As a pretty-much-deconverted Christian, Sarah Palin holds absolutely no appeal to me as a candidate for elected office. I have long since moved away from traditional evangelical political views and registered as a Democrat for the first time about two years ago. I have a boatload of issues with her potentially stepping into the highest office in the United States (and arguably the most powerful position on this planet) should McCain croak. But that's not the point of my post.
On first glance, Sarah Palin seems to be a slam dunk for McCain and the GOP in terms of shoring up the religious right vote.
But I wonder about that, especially in light of today’s news of her 17-year old unwed daughter being preggers. Namely, Palin is a working mother of 5 children, one an infant with special needs and, now, another who is in crisis.
Don’t most religious righters favor “family values” aka “traditional gender roles” and therefore won’t they have some kind of problem with her taking on such a high-profile 24/7 job? In any other context that same woman would be, I suspect, highly criticized from the conservative ranks for putting personal ambition above family responsibilities. More than that, that same mother would probably be blamed for the daughter’s pregnancy, for not being enough of a “hands on” mom.
I suspect, however, that the religious right may put on the “our faith is about forgiveness” face and make a virtue out of even this aspect of Palin’s candidacy.
Discuss.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
I am always amused at the apparent surprise which seems to accompany the revelation that a political candidate is (gasp!) not practising what he/she preaches. Why do we take the sales pitches seriously in the first place, folks? Can we really be so naive?
What I find repugnant is the idea that the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's daughter might cast any reflection on her mother's political campaign. Aren't there enough holes in the pitch? Do we have to drag a seventeen year-old into the fray in order to make Palin look bad? Seems to me she has been doing a fine job all on her own...
And if the Republicans really have enough clout to somehow haul God's name into the dirt too, then shame on us for taking seriously the idea that the Creator of the universe is out endorsing political parties.
I think she was picked because they need something in the McCain campaign to battle the superstar Obama is (lol). So they picked a girl to show conservatives - they are being liberal as well - and helping to vote a female into power also...it seems like a pure political motive if you ask me.
Then again, maybe she is good for the job (I have no clue - I know nothing about this woman). I find it sad that politics has sunk to this name calling game. Her daughter is pregnant (not all that un-ordinary in my opinion) - but this for some reason is a major story in blog circles (and media in general).
Personally, I am a big Obama fan anyways - no matter who the cons throw out there as their choice for VP (in this case Palin) - their basic platform sucks anyways.
Slapdash, I think you'll be interested to read what Lorena over at On Leaving Fundamentalist Christianity blog has to say on this topic. She raised some very good points, in my opinion.
I should really go look up what Dobson/Focus on the Family have to say about her. If she were a Dem, I bet there would be cries to high heaven about how wrong it was for a woman to put personal ambition above family...
I really think it sucks for Palin to be thrust onto the national scene like this. Though I am curious now about the impending marriage to the boyfriend (was that pushed at all by Mom & Dad or, god forbid, the GOP?)...curious that they're flying the boyfriend to the convention. If they put the two of them (the kids) onstage at any point, then wow. Just, wow. They WILL be using those kids for political purposes.
Sorry, to clarify:
"I really think it sucks for BRISTOL Palin to be thrust onto the national scene like this."
**If she were a Dem, I bet there would be cries to high heaven about how wrong it was for a woman to put personal ambition above family...**
This is exactly what I'm betting as well, especially given that she has a four month old with special needs.
However, from what I'm seeing, evangelicals are flocking to her because of her social positions, as well as the fact that she backs up what she says in terms of keeping her son, and her daughter keeping her baby, as well.
So maybe in the long run, this might help reduce the judgements we could potentially get in the future about women with young children running for office. Or teen pregnancy.
The only reason why I would say her daughter should factor into the campaign is the fact that I understand Palin supports abstinenence only education, and that clearly did not work with her family. Yet we should help elect a person who wants to apply that for the nation?
You wrote what I have been saying...a recovering born again...I say if it were Chelsea Clinton...we would have heard rhetoric "sins of the fathers..." "if her father didn't make such a spectacle of his sexual sins.." or worse; "generational curses" and even "her mother needs to be more of a mother and less of a man"
SO I AGREE.
HYPOCRACY of the christian right, are you surprised?
Post a Comment