John McCain surprised many people when he chose Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his vice president. She was not well-known by most people, but since her nomination and acceptance at the Republican Convention, it seems people either love her or hate her. These sentiments are strongly influenced by one's political standing. There are objective questions about her experience and credentials to be vice president and possibly president. At the same time, she is unfairly maligned and disliked by many for her small-town heritage, her anti-abortion position and for her religious spirit.
A major reason why many Barack Obama supporters and people in the media dislike Palin is her small-town heritage. They have a pre-determined negative opinion about people and politicians from small towns. They think small-town people and their work are not important.
Obama is guilty of this bigotry. At a fundraiser in San Francisco, which was supposed to be closed to the media, Obama was recorded speaking pejoratively about people from rural areas. He stated that they cling to religion, guns and don't like people different from them because the government does not provide what they need. Obama is of the mind-set that if the government would simply provide small-town people what they need, they would no longer attend church, go hunting or shooting, buy guns for self-defense and would be more accepting of all people. Simply stated, Obama has socialist tendencies. He thinks government is the solution to all problems and can provide everything people need and desire. Obama's words reveal a very poor understanding of people, religion and the Second Amendment.
Many New Mexicans are born and raised in small towns. Most do not share Obama's beliefs. They don't think poorly of people and the work they do in small towns. New Mexicans know much important work is done in rural areas, such as operating recycling plants, mining, manufacturing, running electrical power plants and running state agencies. Also, many small towns have good community colleges and have many educated people. From these experiences, it is natural for people from New Mexico to appreciate the work, accomplishments and potential of Palin.
Palin has the experience to be vice president. She was a city councilor for four years, mayor for six years, chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for one year and has been governor of Alaska for two years. As governor, she has a multi-billion dollar budget and thousands of employees and helps guide one of the largest oil reserves in the U.S. Many have said that Palin has more experience in running a government than Obama. Judging from Al Gore's achievements as vice president - breaking two ties in the U.S. Senate - she is overqualified for the job.
Palin is an excellent representative of women. Her experience as a daughter, a sister, a wife and an ambitious working mother of five children gives her the ability to represent women and their concerns in government. It is also important to highlight that Palin's anti-abortion position is the authentic feminist position. The foundation of the feminist movement is that a solidarity exists among women. Based on gender, all women are united by similar experiences, needs and aspirations. Yet, the feminists who support legalized abortion contradict this solidarity with women because they totally reject and deny the rights of their unborn sisters.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Assuming one-half of all terminated pregnancies in the U.S. since 1973 are aborted females, about 23.5 million unborn females have been denied their right to life. All these females have been killed because of their sisters' freedom of choice. Palin's anti-abortion stance is the true feminist stance because she knows all women must be guaranteed their rights from the first moment of their existence. She knows one woman's right must not result in another losing her life.
Palin is a religious person. She was baptized a Roman Catholic but has spent her teenage and adult years in Protestant denominations. Many Obama supporters and people in the media have mocked Palin's Christian beliefs and practices, but, once again, these people are out of touch with most Americans and U.S. history. Christianity is deeply intertwined with the foundation of the U.S.
The U.S. Declaration of Independence states that the very purpose of America is to guarantee all people their God-given inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. God-given inalienable rights are the genius of America. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are no longer at the mercy of the king, queen, the government or the people. They are inalienable rights that reside within human nature and given by nature's God, before the creation of government or the passage of laws. Without God, everything becomes dependent upon the fallible judgment of man, which too often does not care about truth or justice.
In summary, Palin is qualified to be vice president of the U.S. She is small town folk like many in the U.S. but uncommon enough to become the youngest and first female governor of Alaska. She is a great representative of women and an authentic feminist. She is within the American tradition because she knows the importance of God and religion in the formation of America's great promise.
