The ascendency of Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin was the surprise choice for Republican candidate for Vice President. She has certainly been a hit in some quarters, but, for the life of me I cannot imagine anyone voting Republican because she is now on the ticket.
She does hold some views that I could not support in a million years, but, I am aware that some do. It is more her attitudes and the way she goes about things that I imagine would send shivers down the spine of any right thinking person, no matter what their political persuasion.
Firstly, there is the story that, as Mayor of Wasilla, Palin tried to get certain books removed from library shelves. While this is speculation and cannot be substantiated, Palin herself has admitted that on two occasions she did indeed raise the issue. Not on certain books, but, in general. She gives the excuse that on both occasions, it was simply a 'rhetorical question'
Even if this is true, and she did not take any further action, this gives me a feeling of deep unease. America is supposed to be the land of the free - this is the first step towards the sort censorship that brings to mind the Chinese government, or even Stalinist Russia.
Next up, the way she hides behind her religion. As well as declaring that the Illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq is 'a task that is from God' (she must have missed the page in the Bible where it says 'thou shalt not kill'), in the same service in June this year, she urged the congregation to pray for the completion of a gas pipeline. Of course, anyone who does pray, prays or things that they want to happen, for example, the recovery of an ill relative. This goes WAY further than that - it is a dangerous fusion of politics into her religion.
It should also be pointed out that Ed Kalnins, the Pastor of the Wasilla Assembly of God Church where she addressed the congregation, and has been a regular member for over 25 years, is an 'end times' zealot. This means that he believes that the end of the world as we know it, coupled with the return of Jesus is a time where the chosen few will be raised up to heaven, leaving the rest to be ruled by the antichrist. He also hopes that it will happen in his lifetime. It is unknown whether Palin shares this view, but, is this a finger anyone seriously wants on the nuclear button?
Finally, sex. Palin would like to see an end to sex education in schools. She is also on record as saying that if her 14 year old daughter was raped, she should not get an abortion. She claims to be pro-life, but, is ardent supporter of the NRA, as well as her staunch support for the Iraq war. Surely there is a contradiction here?
It has been pointed out that having a woman in such a high position is a positive thing. While, normally I would agree, is it really a positive step when she proposes to take choice and hard won rights away from women?
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