What Does "Feminists for Life" Tell Us About Palin?

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

What Does "Feminists for Life" Tell Us About Palin?

WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2008

News

What Does "Feminists for Life" Tell Us About Palin?
Tuesday 02 September 2008

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by: Marcy Bloom, RH Reality Check

Truthout link

What a public relations boon for any organization. The Feminists for Life home page currently reads: "FFL Member nominated for Vice President of the United States ... According to the Anchorage Daily News published August 6, 2006, 'Palin said last month that no woman should have to choose between her career, education, and her child - she's a member [since 2006] of a pro-woman but anti-abortion group called Feminists for Life ... [Palin stated] I believe in the strength and power of women, and the potential of every human life.'"

What does this affiliation say about Palin? What is Feminists for Life? FFL's slogan is "Refuse to Choose: Women Deserve Better than Abortion." Co-opting genuine woman-focused language and values, and wrapping it in a false blanket of "woman-centered solutions" and alleged loving concern for women, FFL cleverly uses a "pro-woman, pro-life philosophy" and completely manipulates the feminist terminology of empowerment. Their web site speaks out on numerous issues of concern to women, such as violence against women, honor killings, coercive sterilization, literacy, child care, sex trafficking, and female genital mutilation. They support deceptive anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers as real solutions for women, with the centerpiece of their work being that abortion is exploitive, coercive, and always wrong and harmful, for any and all women everywhere, in every circumstance.

In 2002, while running for the office of lieutenant governor in Alaska, Palin wrote to the Alaska Right to Life Board and stated that she was as "pro-life as any candidate can be" and has "adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion." She does not view rape and incest to be valid exceptions to her stance; the only exception that she supports is if the life of the woman is in danger. How very noble of the governor to care about women so deeply.

Of course, she shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe vs. Wade (although she has never flip-flopped on the issue, as he has) and she is a dangerous ideologue. She is also against gay marriage.

When discussing a ballot measure that would deny benefits to gay couples, she stated: "I believe that honoring the family structure is that important," obviously oblivious to the fact that her definition of family is incredibly narrow and that the diversity of all types of families should be celebrated. She is a self-described hockey mom, mother of five, is in favor of capital punishment, does not believe that global warming is human-made, is a long-time member of the National Rifle Association, and supports the teaching of both creationism and evolution in public schools. As would be expected, Sarah Palin also opposes medically accurate sexuality education programs and stated in 2006 that "she would fund [only] 'abstinence-until-marriage' education" (Juneau Empire, 9/20/06).

This belief now presumably has had an enormous impact on Palin's family per an announcement on Labor Day that her 17-year-old daughter Bristol is five months pregnant, will keep the child, and marry the father. The Palins further stated: "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media [to] respect our daughter and Levi's privacy, as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."

I could not agree more that these are extraordinarily private and personal family issues that should not destroy the life and future of Bristol or her fiancé. This family needs to be left alone as they work through the impact of Bristol's pregnancy and how this will change her life. How good-and right- it is that Bristol has the support and love of her family and that Bristol made the decision on her own to keep her baby, as did her 44 year-old-mom with all five of her children. No one should judge this family, Bristol's sexual activity, or pregnancy, as this is what true choice is all about. Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and motherhood is an aspect of Palin's résumé that prepares her for leadership (although not to be the vice-presidential nominee). I cannot help but wonder that if Bristol and her boyfriend had been exposed to a different type of discussion around sexual activity-medically accurate sexuality education - could this pregnancy have been avoided?

Bristol has made her choice - and all choices regarding unintended pregnancy need to be respected, honored, and supported, whatever they are. Women are moral and ethical decision-makers and they know when then are ready-or not- to bring a new life into this world. But that is not the stance of Sarah Palin. As a staunch religious conservative specifically selected to mobilize the religious right and close the gender gap-John McCain is trailing Barack Obama by 12 points among women, according to Emily's List - Sarah Palin is completely out of touch with the realities of the lives of women and families. As quoted in the August 31st Women's E-News, Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood of America, declared: "The last thing women need is a president - and a vice-president who are prepared to turn back the clock and repeal the protections of Roe vs. Wade." Yes, that is a frightening and chilling thought.

"Can You Cross Out 'Hillary" and Write in 'Sarah'?" queries Kate Zernike in Sunday's New York Times. For me, the answer is clear and transparent. NO. We undeniably need to keep fighting racism, sexism, homophobia, and a vast array of inequalities in the US. We absolutely need more diversity and far many more smart, perceptive, and well-informed women in leadership roles for the good of the country and the world. But not this anti-choice, pro-gun, and inexperienced woman governor.

To the Republicans I say - do not ever pander to me and don't you dare insult my intelligence. Do not give us a candidate who opposes everything that enhances the lives, health, and opportunities for women and children. But that is what you just did and shame on you.
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Reasons to Oppose Sarah Palin

*lied about her position on Bridge to Nowhere in her first public appearance as VP Nominee. She kept the money and used it on other projects.

*lied throughout her Nomination speech

*abused her power as Mayor to fire city librarian who would not ban books

*embarrassed her daughter internationally by failing to consider that her pregnancy might become a news item

*practices cronyism. "Heck of a job, Palin!" Hired high school chum to head the State Department of Agriculture. Her experience? She liked cows as a child. Responsible leaders appoint the most qualified people.

*increased city of Wasilla's debt from ZERO to $26 Million dollars. That's not "conservative", that's neo-conservative.

*slacker! Hired a city manager so she would not have so much to do. Made the city buy her a white Suburban, which people called the mayor-mobile.

*insider who claims to be an outsider and a reformer while doing exactly what Bush has done
*supports the indicted Senator Ted Stevens
*raised taxes on oil producers so she could perform a cheap political stunt by providing a one-time rebate to taxpayers. Alaska has the lowest rate of high-school graduation of any state. Should have made schools more effective.

*said that the City of Wasilla would not fund "rape kits" for victims of rape, and made the victim pay

*religious extremist whose Pastor told parishioners that a vote for John Kerry would send them to hell.

*Joel's Army is a group dedicated to taking over the US Government for religious reasons. Her church supports Joel's Army.

*defies the law by denying native Alaskans subsistence fishing rights

*opposes scientifically sound policies whenever possible, including fact-based sex education, and is a global-warming denier.

*cheats taxpayers. She charged the state of Alaska for over 300 nights that she spent in her own home, to the tune of $17,000.00.

*opposes women's autonomy. Wants women to carry pregnancies resulting from rape and incest.

*cut funding each year for support programs for new teen mothers

*fraudulently uses state money to support so-called crisis pregnancy centers that aim to force women to carry all pregnancies to term.

*political opportunist. Sees what public opinion is then takes that position rather leading.

Documentation for these claims is contained here in the Sarah Palin--Unfit blog.

On Sarah Palin's Judgment

On Sarah Palin’s Judgment

By: Deborah Lake
September 2, 2008

"I really hope McCain did his homework," said David Frum, a former speechwriter for President Bush. "I cannot stifle a growing sense of unease that he didn't."

I read a detailed article about the vetting process performed by the McCain campaign upon choosing Sarah Palin. I found myself, however, mesmerized by the photo that accompanied the article. Standing behind her jubilant mother was young Miss Palin, holding young Trig, and biting her lip. Young Miss Palin knew what was coming down the pike, but her mother was oblivious to the harm she might be causing her eldest daughter.

During a search today, I found an article about Palin and her children at the Jerusalem Post, which included comments about young Miss Palin’s pregnancy. I shudder to think of the shame that she must be enduring at this moment, with the impending birth of her child now an international incident.

This sorry mess illustrates why we should worry about Sarah Palin sitting a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States. A sensible mother would have declined the nomination, knowing how it might hurt her daughter. In particular, a mother who has taken a public political stand against fact-based sex education should have known that accepting a place on the Presidential ticket endangered her family.

Every parent knows that kids get into trouble. The issue here is not young Miss Palin. Rather, it is Sarah Palin’s failure to anticipate the consequences of her actions that should give us pause.

Furthermore, Sarah Palin has turned her daughter into a poster child for ending “abstinence-only” sex education. People, even teenagers, are capable of absorbing and analyzing information that helps them make good decisions. Palin’s inability to analyze led to these errors. If you tell a young woman that she has no safe way to end a pregnancy, and then give her no tools to avoid an unintended pregnancy, the results are a foregone conclusion. It almost seems as though people like Sarah Palin want to make others miserable. Should someone with such poor judgment have the potential to command the largest military force ever known to humankind? This goes for Palin, and it goes double for McCain.

What kind of “family values” do the Republicans stand for, is what I wonder. Is it ok to destroy a young woman’s privacy and anonymity in the quest for power, within the Republican family values? If this were a Democratic VP pick, you’re darn tootin’ the Republicans would be having a Grand Old Predator attack, pointing out how those evil liberals said one thing, and did the other. In actuality, liberals generally stand by their principles, rather than saying one thing out loud for public consumption and then doing the exact opposite in their private lives.*

I have to chalk it up to inexperience, and perhaps incuriosity, and perhaps the lust for power: the very traits most prominent in Palin’s emotional makeup.
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An earlier version of the article was captured at www.truthout.org
http://www.truthout.org/article/with-palin-revelations-mccains-gamble-is-clearer
The photo I include here has since been removed from the article and another, less revealing photo has been substituted.

The revised article here.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-palinassess2-2008sep02,0,3826591.story

*Note that I said, generally. Liberal men still let other parts of their bodies do the thinking for them, I note, for example, Elliot Spitzer and John Edwards. But those are the exceptions to the rule, rather than the rule.

One of the most liberal states, Massachusetts, has the lowest rate of divorce in the USA. The South, the proclaimed Bible Belt, has the highest number of teen pregnancies. Therefore, I do not understand why conservatives think that they are more “moral” than liberals. I was raised by a libertarian Republican, and spent half of my life in rural America, so I have street cred. That makes it even more difficult for me to understand why conservatives think that they are more “moral” than liberals.

One website I dread to visit is http://www.armchairsubversive.com/. The webweaver lists the street crimes of members of the Republican Party and other right wing organizations.

The most prevalent crime is child molestation. When I ask a conservative Christian friend why they are not running a campaign against child molestation they give me a glassy stare. Otherwise, they claim that there is not much of a problem there.

I wonder about right-wing morals. They seem like a nice dress brought out for a special occasion. When the party's over, though, it's right back to the down-home values of molesting children, bullying people, practicing prejudice, and figuring out yet more ways to legally steal other people's money.

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Sarah Palin - Unfit to Serve

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008