Sara Palin
So I spent time trying to come up with some clever title and pair it with all of the topics I’ve wanted to discuss, but alas, I settle for the straight to the point title…Sarah Palin. Sara Palin, the former Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska and current Governor of the state. Sarah Palin, former beauty pageant runner-up and mother of five. Sara Palin, the anti-Hillary and the scariest thing since Dick Cheney; yes, that Sarah Palin.
This past Friday, Grandpa McCain announced what was a shocker of a VP selection in Sarah Palin. As much as I thought he was an idiot for not picking Romney, I wasn’t stunned by his choice. I did question the “why her?” when there are names in the GOP like Kay Bailey Hutchison, Elizabeth Dole or Carly Fiorina…the last being the best pick, if you ask me. But here we are, with this little known Governor and a shit storm brewing in the media world.
Since her pick the media has picked apart every detail of life and some of the most (IMO) respected networks and blogs have lowered themselves by fighting this woman in the mud. First, there was the rumor that she was the grandmother of her 5th child and that her eldest daughter had actually gave birth to him. And yes, while I entertained this notion for a bit, I was disturbed to see Daily Kos in on it. This is something that should have been left to The National Enquirer. Her experience has been brought to question, her ability to mother five kids while running for Vice President…the list goes on and on. While I agree there is a LOT going against her, I believe the mainstream media is focusing on the wrong issues and is going to bring down the party with them.
The media is sort of right, there is a story around her daughter, Bristol Palin, who is 17 and pregnant. It’s not the fact that she’s pregnant, it’s that Sarah has slashed money from teen pregnancy programs in Alaska and is against teaching Sex-Ed in schools. Obviously, whatever her plan to teach her kids about abstinence didn’t work, so shouldn’t she possibly be thinking she doesn’t have all the answers and that Sex-Ed could be a good thing? No, of course not…having an open mind isn’t something that’s encouraged in the Republican Party.
There’s also the bit about how they are pushing the fact that Bristol will be marrying the “baby’s daddy”. Seriously? With the divorce rate being so great and her demographic having a catastrophically high probability of divorce, should Sarah be pushing her to wed this boy? I know nothing of Bristol or Levi Johnston, but it seems to me they shouldn’t be pushed into a shotgun wedding.
Another thing I haven’t seen the media talk about is if Sarah Palin is such a “rising star” couldn’t she have passed this time, gave a grand speech at the RNC, and bucked for 2012. Why do I say this? No daughter should have to be put through what Bristol is enduring right now. I just think it seems hypocritical by the GOP that rightfully calls kids like Jamie Lynn Spears a “pin head” (quote by Bill O), yet it’s a private matter when it’s a political in the national spotlight. What’s the difference?
While the media has touched on her abortion stance, it hasn’t given it the attention I believe it deserves. Most people do not like abortion and would like to see the number of them brought down (Sex-Ed anyone?), but to want a ban of ALL abortions across the board is my biggest deal breaker. I want to go up to her and say, “Bristol was raped and conceived…you would make her a CRIMINAL if she chose to terminate the pregnancy…the pregnancy that came about from non-consensual sex…by forceful and degrading sex…by a man who’s only goal was to violate her….You would make her carry this burden, this scar for 9 months. You would postpone her healing by 9 months to carry to term. If not she would be a CRIMINAL? I guess Ms. Palin, that makes you a monster.”
Tonight Sarah Palin will give her acceptance speech to the clusterfuck they call the DNC. She will address her base (the right wing fringe) and hit one out of the park. She’ll hit it so far that the homeless that are back in the streets of Denver may have a chance of catching it. Any why shouldn’t she? She’s been given enough fuel to attack the media back and have the right to do it. She will present herself as the protective mother and come off as passionate, loving and most importantly, TOUGH. We’ve given her this gift; It’s time to take it back.
Tomorrow, the stupid stuff Republicans will say to defend Sarah Palin…or maybe the sexism shown by John McCain…maybe both.
