I am a little scared to admit this...
I actually like Sarah...
I'm scared to admit it because for some reason people Hate her!
I really, truly don't understand why...
What has she done that was so awful?
I'll tell you what she did...
1. She has breasts and ovaries - the nerve!
2. She has a brain for politics and business - absurd!
3. She has been willing to put herself out there...fight for what she believes in - clearly crazy!
4. And worst of all she's pretty - gasp!
I'm not endorsing her for President...
I'm just saying, I don't understand the intense negative feelings she arouses...
And I'll go one step further...
I believe that the majority of people don't have concrete factual reasons for disliking her.
They just jump on the bandwagon...
The bandwagon that is pulled by the press.
It is shocking how we believe whatever the press feeds us.
For some reason the press despises her?!
Actually, I have an opinion on why the press hates her...
They (press) were surprised. Caught off guard. Blindsided when Senator John McCain picked her for VP.
They didn't like being caught unaware and the prize went to whoever could dig up or make up, the most dirt...
My very first impression of Mrs. Palin was positive. As she stood on that stage and gave her speech I was impressed.
Yes, she had an accent. But she spoke smoothly, confidently, and with energy and passion.
She was positive and she struck me as an honest sort of person...
But then this firestorm erupted all around her and I was caught off guard...
Was it true?
(Just a side note. One of the things I really don't like about politics is that you never REALLY know the truth about any candidate....)
I couldn't read her book fast enough.
I figured that if I was gonna listen to what the press had to say, I should hear what she had to say...
Yes, I'm aware that her book was "biased" but how can that be? Isn't the press "biased"?
There were many stories in the book where she was able to explain her side, her point of view, her story...imagine that...
So Sunday night her "reality" show Alaska premiered.
I watched it.
Nothing terribly exciting...
Then I just read on line someone claiming that the show is full of "subliminal" messages.
For example;
~when she says "oh no, we are stuck on a rock" That the message we were to hear was "we are stuck in Iraq"
OMG!!!
Isn't there a point where people just look stupid trying to villainize someone?
I believe we are way past there.
Frychik
Shelly I agree 100%!!!! I think you are point on with the press/bandwagon thing! The press was anti McCain... and the only way to ruin that was trash her. (not saying she should be pres either) However, I find her refreshing and real... stands up for what she believes even after being trampled by the press... I don't think people have any real reasons for not liking her except they think that is how the majority feels! Yeah to you for stating your beliefs.
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin is pretty, and spunky. I liked her at first, too. I hoped she’d help McCain (I liked him for years). But then she did interviews and... I was forced to reconsider. I love a person that stands up for their beliefs. It makes it easier to know if you agree with them.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few of Sarah Palin's beliefs along with a few of mine, humbly submitted.
1. Despite problems at home, Sarah Palin does not believe in giving teenagers information about sex. Palin stated: "Explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."
2. Sarah believes the US Army is on a mission from God. In a speech at the Wasilla Assembly of God, her former church, she said of soldiers, "Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan." I love our soldiers. But war is not God's will. Read her stuff on this topic. She has a child-like (lack of) understanding of international affairs and thinks she knows God's will: a scary combination.
3. Palin would force rape victims to bear the child of their rapist. She believes in this so strongly that she would oppose abortion even if her own daughter were raped. Granting exceptions only if the mother's life was in danger, Palin said that when it came to her daughter, “I would choose life.” At the time, Bristol was 14. Alaska's rape rate was 2.2 times above the national average, and 25% resulted in pregnancies. I think abortion is a tragedy, and I don't ever drink alcohol. But government shouldn’t be banning either one. We tried both in the past and the results were bad, not better, whatever the good intentions.
4. Poor record on the environment. One case that bothers me a lot: Palin said, "Let me take my governor's hat off just for a minute here and tell you, personally, Prop. 4 -- I vote no on that." That was a state initiative to ban metal mines from discharging pollution into salmon streams. I like my salmon without mercury.
5. She wants to teach school children creationism alongside evolution. Our right to teach our children OUR OWN religion is why we have private parochial schools. Government can’t decide what religion is taught. Soon after, the government starts setting down “official” religious truths. Nightmare! I was taught as a child that Adventists should support the separation of church and state.
6. Supports offshore drilling.
7. Loves oil and nuclear power, not alternative energy research.
8. Doesn't support community activism.
9. Bridge to Nowhere.
10. She didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was -- as VP candidate! Really? That's like a programmer not having heard of the internet.
11. Earmarks. Vocally against them (evil things!), but she ran up $47M as Wasilla mayor (that's $3K/resident). $750 million more as Alaska gov in 2 years. Hypocrisy? Check.
12. States US is a “Christian Nation”. Rant: Well then, kick out the Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and those atheists. They were born here, some save lives as doctors, nurses, firemen, soldiers. But this nation is NOT theirs too. It’s the Christians’ very own. “Freedom of religion”? Bad idea. Heathen kids can get True Religion in school (that’s Pentecostal, via Sarah, BTW. not Adventist, not Baptist, not Lutheran. Hey, do kids get to speak in tongues after saying the Pledge, before ID class (I mean, uh, “science”) taught by a gov-certified state-church elder?).
13. Says the Constitution offers no inherent right to privacy.
14. She charged rape victims for rape kits while mayor of Wasilla.
15. OK to deny benefits to homosexual couples.
16. Opposes stem cell research. To me, this is The Worst.
I'll stop.
I don’t mean to offend. But many of us do know why we are hard on Sarah Palin.
Congratulations Steven on getting the "posting the longest comment" award ;) I am relieved to read that at least one person has done his homework. While I don't agree with you on several of your points...I love that we can disagree. I'd also like to share that the day I posted this I ran into another Sarah hater and when I challenged her on the reasons she had for disliking Sarah, she couldn't come up with anything concrete.
ReplyDeleteI actually hoped and expected to rise the ire in some people with this post ;)
I, too, am fascinated by Sarah Palin. Doesn't mean I will endorse her for President in 2012, but she does have more political experience than the sitting president.
ReplyDeleteA couple of things that hit me when reading Steven's post were these:
1) Some of the things that she gets condemned for are based on personal principles. Hating someone just because she doesn't have your same political views does not make her wrong..it just means you see the subject from 2 very different vantage points.
2)Stem cell research. I, too, am against stem cell research...but only when aborted fetuses are used. If the stem cells come from a different source then I have no issue with it.
3)Offshore drilling. I've supported off-shore drilling for many years before Sarah Palin ever came across my radar.
4) Rape Kit Charges. This one I will have to look up. Were the rape victims reimbursed the cost of the kit once it was determined they had been raped?
5) Christian Nation. Our Country was founded on Christian principles. That doesn't mean that there can be no other religions living and worshipping here. Was that Sarah Palin's "Rant: Well then, kick out the Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and those atheists. They were born here, some save lives as doctors, nurses, firemen, soldiers. But this nation is NOT theirs too. It’s the Christians’ very own. “Freedom of religion”? Bad idea. Heathen kids can get True Religion in school (that’s Pentecostal, via Sarah, BTW. not Adventist, not Baptist, not Lutheran. Hey, do kids get to speak in tongues after saying the Pledge, before ID class (I mean, uh, “science”) taught by a gov-certified state-church elder?)." rant or Steven's? I see her version of our Country being a Christian Nation no different than the sitting president's obvious leaning toward a Muslim state.
6) Benefits to homosexual couples. On this one, I am conflicted and I'll tell you why. I see no reason that gay marriage would change my life. It will however change a lot of items in the economy right now and open up a can of worms for even more fraud in the workplace and in social services. This is merely my opinion, though.
Now, I do not purport myself to be a political junkie. I vote with my heart and my head. I think that Sarah Palin might make a fantastic Secretary of State. I am impressed with her in that she has a differently-abled child and that she has a grandchild. Proves to me her life isn't perfect. In fact, I think one of the reasons you are seeing so much support for her is that other moms (and dads) can relate to her and how down-to-earth she is.
Again, these are my thoughts/opinions and I wasn't trying to attack anyone. Just stating my thoughts on the earlier points. :)