Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Please Consider the Following:

I would like to start by saying that I am fairly liberal (tending to vote Democrat) and that this entry will not be without bias try as I might to be objective on the matter.

I've been compiling some information (and opinions) on Sarah Palin and why she makes McCain-Palin a horrible vote to cast come November.

- When Palin was mayor of Wasilla, AK, she instated an official who cut funding out of the budget to pay for rape kits for victims of rape and victims were subsequently billed for their own rape kits. Granted, it was not Palin who actually made the budget cut or instated this practice, however, this shows the types of people who she would be instating into offices that are currently appointed rather than voted. If you read the above article, you will see that the person who she appointed to the position not only made the budget cut and instated those practices of billing the victims, but also fought it when the state legislature made it illegal for towns and municipalities to do so.

- Palin supports drilling in ANWR. First of all, I think it's imperative that we find alternative energy sources. Drilling for more oil will only delay the probelms for a little while and considering the amount of oil predicted to actually be obtainable from ANWR, it is a pointless endeavor to drill there, in my humble opinion. See here for an interesting article about ANWR.

- Along with supporting drilling in ANWR, her state also sued the federal government for placing polar bears on the endangered species list citing that it could inhibit energy development, i.e. drilling for oil. Global warming is pretty much undeniable. One can argue causes, perhaps, but you can't argue that it's happening. This being the case, polar bear habitats are decreasing as it is and drilling for oil will only decrease their habitat more. What more right do humans have to occupy this planet more than any other animal or organism? The possible human-driven extinction of another animal for a short-term solution to a long-term problem is disgusting and I can hardly believe that anyone would consider it. Well, actually, I can believe that people would consider it and I would even venture to say that I know what their motives are, but I certainly don't agree with them. We need a renewable energy source, (and to be more environmentally conservative while we're at it) end of story.

- Palin asked the librarian in Wasilla if she would be ok with banning books should the need arise. No books were actually banned, but the underlying motives seem fairly obvious to my (admittedly probably biased) eyes. Being that she is an ultra conservative Penecostal, it shouldn't come as a surprise that she probably had a religious agenda in wanting to ban books. She apparently also sent letters to the librarian and other appointed officials asking them to resign as a "loyalty test". What type of a boss does that? I certainly wouldn't want to work for someone who was constantly dangling my employment (and therfore welfare) in front of my face.

- Palin's religious views play too large of a role in how she has and will govern. There are indications that she is a young earth creationist which would be extremely dangerous for our education system and is also suggestive that her education is lacking. Intelligent design and creationism are not science and should never be allowed to be taught in a science classroom and this could become more of a real possibility should she and McCain be elected. Not only is her view on science pervaded by her religion (despite the fact that her father was a public school science teacher), but her views on abortion as well. She is quoted as saying that her daughter made the right decision in choosing to have the baby, but she wants to take that right to make that decision away from women in the first place. I don't know about you, but I'm of the opinion that if someone doesn't want to have a child, they shouldn't be forced to have it. Chances are that if you have a child that you don't want, you're not going to be a good parent and we have enough children living in horrible situations as it is without forcing women to bear children they definitely don't want. Not only that, but women would still attempt to have abortions illegally even if it were to be made illegal which would only cause more unneccessary deaths to women who are actively perhaps contributing to society and to the country and it's economy. I could probably go on and on and on about why banning abortion is just ridiculous so I'll stop here. What's next, banning all forms of birth control? I wouldn't be surprised knowing that she is a supporter of abstinence-only sex education (which obviously worked so well with her daughter).

- Not only is her biology a little lacking, but apparently her history is also. When asked if she was offended by the phrase "under God" in the pledge of allegiance, her response indicated her lack of knowledge of U.S. history (which would seem pertinent when vying for the spot of Vice President of that same country). As a note, the link in the article that I linked to supplying the interview doesn't work, but a transcript of the interview can be found elsewhere if googled. On a lighter note, if you read the comments at the bottom of the article, the one by solarbear is fun for a good laugh. For more about Palin's religious views as interpreted by a rival of hers, see here.

Now, there's been some amount of criticism from some that the media is focusing too much on Sarah Palin and not enough on those who are actually running for President and that it's just a distraction, but I couldn't disagree more. For one thing, John McCain is 72 and has a fairly significant risk of dying (strictly due to age) during his term should he be elected, so this woman would be the one who would be Commander-in-Cheif should he die. That is a scary thought, indeed.

I'm greatly amused by this quotation from Bill Maher, "I think this is pertinent because McCain has been running this campaign based on 'we're at war; it's a dangerous world out there. The Democrats don't get that. I, John McCain, am the only one standing between the blood-thirsty Al Qaedas and you. But if I die, this stewardess can handle it.'"

Ok, momentarily back to the serious stuff. Another thing to consider is that McCain is simply using Palin as a strategy. This is disturbing for several reasons. First of all, it suggests that McCain is disengenuous and only seeks to win the election by pulling stunts like making it the battle of the minorities rather than about the issues. It's disturbing, too, because Sarah Palin is allowing herself to be used (no matter what her motives are). So all of this being the case, how can anyone trust John McCain's decision-making abilities when these are the decisions he makes? And why would anyone want to trust him after he's revealed what a sleazy, run-of-the-mill politician he is?

One last thing to consider (and I think this may be one of the most important points) is that Sarah Palin, given her experience, would NEVER have been chosen were she a man (white or black). It is so gravely insulting that John McCain thinks the American public to be this incredibly blind, stupid, and ignorant. It's even more insulting to women (as if he hadn't done enough of that already).

John McCain and Sarah Palin are not the right choice for anyone, Democrat or Republican. I would urge you not to vote for them whether or not you are willing to vote for Obama. Vote for someone independent or write someone in, but don't vote for McCain-Palin. Our country would surely be in world of trouble (more than it already is).

Here's a letter to John McCain that I rather liked.

And here's some humour for those of you who need a bit of it after all of that (I know I do).

24 comments:

Mark_W said...

Anna,

Splendid post. From my (admittedly far away position) I tend to agree with Andrew Sullivan that McCain's choice of VP candidate is the surest indicator that he is unfit for the office of President...

Mark_W

Sharon said...

Anna:

Good job. Well-researched and full of excellent juicy facts. You've done such a good summary here, in fact, that I'll be pointing out your post to any of my other american friends that even give me the slightest whiff that they are not as outraged about Palin as we are. In fact, I'm going to do a special blog post myself with a link to yours!

Diacanu said...

And I was lured here by Sharon's post, so it worked.

Well done, Anna!
*Thumbs up*

Philip said...

The more I read about this woman the more I tend to need another cup of Tea or something to stop me from shuddering at her breathtaking stupidity.

The whole rape victim kit part of it for me is just positively vile in its uncaring and insensitive nature.
They put their religious views before the rape victim whose terrifying experience is reduced to something like "you brought that upon yourself, now pay for it".

The rest of the stupidity is just deplorable, denying global warming, God ordered pipelines, Librarian bashing and total lack of sex education just adds to how much I really want America NOT to vote for these idiots.

This is a fine article Anna, very well written and researched and I would like to thank you for teaching me things I didn't know. Plus the humour was very funny indeed, Bill Maher trotted out some really good ones.


All the best,

Philip

Lee said...

Interesting post

I like this best of all

she is a supporter of abstinence-only sex education (which obviously worked so well with her daughter).

The question mark about her being a young Earth creationist - why doesn't some reporter just ask her?

Lee

Anna Banana said...

Thanks, guys!! I worked on it for a couple of hours yesterday, so I'm glad that it's getting a good response!

Philip, it makes me need more tea as well when I think about the possibility of the two of them getting elected.

Lee, I wish someone would ask her publicly whether or not she is a YEC.

Rune said...

Not enough evidence that the bears are endangered, not enough evidence on global warming. Don't talk about sex and it will go away.

The attitude seems to be "I can bend it all to my will and make it go away."

I always think of Canute the Great (Knútr inn ríki) when I hear of stupidity on the level this women promotes.

At least it was an ironic statement when he commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes.

We all have a fighting chance, but I'm sickened by the decimation of our fellow creatures.

Top stuff Anna, it has certainly given me something to think about.

C'mon the Bears!!!!!

Mark_W said...

I wish someone would ask her publicly whether or not she is a YEC.

Funnily enough, on the UK's Radio Five Live network this issue was raised during the GOP convention (not with Palin, who was, ridiculously, being kept from the media - even Dan Quayle, a man who couldn't spell "potato", did a proper press conference the day after Bush Sr. picked him).

Anyway, Nicky Campbell (for it was he) asked three delagates at the Republican convention whether they were embarrassed that Palin was a YEC. One of them immediately answered, "Oh no, not at all." Campbell's riposte of, (roughly) "but she believes the world wasn't created until 2,000 years after the Sumerians invented glue!" phased her only for a moment before she said, "Not necessarily. She believes in Intelligent Design, which isn't the same thing..."

I have no idea what Palin's belief's on this actually are, or whether this person had any more idea than I do, but it wouldn't surprise me if, as November gets ever closer, Palin's religious views get spun as ever more "nuanced" and "safe."

There already seems to be energentic revisionism ensuing on her views on the fabled "Bridge to Nowhere".

Mark_W

Mark_W said...

Arrgh. I've spelt "beliefs" with an apostrophe in the comment above.

Sorry.

Mark_W

Frankus said...

Usually it is Cartomancer who says what I mean to say before I say it. This time Diacanu has beat me to it:

And I was lured here by Sharon's post, so it worked.

Well done, Anna!
*Thumbs up*

I am perplexed as to why something so clear and forthright as your post is not the type of thing we see in traditional media sources.

Mark_W said...

Frankus,

Don’t know about the US media, but there’s a good piece by Andrew Sullivan from the UK Sunday Times here

(And, I wrote “phased” instead of “fazed” above. Alas.)

Mark_W

Billy said...

It scares me to think what Palin is capable of.

Laurie said...

This is one of the most lucid and succinct analyses of Palin I've read. Congratulations, Anna - it deserves to be in the op/ed pages of your national newspapers! Mind if I link to your blog from mine?

Laurie

Jonathan said...

Top post Anna, well-researched and very skilfully and passionately written.

Steve Zara said...

An excellent post. Both very informative, and deeply worrying!

Titania said...

Anna,

Excellent post.

Titania

Anna Banana said...

Thanks all! And anyone (Laurie) who would like to link my blog is welcome to do so! The more readers the merrier! :) (Or perhaps not merry if they don't like what I've written)

Stig Martyr said...

Great post, Anna. I've been wanting to blog about Palin (and how much she scares the shit out of me) for ages but you and Sam Harris have said everything I wanted to, only far better.

Cheers.

Montag said...

Palin has no sense of the history of public, free, and compulsory education in Western society.

The aim was to learn the sciences and use that learning to advance the common welfare.

Exactly how creationism will advance something such as medicine is beyond my comprehension. Rather, it will tend to retrograde our classrooms to the level of those in the most impoverished and obscure corners of the world where religious memorizing takes precedence over science.

Epeeist said...

Complete aside - my elder daughter has been asked by NARAL to go to Ohio to campaign for Obama.

It looks as though I might end up paying for the flight, but I think it should be worth it.

Anonymous said...

Let me just quote quickly from something I read as an Alternet comment (sorry the exact attribution is lost):

"While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher . . . the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin. . . . The old rancher said, 'Well, you know, Palin is a post turtle.' Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle is. The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle.' The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain: 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with.'"

Unknown said...

Anna,

Thanks for plugging your blogsite via RD.net.

The salon.com link to the rival pastor's views about Sarah Palin gave me the chills. Palin is reminded that her father was a science teacher and is then challenged to reconcile her
upbringing with her current belief in Young Earth Creation. She offers a cocksure non-answer: "We don't have to agree on everything!"

When I was a fundy I too would have spouted a similar knee-jerk deflection. I was raised in the Assemblies of God church, and I vividly recall how good it felt to be so righteously sure of oneself.

It is the memory of this addictive smugness that scares me. Whatever I did or said, as long as my heart was in the right place, God would turn my inadequecies into successes because he was in control. I can't prove that Palin thinks and feels this way, but what I see sure walks and talks like it.

I wasted alot of time and energy in my life pursuing stupid religious endeavors and infusing secular endeavors with spiritual side show drama. I ignored a bunch of life's reality checks. Richard Dawkins knocked me out of my stupor.

If I were still a fundy, I would be perpetually expecting the Middle East to erupt into an
endtimes bloodbath. I'm dead sure it's part and parcel of what Palin means by use of the code words "God's plan." Sarah Palin is dangerous because she is too god-damned sure of her god-deluded self.

Regards,
Dart

Anonymous said...

Hi Anna, top-notch article! Couldn't agree more with your assessment of the McCain-Palin ticket. About the rape kit thing, I read an interesting point that there isn't another crime where the victim is forced to pay for the investigation. This has been the most disturbing, degraded election I've ever seen.

Anonymous said...

p.s. I was also lured here by Sharon's post! :)