Comments on: VP: Vikings, Polar bears, Voting, and Palin

By: Robbie

Robbie — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:08:52 +0000

great article- you’ve summed things up nicely. I agree that we’re likely to learn a lot more about her as this election continues. In the meantime, though, the idea of her as president is SCARY.

By: claire

claire — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:22:13 +0000

Excellent commentary, Rachel!!

By: Puck

Puck — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:19:49 +0000

Great job on the article. I agree with everything you said here except one minor-ish detail. You yourself said you’d probably call me a feminist, but I was third runner-up in Miss Michigan Coed a few years ago. I think pageants can be wonderful for the girls involved because they get to meet other like-minded young women who will probably take the world by storm. The women in pageants are tested on their presence in a room and more importantly their ability to speak to a group.

Notice I don’t call them beauty pageants though. While I have participated in a few pageants I think the physical fitness component has gone astray. I think, if nothing else, that part shouldn’t be televised. But I digress. The point is pageantry isn’t all about bimbos who look good in prom dresses, despite what the feminist movement would have you think. I know, I’ve been there. ^_~

By: yur mum

yur mum — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:41:42 +0000

I think this is one of the most thoroughly researched, well-written and well-balanced pieces on Gov. Palin, and I have read dozens at this point. I also find her a conundrum, admiring many of the things she has done and stands for, while completely disagreeing with her political positions. I also worry about the dissonance between the “facts” her party has disseminated about her and the reality behind those facts. Her active solicitation of “earmarks” for her own city clashes directly with her claim that she opposes them. I recommend reading today’s “Public Editor” in today’s NYTimes, in which the paper’s ombudsman addresses the many (and not very polite) criticisms of the paper’s articles about Palin.
To expand on one of the issues you raise, I agree with everyone who says that Bristol Palin’s pregnancy should have been a “private matter.” However, it’s a private matter in a very public family that is adamantly anti-sex ed and pro abstinence, and a public family that decided to become known nation-wide despite being aware that accepting a national political nomination would expose their daughter to the national media at a time that must be very difficult, and perhaps painful.
Finally, as a certified sexuality educator who has taught dozens of young people in an abstinence-based but reality and information-packed church-sponsored course, I know the success of teaching young people the facts, not avoiding the issues of sexuality. Not one of our young students has become pregnant out of wedlock. That statistic holds true throughout the country — it is proven that abstinence-only fails, and that sex ed offers the best pregnancy prevention for teens, and, thus, the best way to prevent abortions.
Great work, Rachel!