Sarah Palin is a wife, a mother, has been a mayor, a governor and now a vice presidential candidate. Though mayor of a very small town and a governor barely dry behind the ears, it's a pretty full plate.I've had friends and family who have thought they could do it all - and inevitably, somewhere along the line, failed. Usually because they tried to do too much at one time and something had to give.
The question has been raised as to how she intends to care for her child with Down's syndrome should she become the Vice President. It is a valid question.
We have been inundated with all her pluses. Now the negatives are coming to the fore. Forget for the moment whether or not you agree with her political stance, but rather look at her success and failure record.
Obama has said family should be off limits when it comes to politics as the news is now out that Palin's unmarried, seventeen year old daughter is pregnant. Tsk. Tsk. What is one to do with teenagers anyway?
Okay. I'll leave the young lady out of it. But I sure will take her mother and her mother's parenting skills to task. I might be more forgiving if Governor Palin had not become the poster child for the Christian conservatives and their family values stance. Not only has she, but she embraces it. Where is the teaching that one is to become pregnant after marriage; not before? Is that not one of the basics of a good, moral "Christian" upbringing?
Back in the dark ages when I was a teen it was. It wasn't that I had such a high moral ethic but the fact that my parent's would have been sorely disappointed in me and I could not hurt them, nor embarrass myself, to that degree. Plus there was the lingering thought that they would have killed me. Never-the-less, the teachings of my upbringing took.
That there were such teachings is an important point here. You see, my Mom was my Mom. She was there for me, at home. She was fortunate enough not to have to work but she wouldn't have anyway because she took her responsibilities as a parent to be the most important job she had during my formative years.
Yeah. I know. I'm an old fuddy duddy and don't get the idea that times have changed. You're wrong. I do. But some basics do not. No one can do it all and do it well.
It's back to the "me" generation. Those women who think they can have it all. If Sarah Palin would be honest with herself she would know she lacks the solid credentials and skills needed to be our Vice President. Not that some day she wouldn't but not right now.
It leads me to wonder how well she would be able to handle the responsibilities she would be given, even if meagerly doled out by McCain. When one chooses to give life, priority should be the nurturing of those children until they are capable of fending for themselves. She has a seventeen year old and a child with Down's syndrome who need a mother more then they need a Vice President or a Governor.
We've lost sight of the idea that having "people" to take over those responsibilities is not the same. Who loses? The mother and the kids. And the country if such is forsaken in favor of ego and power.
4 comments:
It's such a fine line, isn't it? Women do want to have fulfilling careers AND be mothers, too. But when both parents work full time, something has to give, and all too often it is the children.
So, I'm with you on this. Women worked hard to be seen as equals but men will tell also you it's difficult to be an engaged father if you are also trying to climb the corporate ladder. And many men regret ignoring their kids while they worked all those many hours. But they had wives at home who supported them and managed the home and family. Sexist? Perhaps, but not if putting the family first is your goal.
My feeling is that the "First Dude" should be home in Alaska with the kids doing the cooking, cleaning, and everything else that goes into caring for a family.
Now that would show family values and would remove much of the criticism being aimed at the Palin family.
I fully agree with you. I'm under attack right now from a fellow Democrat who's big on gender issues. Sorry, but Governor Palin needs to take some time off and get her family taken care of before she goes out to rule the world. I feel sad when I look at that baby, that he has a mother that thinks she's the answer to all the world's needs, but can't see the needs in her own family.
I personally find it amazing that the GOP could suddenly gush over Palin as the supermom who truly can do it all. Now, what if she were to fail? She has young kids in her family, that is no longer Hillary Clinton's problem. Her best asset to the GOP is that she is a mom? Yeah, what if she did fail? She already has one proof of failure, her own daughter. By the way, the GOP talking head on CNN, who's own party did want women to stay in the home, now wants to wield Palin like a brick bat on the heads of feminists. In short, it is no longer even about Palin as herself, whether qualifications or on other issues. No, she is a political tool. Put the country first? I don't think so.
I don't care what anyone says, I am a old fashioned person. When a woman has small children, she needs to be home for them. Day care just minds children but doesn't teach them values.
There is plenty of time for women to work when their children are raised. If a woman wants a career, she should decide not to have children or have only one.
In my opinion, that's what's wrong with today's youth. They have been raised in day care and missed having their moms at home.
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