September 6, 2008 7:38 PM
Why this Democrat will vote for Sarah Palin
A link from Julana of Life in the Slow Lane:
A vote for Sarah Palin - by Suann Therese Maier, who concludes:
I will vote for Sarah Palin because I don't need the Democratic platform's belated affirmation of motherhood. Thanks, but I already know that motherhood is good, several times over. Moreover, the party's rediscovery of motherhood seems rather cynical in the current news cycle, while Democratic-friendly bloggers and media types bash Palin about her daughter's pregnancy and her own busy schedule while bringing up children. How can a real sympathy for motherhood come from the same people who wrote a platform that hardens the party's addiction to a phony right to kill the unborn? . .
I will vote for Sarah Palin because she is intelligent, tenacious and talented. Nobody made her rise easy, and no one is making it easy now. And--is it only moms who notice this?--unlike Senator Biden, she does seem to act consistently on her beliefs about the sanctity of life, at considerable personal cost.
I will vote for Sarah Palin because she doesn't come from Washington or New York or Chicago or anywhere else the political and media aristoi like to hang out. In fact, I especially like the idea that the state she governs actually produces something--like some of the oil that powers the hair dryers and klieg lights at MSNBC.
I will vote for Sarah Palin because Roe v. Wade is bad law, and it needs to fall. I don't doubt the intelligence and character of men like Doug Kmiec, the younger Bob Casey, and others who sympathize with the Obama campaign. But I do doubt their judgment. At the end of the day, the Democratic party in 2008 has conceded nothing to pro-life Democrats. The fact that Sen. Obama listens respectfully to pro-lifers without calling them reactionary dunces does not constitute progress. Results and behavior are what matter. On both those counts, the party has again failed to show any real sensitivity to pro-life concerns. In that light, high profile Catholics who support Obama are simply rationalizing their surrender on Roe.
Finally, I will vote for Sarah Palin, not because I've left the Democratic party of my youth and young adulthood, but because that party has left me. In fact, it no longer exists. And no amount of elegant speaking, exciting choreography, and moral alibis will bring it back.
That's the real tragedy of this election.
Read entire article here.
Anyone else out there feeling this way?
Posted in Campaign 2008, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink
Comments
Read all about it: http://phdwithninekids.blogspot.com/2008/09/in-which-philosopher-mom-comes-out-to.html
Posted by: Kalynne Pudner | September 6, 2008 10:11 PM
I was originally a registered Democrat because I liked how it was the party who looked out for the "little guy". I even voted for Clinton the first time around not understanding how my vote helped keep Roe v. Wade going. But I never voted Democrat after that. I wised up as to who Clinton really was, as you all know; an unfaithful husband among many other things! I also realized that abortion was really wrong in every situation and I have voted for only pro-life candidates, which are mostly Republican, ever since then but was still a registered Democrat for several more years, mainly just because I never seemed to get around to changing my party affiliation. Finally, after listening to EWTN and Fr. Frank Pavone, founder of Priests For Life (www.priestsforlife.org), I truly understood what an evil act abortion is and how approximately 4,000 babies were killed every day because of abortion for any reason. I finally called the local Democratic office and had my name taken off their registery. The woman I spoke with asked my why I was leaving the Democratic party and I said to her "4,000 babies killed by abortion every day is just 4,000 too many." She said "Oh."
Julie c.m.
Posted by: Julie c.m. | September 7, 2008 12:18 AM
For some people they forget that she is on a ticket as a Vice President candidate. A position that is mostly unheard of unless they screw up. Her and McCain barely know each other and their political views are miles apart to say the least. She is only on the ticket to draw the female vote and is not allowed to speak unless it's from a script given to her and approved by McCain and his team.
I respect her as a woman as I know most women work harder and deserve more, but I do have a problem with the fact she knew she would bear a Downs baby, yet did nothing to prevent it from being conceived. If you find out after the fact, fine, that is life. But to intentionally go forward and concieve is not thinking about the life of a child, but of only yourself.
Posted by: P J Schnee | September 7, 2008 1:39 AM
Barbara-
I love reading your blog, and doing so has got me super excited for this election. A year ago I wasn't looking forward to this election because it looked like Obama would win. McCain/Palin has given me hope that our country won't just be another version of Europe. Thanks for all your blog posts, especially the ones about down syndrome. (I am a special educator.)
Posted by: Addie | September 7, 2008 1:49 AM
To P J Schnee;
I think you have forgotten the fact that no one knows at the time of conception whether or not they will have a child with Down Syndrome or some other kind of birth defect. Just because she was over 40 does not mean she will have a baby with a birth defect. The author of this blog had a daughter with 46 chromosomes at age 45 after having a son with 47 chromosomes the year before! Your thinking is out of line with the Creator and Author of Life, God! Every child is a pure gift from Him! Not every act of intercourse will produce a baby, only God decides if a baby will be conceived. Sure, there are times in a woman's cycle that are fertile and most of the month, she is not fertile. So timing the act during the fertile time is going to give the couple a higher chance of conceiving. However, many couples try during their most fertile time and do not conceive. You saying that Sarah Palin was selfish for wanting a child or implying that she was selfish or even stupid for not using birth control is simply a reflection of your lack of respect for the gift of life in all of its variety and beauty, knit together in a woman's womb by the Father with great love. You have demeaned the beauty of the gift of life by your shallow and ignorant understanding of how good is our Loving Father who creates each of us with an infinite potential and goodness. You are a victim of the pro-abortion and contraceptive mentality.
Little Trig has already brought much love and joy to the Palin family and to anyone who looks at that precious boy and sees not a baby with Down Syndrome (i.e. a mistake or a throwaway), like you do, but a child full of potential and the ability to love. Didn't you see the tenderness and love and obvious joy the whole family had for him as they each hold him? And the adoreable camera shot of Piper licking her hand to brush down Trig's hair? That is selfishness? Would you be making the same comment if the baby had 46 chromosomes? I think not. I have a child with Down Syndrome and he is a pure delight, despite the challenges. He is the one who can really "see". He is the one, out of our family of 12 that will always love without prejudice and without strings attached. Isn't that what life is all about? I will pray for you. Julie c.m.
Posted by: Julie c.m. | September 7, 2008 10:28 AM
P J Schnee, how on earth can you possibly imagine that Gov. Palin knew her son would have Down Syndrome before he was even conceived? It's not even possible to predict with certainty that there will be a *baby* before the conception actually takes place, much less to know whether it will be a boy or girl, have blue or brown eyes, or have a birth defect of any kind. Unless you think she can somehow divine the future, which would actually be a rather useful skill for our government to have. ;)
If you are referring to the Governor's age, that's ridiculous. Women in their 40s can, and do have perfectly healthy babies all the time. Also, physiologically, the safest time for a woman to have a baby is at age 18 -- that gives her the least chance of birth complications and the baby the least chance of birth defect. But we don't go around condemning women in their 20s for risking birth defects at their "advanced" age. (More likely we'll scold them for having a baby so young. I should know, having given birth 5 times in my 20s, I've heard it all!)
Posted by: Michelle Potter | September 7, 2008 3:42 PM
As an avid pro-choice independent I want to say that I highly respect any pro-life supporter who calls themself a democrat. Why? Because it tells me that they are not going to let one issue, albeit a serious one, polarize their view and decide their political position.
My problem with pro-life advocates is that all too often that seems to be the only thing they care about. I understand it is an extremely important issue, however if you're a mother I think that other problems like healthcare and education should also be of major concern.
I respect the beliefs of those who are pro-life but I do not agree with them. The sad truth is that overturning Roe v. Wade will not stop abortions. If a poor pregnant woman does not want to have a baby that see can't feed, she won't be able to go to a clinic. She will be driven to a dangerous, illegal, unregulated "operation." If you think that hypothetical woman deserves to die from infection for what she did, then you don't truly respect life.
Posted by: Tracy | September 7, 2008 8:31 PM
Tracy -
4000 a day.
For a different persepective from a woman who fought for abortion rights but now sees a holocaust feminists will only deny, see Roe v Wade 27 years later: Slippery Slopes Revisited, which I published in 2000 when the number of abortions totaled around 40 million. Today they total around 48 million.
That's 1/3 of a couple generations GONE. - the generations that are supposed to support the Baby Boomers in their old age with all the fancy health care we want.
As far as single issue voting and your contempt for those who do happen to think that LIFE is worth voting for, I suppose you might have thought that Germans should have cared about lots of issues when a holocaust was taking place there.
I am a single issue voter and proud of it. It's LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. LIFE. It all begins with life. Without a respect and reverence for life, we are nothing.
And you end up with people like Obama, voting to let living babies die if they somehow escape murder at an abortionist's hand. See him talk about it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttF8s5XGVDw
Posted by: barbara | September 7, 2008 8:51 PM
