One Secret to a Working Mom's Success: Keep Standing

Me, standing in Barbados Those of us who live our lives out loud on the internet subject ourselves to scrutiny. Some comment, "Nobody's life is perfect. These posts must be fake," Those making those comments might even be close to us because they "know our business" and they whisper and gossip and say, "she's so fake".  To those who may read my blog and make such comments, (the trolls) know that I hear you, see you, and completely disagree. 

Lipstick, an apparent leadership requirement


I listened to Sarah Palin’s speech last night. While impressed by her presentation, I am not a supporter. She’s charming, an entertaining speaker, and her experience as a beauty queen makes her likeable. She wore a nice suit, had her hair down, and she wore lipstick. The combination of all of those things got the crowd excited. As a professed girly girl, I was pleased that she was comfortable enough to be herself. That being said, I resisted the urge to get caught up in her aura. Instead, I listened to what she said. To her credit, she tried to sweeten her offensive, puritan, and repressive ideas with sugar and a smile. However, for me, that did not make the bitter pill go down any easier.

As I listened to Governor Palin I was scared. Unlike others, I don’t doubt that she is capable of leading. The real question is where would she lead this country?

She is anti-choice in all respects. She is against the freedom to choose an abortion. She is against detailed sex education. She is anti-gay marriage. Indeed, she is against all things that seem to involve the people deciding what is best for them. And while she presents her family as an example of her principles, you’re not supposed to ask her about them.

The children of candidates may be off limits, but the candidates’ platforms are not. Governor Palin’s daughter, Bristol, is pregnant at seventeen. She has another year of high school. Her parents have released a statement commenting about their great blessing of becoming grandparents. While all children are a blessing, no sane person would deny that it is preferable to delay parenthood until after high school. Before her daughter’s pregnancy, Palin agreed. Her plan to prevent teenage pregnancy was to permit schools to teach the “abstinence”. Given Bristol’s current situation, I think that it is fair to ask Governor Palin whether she has expanded her views about what constitutes appropriate sex education.

Palin is a mother who has decided to run for Vice President even though she has a newborn, special needs baby. It is not sexist to point that out. It is a fact. It is true that male candidates aren’t confronted with that issue. However, male candidates have answered the question before it became an issue. They had the benefit of having stay- at-home wives. Or in the case of the Obamas, a wife who has sacrificed her career for her family and who has a mother who takes up the slack. Instead of objecting to the question, the Palins simply need to explain who is, and who will be, caring for baby Trig. It is a valid question. And all I have heard is how Todd, “The First Dude of Alaska” is a good union guy who rides a mean snow mobile.

What impressed me the most about Palin’s speech was how many people were electrified by her antiquated ideas. She sold traditionalism as if it were transformative. In many ways it was brilliant. Even though I am not going to vote for McCain/Palin and I am not going to subscribe to their ideas, I did learn an important lesson last night.

I learned that a pretty woman can get away with a lot. Perhaps it all boils down to the importance of wearing lipstick. It hides a multitude of sins. And, given the applause Palin received from the crowd, lipstick gives you the ability to say unpalatable things without consequence. In the words of Governor Palin, lipstick makes you prettier than a pit bull, but no less tough. Who knew?!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I read your blog and thought it was both well written and thoughtful. You picture of Palin makes me think about why she is popular amongst many red-necks. In a nutshell the reasons include:

She is a National Rifle Association (NRA) member and appears to be a no nonsense candidate. She said no to the "Bridge to Nowhere" that was impressive (until the public found out she flip-flopped multiple times on taking the Bridge to Nowhere funding. No one really provided detail on what Alaska did with the funding. My thought is that it helped fund Palin's Per Diems while she was at home rather than out-of-town.
She looks like a good looking lady with power. Her power was apparently misused to get her ex-brother in law fired from a state job. I am not defending the guy, but if he were really a person that should be fired, the normal staff disciplne process in Alaska should surfice. Imagine the possibility of abuse of power on a federal level.
What a combination for the republicans. A presidential candidate who was one of the dulliest tools in the shed while in school. Nor was fidelity very important when he was married. Clueless is the key for that team. That team represents change that no one can afford.
All we can do is await the flood of lies that are uncovered that McCain and Palin have pushed on our country.

I could make comments on this election for a long time, But I don't need to get worked up any further. Much peace! Go Obama