Feminists and elements of the hard-left had their full barbarity and hypocrisy on display with the trashing of Sarah Palin in Election 2008. Irregardless of one's political stance, Sarah Palin should have been the most celebrated figure to ever emerge from American politics. Instead, the so-called "nonexistent left-wing smear machine" utilized the media and elements from left-wing popular culture to drag her through the mud, marginalizing an individual that should have been -- and actually is -- a true American inspiration.
Here's a tribute to her inspirational qualities and political mastery:
1. An Ordinary Hero
It was literally overnight that Sarah Palin was thrust into the national spotlight. Much like Susan Boyle, this immediate transition served to preserve a small-town real-person authenticity that is extremely rare on the national scale of American politics.
That does two things:
First, it illustrates that government is really by the people for the people -- people feel like they can truly see a government that cares about their interests and truly see a government that knows what it's like to be an ordinary citizen if the President or Vice-President is nearly an ordinary citizen themselves. More than anything else in a nation shadowed by big brother and an almost vomitous God-like adoration of government figures, we as a people desperately need to feel some kind of spark of connectivity to our government (the kind of transparency and down to earth behavior we have yet to witness from President Obama).
Second, it gives people the audacity to dream. Sarah Palin shows every ordinary person in America that you don't have to grow up a John Kerry elite snob to do something special in the world. If you're smart, have good innovative ideas, are hardworking, and are extremely passionate, that's all you need to catapult to the top.
It started with Sarah Palin's dissatisfaction of how government was being a poor steward of her trust and money, and from there a desire to change and serve the lives of those around her -- and the rest is history. In 2008, that PTA mom of the early 1990's catapulted to be the first female vice-presidental nominee of the Republican Party. And it's not even near over yet.
2. Political Authenticity
To add to the wild hypocrisy that surrounds most politicans, largely between what they say and what they do, they don't have a compelling character story that informs their political beliefs. In a total revolutionary 180, Sarah Palin does. Every political idea or action she's taken in her career has largely been informed by some real aspect of her life in a coherent belief system. Most notably, she refused to abort her child Trig when she found out he had down syndrome, a true testament to her fundamental belief that abortion is one of the greatest crimes against humanity (which holds true for lots of people on either side of the aisle). Also, the New York Times' Christopher Drew stated that Sarah Palin ran for the Wasilla City Council "because she was concerned that revenue from a new sales tax would not be spent wisely". Following that, her entire political tenure from Wasilla Mayor to Governor of Alaska has centered around cutting taxes and making government an appropriate size -- a government responsive and responsible to the people. In conjunction with her NRA membership she is a real live huntswoman -- despite urban snobs lampooning hunting and the wilderness lifestyle, Sarah Palin lives out an authentic existence in conjunction with the environment that few of us understand but is really quite real and beautiful.
In the America than I and most of my friends live in, we can't even begin to understand the true heart of America than exists in towns like Wasilla -- towns built on social relationships, integrity, and character. It's this character and social conditioning that Washington sorely lacks.
To build upon that, Sarah Palin's policies are informed by the best parts of the American character. She religiously believes that freedom and the free market spurned the innovation that build America into the largest economy and highest standard of living of any major country in the world. She also rightfully believes that religion and a Protestant character has framed America into the most generous, noble, hardworking, and righteous country in the world. In an era of creeping socialism and atheism, we deeply need someone who believes in purpose, freedom, and the historically triumphant American character.
Other Notes
Sarah Palin was shamelessly dragged through the mud for some interviews she conducted a week or so after she was grabbed from Alaskan obscurity, and this material was used by the Obama backed press to lampoon and marginalize her despite her excellent and competent performance in the VP Debate and her record of public service. You might remember that Conan O'Brien was plucked out of obscurity -- literally -- as a Simpson's writer who had never made an appearance on television to follow the Tonight Show. No one doubted Conan was funny, however he was a basketcase when he appeared on Leno and began his program. But as he was allowed to display his vast competence in the humor department, he developed an enormous following that has been a beacon of comedic enjoyment.
Sarah Palin is somewhat the same case, however the Obama backed mainstream media developed a cult-of-personality around Sarah Palin as an incompetent bimbo, most notably portrayed by Obama-backed Tina Fey. Her biggest crime was being attractive, something most feminist barbarians highly resent. In ignoring her incredible record and life story, and choosing to lampoon her endlessly about her daughter, her accent, and a couple interviews, the media has committed crimes of the highest order and betrayed the journalistic responsibility they held to the American people.
The Feminist Crime
I continue to contend that feminism, a legitimate movement, has been hijacked and uglified by the far-left. Instead of celebrating the triumph of women's achievements, modern day feminism only celebrates the triumphs of women who hardline far-left ideologies. Rising female stars like Meg Whitman, Sarah Palin, and Carly Fiorina are largely ignored and uncelebrated by feminists because they have ideals that do not pass a far-left social and economic litmus test. Sarah Palin, nominee to be elevated to one of the most powerful positions in the world, deserved to be uplifted by the feminist community for her incredible advancement for women -- in a most unfortunate and vile backstabbing by feminists, they were instrumental in her failure, one of the ugliest hypocrises ever foisted upon humankind. In a robbery of academic feminism, feminists have closed Sarah Palin's advancement for discussion and stupidly written her off in a history that they feel must desperately be rewritten.
Feminists would counter me by saying that a left wing agenda is only suitable to advance the interests of women. Fortunately, this view can be countered. Abortion serves to prop up women who make irresponsible decisions and need a scapegoat. Affirmative action, a procedure now becoming extinct for women since they are moving into the workplace and collegiate positions as or more aggressively than men, excuses mediocrity by telling women and minorities that -- yes, you are inferior and incompetent, but since you have a differently shaped sex organ or a different color skin tone, step in front of those who are really better than you. The free market gives women an opportunity to unleash their creativity and intelligence, and show that they are truly equal to and can compete with men on any field. And more controversially, neoconservative military ideologies over the last decade have freed tens of millions of women from radically oppressive regimes like those conducted by Saddam Hussein and the Taliban. Iraq is evolving very quickly in terms of feminist advances in a country previously so backward -- from gyms to voting to jobs, women are moving out of the shadows they once hid in for fear of being taken away by Saddam's henchmen to get raped at the pleasure of Uday Hussein. Sarah Palin has vetoed a bill as Governor that denied health benefits to same-sex partners.
It's Not Over
One way or another, what comes around goes around. Feminists will see their day of reckoning for their unspeakable betrayal of Sarah Palin. Either feminists will be forced to recognize Sarah Palin or they will be forced into an intellectual death row by Americans who are tired of feminist ugliness betraying their values and rewriting American history. Things that are extraordinary do not go away. This is not the end.
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NYT Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=3&hp
