v. Bell…
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and we care about the answer to this question why exactly?
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