Perhaps in the weeks to come I will change my mind. But while the world was listening to Sarah Palin, I was watching her as a hockey mom and as a parent of a disabled child. ("Special needs" is a term that guarantees they won't get what they need!)
For whatever it is worth here is what I think: Sarah Palin said that the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick. I think the true answer is deeper than that. I think that a true hockey mom tells her sons and daughters that being a good parent takes maturity. That if you are a teenager you might look for the resources in your parents' night table drawer. (condoms?) Abstinence clearly does not work. Parental understanding does.
On the next topic I would like to start a conversation with my sister mothers of kids with disabilities. I don't think I could have run for vice president of the United States in the months after my son Danny was diagnosed with severe autism. But perhaps I would have viewed it as a way to put him in an important spotlight while providing a distraction for myself? Not a bad thing. What do you all think?
Full disclosure: I am a life long Democrat and I wish Hillary was running. BUT discussion is GOOD.
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What I find disturbing is this is a reckless character of Palin. In her own story she says she broke her amniotic waters while in a conference in Dallas TX but proceeded to continue with her seminar, then boarded a plane for an 8hr ride to Alaska and a 45 minute drive to her hometown to deliver. She was fully aware she had a high risk pregnancy at 44. This is not bravely, but an alarming question on her judgment regarding a very delicate and important issue. To then go back to work after 3 days, and accept a VP nomination 4 months later, and with a teen pregnancy, says everything about the price she is ready to pay for her political ambitions. Its frightening for its lack of caution, and disturbing for the welfare of the children.
many thanks! Barbara
As far as having the disabled child and running for VP.. I'm sorry but I have 4 kids and there's no way I could take that job no matter how qualified I were, my children are too important to leave to someone else to care for.
And the Hillary voters? Forget it, they will never support a woman that vows to preach in schools and outlaw abortion IMHO.
Now Cindy McCain says she was a Hockey Mom too. I invited both her and Sarah Palin to see my older son who plays on a hockey team for kids with autism. His younger brother, the hockey star of the family coaches. To hear this invitation please listen to my Internet Radio Show "Maverick Mama" on Autismone.org radio. Here is a link to the show http://autismone.org/radio/mediafiles/090508 Maverick Mama.WMA
And thank you all again so much for reading and commenting.
Is it sexist? Yah, maybe. Just as it has been sexist to not admire fathers for being VPs and Presidents. I am hearing a lot about how moms can multi-task as if dads can't. We don't celebrate men for balancing life. Just as we don't ask how they do it. I know my husband has worked very hard at the balance with little kuddos.
But when was the last time a person ran for the two highest positions with an infant? When was the last time they ran with a baby with disabilities? I think this is the real question. I promise I would ask it if Todd Palin were the one running.
Jennifer
Your mileage may vary.
Yet, her speech comes all too late. Obama's speech, and indeed the entire convention, changed the election. People now know who Obama is and know what he is about. They like him and they like the direction he wants to take the country in. Using the same old attacks on his character aren't going to work. No one outside of the GOP is going to believe she has more experience or is more ready to lead than he is.
I think she majored in Jounalism....didn't she??
Considering that Sarah Palin has a terrible record in Alaska regarding funding
special needs children in the pulic schools (she cut funding) and cutting services to
teen mothers, I'd say she is giving the term 'soccer mom' a bad name and simply
using it to advance her own agenda. Her agenda you ask? Inside Sarah Palin is
still the high school mean girl who thinks she's the smartest, prettiest and
overall 'best.' That whole I'm better than you'll ever be thing and you'll never be 'Me.'
She's ambitious and is using her children to get some sort of weird sympathy.
Her choice to see her pregnancy through was hers to make and I am glad
to see that baby Trig has siblings who obviously dote on him. She tried but
failed to hide her 17 year olds pregnancy and then 'got indignant' when it
was discovered. Any mother that would put her teenage unwed pregnant
daughter through what she has over the past five days needs help.
I am pretty interested in exploring these special ed cuts. If anything, with the autism epidemic raging, more money is needed for special education not less. There are reports circulatiing that Palin has a nephew with autism, which does not surprise those of us who understand the extent of this epidemic. Everyone we know knows someone else with autism. If anyone knows where Palin stands on help for indivduals with autism, I would love to know.
I don't like this woman much. I just wanted to type that.
overall 'best.'"
Afte hearing her last night, I had this disturbing feeling that inside, Paline is more Cutthroat Karl Rove, than Soccer Mom Sarah.
I have been in touch with a woman in Wasilla, AK that is on Sarah Palin's
s-list and says that once you are there, it's a permanent position. "Mean Girl
Syndrome" The locals know that it's not a good idea to mess with Sarah and
that if you do it can be bad. So anyone that has anything to lose i.e.; business
owners, city officials and others and their family members kowtow to her.
She's a mini-Cheney in a skirt. So not sure what you were looking for
in comments but if you are still undecided in your vote I hope you'll
reconsider. As the mother of a special needs child you know how hard
the other kids can be on him or her and Sarah is just another one of
them all grown up.
Both of my sons are grown and did not have to struggle with any
disabilities but I have watched and been blown away by my own
sister's advocacy on behalf of her son who has Asperger's Syndrome.
She is my hero and she is the kind of mother that Trig Palin deserves.
And she'd take him in a heartbeat too!
For now they'll give it to the "mean girl". But hopefully enough women out there remember the mean girls and want the special funding for special needs children and are also looking right past what Sarah wants toward what her daughter needs, and will vote accordingly.