Nzingha's Soapbox
Anne - you make some good points, but one thing to remember about Sarah Palin - she's already a working mom. She's governor of the largest state in size. Granted being VP will entail a lot more responsibility, but I would imagine she's already figured out how to balance family and duty. And if she can survive the next 2 months on the campaign trail, it's going to have to seem so much easier being in one spot.
I would not stand in the way or challenge a woman's dream to reach her goals. However I do believe that in Palin's case she is choosing to make sacrifices and perhaps already paying the price of some of those sacrifices. If she were not in such a high powered position, would she have had more opportunity to have a relationship with her daughter that might have prevented the daughter from having relations outside of marriage and is now pregnant?
As mother's women are the nurturers, the care givers, the ones who resolve conflict, the teachers...we can be anything we want - we've already provden we have the tools and know-how to do it.
Personally I think it makes more sense for a woman to undertake such a goal as President or Vice-President with fewer family comiittments such as young children at home. In the case of Hillary Clinton there is only one child who is already a young adult. Because let's face it, in the time of a crisis, illness, emergency, children want their MOM. For some reason society says it's okay for the Dad's to not be as involved.
Just my two cents worth.
Good post, Nzingha.
Maggie- yes and no one seems to have a problem with that. Even with her returning to work so early after her sons birth. I'm sure she'll have all the help she would need, even more, as VP.
Bedu- My best friend growing up had a stay at home mom and a retired dad for the most part of her life (he was much older when he remarried) she had two other sisters. One older and one younger. All three were teenage moms, all three dropped out of school, only the youngest (14 when pregnant) married the father but latter divorced. The other two never married the fathers.
A mom at home is certainly no guarantee that a girl won't come home pregnant. Is she to blame for the choice of her daughter who I'll assume was quite aware of her mothers views? And what of the father who is an at home dad from what I understand?
I no longer bat an eye at a pregnant teenager in America. It is quite the norm as unfortunate as that is.
I'm with N on this. Teenage/unwed pregnancy in the States is the norm. Y dh comes from a middle class two parent home with a stay at home mom, yet his sisters were teen/unwed parents. I come from a single parent home with a working mother who i rarely saw in highschool because of our schedules. whenm i came home from school she was at work and i was sleep when she came home and she was sleep in the mornng when i woke up. my sister and i both had kids after marriage.
anyway, i don't think any of this should play in a decision to vote for palin or not.
Good post, Nzingha, from the heart...
SP is one hell of a woman (in good sense, of course). She certainly adds a great dose of interest and her life and experience are rather difficult to attack without drawing interest to Obama and Biden.
Back to children. There is nothing more sad in life than a child with problems. Anything but that and we are so powerless. People like you and SP and so many parents have my respect and admiration. It is sad and not easy.
John Kactuz
"a question about her political positions, experience, and plans for her country if elected."
Nzingha, salam alaikum,
I thought the reason I never heard of Palin was because I am Canadian, but after asking my American relatives they never heard of her either.
I think as people search to find out just who this woman is, they will no doubt learn more about her personal life than her political career. It's the reality of being a women in the public I think.
Nice blog.
Salma
A really good post, Nzingha. Women should not be judged fit for a position - or not - depending on how many children they have at home. I think that women with more children are more organized and better able to multi-task - they have to be!
On the other hand, I certainly wouldn't vote for her ticket because she DOES have children. Personally I don't care who McCain chose for his running mate - I'm for Obama.
Great post, Nzingha.
I think men have gotten off the hook far too long when it comes to childcare. (Men in general, that is - my daughter was probably two weeks old before I had to change a poopy diaper because my husband was Johnny-on-the-spot.) Men are supposed to be head of the household, apparently, except when it comes to the heavy lifting and the real responsibility? But Todd Palin looks like he doesn't mind stepping up to the plate. He looks like he's proud of Sarah and of her accomplishments. It's a beautiful thing.
Umm Adam- nope none of this discussion has anything to do with voting for her or not.
J Kactuz- I agree that she is quite interesting. As a Hockey mom myself I tend to like her in your face approach 
Salma- very few people heard of her. But I'm sure many parents who have chidlren with DS have heard of her for the same reasons I have. And I wonder if that publicity didn't bring her to the attention of others in this choice of VP.
Susie- Multi tasking is an understatement
Laura- I've mentioned to Mr. Man the other night that in the pats 5 months of Umars life he has not gotten up ONCE in the night to care for him. It has all been me, even though there are times I can barely open my eyes he snoozes along. Granted he has been spoiled having my mother to help out with the other four, but one night I'm going to simply walk out and sleep in the car in order to get releif
A working mom is still a mom - I do not fault Sarah Palin for this.
Any family can become burdened with an unwed teenager pregnant. I do not fault Sarah Palin for this SPECIFICALLY (see below)
I will never, however, vote for Sarah Palin. She has CUT funding in her state for aid to families with "Special Needs" children.
She has advocated "Abstinance Only" as the sole form of sex education. Now, while this is her right within her own home, it is also well documented that this form of sex education does not prevent, in fact it increases, the instance of teen pregnancy.
She has CUT funding for programs that provide food and formula for infants and young children in poor families.
She favors destroying the ANWR (Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge) by allowing petroleum drilling.
She has stated publicly that she believes the war in Iraq is a mandate from "God".
Sarah Palin is a hypocrit, and a fanatic - I have had MORE than enough of Republican fanatics in charge of my country.
Sew- yes those are some of the issues people need to look at. Not that she has young children at home.
I find it a bit ironic that a woman in the GOP, the party with "traditional American values" is campaigning to be VP. Isn't the "traditional American value" (at least portrayed by the MSM) the one where women stayed at HOME with their kids? Although, in reality, this is a farce, and always has been.
So, in some small way, I do question her willingness to sacrifice her kids for the sake of her ambition. She can't have it both ways.
I, too, find her to be a hypocrite. On a very very large scale.
Umm Izzy- I think the definition of "traditional American value" is ever changing especially when it comes to the roles of women. The younger generations may dispute such an image while the older generations would support such a view.
I don't know if saying she is "sacrificing" her kids. Because than we would have to say every working woman is sacrificing her kids. And for those who see 'careers' otu of desire rather than necessity should we say it is sacrifice made for the sake of their own ambitions?
My comments are in reference to her party's (and fundamentalist supporters') stance on 'traditional family values'. That's also why that phrase is in quotes.
What she does is her choice. I just think the fundamentalist groups that blindly support her need to recognize she is far from the ideal they would have other women follow, if they had that power. In fact, her whole life has been in opposition to their ideals. I'm speaking to the hypocrisy of their views, and how utterly out of touch the Republian party is. That includes my comment that she is sacrificing her kids. Sorry I didn't make that more clear.
I find her political views repugnant, in any case.
Umm Izzy- Ok got ya.
Umm Izzy, I'm a Republican. There are members of both parties that are really out there. I've seen a lot of people on the internet suggesting that it was irresponsible of Palin to have her child knowing he had DS - these were not Republicans. I suggest we avoid thinking of the two parties as the good guys and the bad guys. As a pro-lifer I have to keep reminding myself of that.
When we look at the issues, we need to make sure we are not being lied to. Just as there were and are lies going around about Obama, there are lies about Palin too. It's not too hard to do an internet search and avoid the obviously biased sites, and find that, for instance, what Palin objected to was "explicit sex ed"; she does support teaching about contraception in the classroom.
Laura, for me at least, there are no good guys in politics. There is not one single candidate with whom I can agree even 90% of the time.
It comes down to who is the less objectionable candidate, and who will work to restore the Constitution after the Republicans, led by that dry drunk W, have trashed it.
I've researched Palin. Her political views, her character, her actions while in office?.... they're repugnant. Her personal beliefs? Her family life? I couldn't care less.
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