Shortly after McCain announced his runningmate, a friend of mine posted a funny/disturbing away message: "Sarah Palin doesn't care about white bears." Clearly an allusion to Kanye West's infamous "George Bust doesn't care about black people." Since then, the more I read about her, the more I want to pull my hair out because of her blatant hypocrisy (claims to oppose earmarks while she worked tirelessly to get as many earmarks as possible for her small Alaskan town...portrays herself as a reformer while there is an open investigation into her ethics while she was governor...claims to be an energy expert, but things we can drill our way to energy independence...preaches abstenince only sex education while her 17 year old daughter is pregnant).
The truth is, no one really knows anything about her. So, either we dig into her past to find all the nitty gritty details, or we accept the storyline that the GOP is feeding to the American people. The role of media in a democracy is supposed to be the watchdog, so I think the media has every right, and even an obligation, to find out everything they can about her.
The next thing I hear is that she refuses to talk to the media. She'll only give stump speeches, and it seems like she is not really even responding to audience questions at those campaign events. It fits with her whole: "Here's a little newsflash for those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this great country" persona. But here's a news flash to Palin...I'm an American too. I found that line to be the most offensive in her whole speech, which was to start out with one of the most divisive and mean spirited speeches that I have ever heard. I can't even fathom why people, after hearing that speech, came away liking her. I want a politician who will rise above that vapid, uninspired, hateful tone and actually address the real issues that "the people of this great country" are facing everyday. But, it seems clear that she has no intention of doing that. Instead of talking about issues that matter to all Americans, that speech was tailored to the needs of only a fraction. Sarah...is that really the best foot to start out on...you know you made just as many enemies that night as friends. But, that was the intention, wasn't it...to rally the base. Well, it worked. And it's nothing new...just a page out of the GOP playbook. But, if you ever do make it to a position of power (which I pray don't...yes people in Boston pray too) you're going to have a hard time getting anything done.
Throughout the whole GOP convention I heard the same theme over and over...the U.S.A. chanting, cowboy hat wearing, small town raised, community organizer denegrading, gun toting, moose hunting people are the real Americans. But, people from Boston, and New York, and San Francisco, and Seattle are just as much Americans. To say, or even imply, otherwise, is the most unpatriotic thing you can do. We're a big family, and sometimes we hate eachother and denounce eachother, but we'll never be rid of eachother, because really, what we are together is so much more than what we are by ourselves. So Sara Palin, being American is not about being a mindlessly hawkish "U.S.A." chanter. It's not about saying viscious and spitful things about the people you disagree with. It's about recognizing the huge difference between us, and working to get along and make compromises and love eachother anyway.
So, no, I don't hate Sarah Palin. But, it scares me to death that she could be our vice president one day. For the good of this country and everything it has ever stood for, I hope I never have to see that day.
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