Pandered to the far-right
EDITOR:This letter is in reference to the Sept. 8 letter "Bashing of Sarah Palin." The letter states:
"If you happen to be a Democrat, you are now aligned with a venomous party. Anyone who takes hateful potshots at a 17-year old pregnant teenager or a 4-month old Down syndrome baby is repulsive and deserves to be repudiated. There is no place in our society for such deplorable behavior. Have we lost all respect?"
As a Democrat, I take offense to the implication that I am "repulsive" and belong to a "venomous party."
The letters has assumed, and wrongly so, that all Democrats have been hateful against Governor Palin's two daughters. To say that we have attacked a 4-month old Down syndrome baby is a complete lie. A few idiots in Internet blogs might have, but not the party. Senators Obama and Biden have publicly said that families are off limits.
Unfortunately, the selection of Palin has put the Democrats in a Catch-22 situation. If she is attacked for her views and policy, the Republicans will cry "sexism." If she is not criticized, Palin's ultra- conservative beliefs will be ignored. She will be able to continue espousing her Karl Rove formed ideas unchecked.
Her convention speech energized the party but did we hear anything substantial? Her tone was very sarcastic and strident. To mock Senator Obama's "work as a community organizer" was over the top.
It degraded the sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King and Caesar Chavez. Of course, many in the Republican base like to avoid any connection with the disadvantaged and poor. They don't fill the coffers of the Republican "war chest."
In my view, Palin is nothing more than a Dick Cheney, without the experience, I might add, in an attractive woman's garb. Oh, I'd better avoid saying "attractive;" that's a sexist comment. I've had enough of Dick Cheney and his ilk hanging around Pennsylvania Avenue. Eight years of a Cheney led administration is enough.
The letter also goes on to quote former President Clinton's Secretary of State: "Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright once said, 'There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.' No doubt Madeline was referring specifically to Democratic women. But have no fear; Sarah Palin is a woman of courageous substance who can take the heat and has no intention of spending time in Madeline Albright's 'feminists' kitchen.'"
I don't believe that Madeline Albright was, to quote the letter, "No doubt specifically" referring to Democratic women. She endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton and advised her on foreign policy. Now, Albright is serving as an adviser to Senator Obama.
As to, "take the heat," that remains to be seen. As of this writing, she hasn't been allowed to give an interview. "Courageous?" "Substance?"
Well, she has stood up to a moose or two. She has, as Commander and Chief of the Alaskan National Guard, also kept her borders free from invasion by Russia and the Yukon. She has learned, during her brief political career in Alaska, to walk over the bodies of her critics unscathed. She has, like many astute politicians, said that "pork" will not be tolerated but will keep federal funds anyway.
The "Bashing of Sarah Palin" letter is typical of many "modern" conservatives. They simply "parrot" information from "ultra-right" web sites like the Free Republic. As a matter of fact, most of the information in the letter was written by "boy wonder" Ben Shapiro in his article, "The Hypocritical Woman-Hating Left Targets Palin" found on townhall.com.
Sadly, the party of Reagan and Goldwater has moved drastically to the politics of the far-right, derision and intolerance.
Senator McCain is more honorable than this but has had Palin forced upon him by the new core of the Republican Party. He has pandered to the far-right, in order to get elected. Is this the kind of "change" we want in Washington?
Thomas Martin
Iron Mountain
