mind your manners for governor sarah palin

First, please pardon the long delay since my last post.  I hope you didn’t take it personally - it’s me, not you.

Anyway, to the topic at hand:  my thoughts on the past/recent/continuous/predictable treatment of Governor Palin in the media.  I actually started writing this post weeks ago but, as you may know, Governor Palin is always treated like crappola by most of the media, so these words are eternally relevant.

I’ve been thinking that it’s a good thing Sarah Palin grew up in a place where a person could be unceremoniously chased by a moose or growled at by a large bear while out for a neighborhood walk.  It’s made her tough.  She remains resolute in any situation, and her steel spine not only serves her well, it’s a good example for us. 

As I am routinely reminded, being a Sarah Palin supporter can be exhausting.  One minute, you’re having a conversation about sports or the weather; the next minute, you hear the not-so-innocent question, “So whadya think of Sarah Palin on Fox News now?” Heheheh…

We’re all familiar with that, are we not?  The smirk.  Perhaps an audible snort.

The speaker waits gleefully for you to make a snarky comment and offer a snort of your own as you echo the thoughts in his head:  Sarah Palin is SO extreme…of course she’s going to Fox News - they’re all nuts like her!…John Stewart was so hilarious when he made fun of her, calling her a “genius”!…I wonder if the free-range toothpaste is on sale at Whole Foods…hmmm…

It’s disheartening to witness, in friends and colleagues, the type of group-think that is perpetuated by the political disourse in our country.  The issues fall by the wayside as conversations turn to which politician is dumber and/or more sinister than the other.  And, for some in the media (and plenty of folks who don’t have that occupation) it’s apparently acceptable to pile on the insults to one God-fearing, joyful mother-of-five because, well, everyone else is doing it so why not?

The thing is, our collective treatment of Sarah Palin is not just about her.  Rather, it speaks to the moral relativism espoused by so many in our society - from political leaders to Hollywood starlets - and all of it is incredibly far removed from what typically passes as acceptable behavior in polite company.  Instead of exercising common decency in all instances, too many of us pick and choose who is worthy of respect, seemingly based on little more than the prevailing winds of public opinion.

To be frank, it’s kind of pathetic and I am hopeful for the day when our politics reflect the lessons (not the immaturity) of our childhood:

  • Use kind words.
  • Treat every person as you would like to be treated.
  • Tell the truth.
  • Do your homework, then go play.
  • Stop being a moronic media tool and act you’ve got some sense

I may have paraphrased that last one, but you get the idea.  As we move into the 2010 election season, we are certain to see a great deal of Governor Palin as she stumps for candidates, headlines fundraisers, and taps away on Facebook notes.  More Palin, of course, means more rude comments and truth-stretching from the media.  So, it will fall upon all of us pro-Palin bloggers to stay above the fray. 

The ill-mannered of the LSM and their trolling shills will try to draw you into their lair of muck and imbecility, to be sure.  But you, my friends, are your mothers’ well-behaved darlings who know better.  You may still hate tomatoes (yes, I’m projecting), but you’ve learned to control your childish impulses to name-call.

We, like Governor Palin herself, will kill “the haters” with kindness and a smile…or at least make them nauseous until we get our way in January 2013.

- tdc

BONUS:
*For a how-to of blogging with manners, read this to see how it’s done.  Then tune in to Join Team Sarah Radio Thursday, March 18th, at 6pm PST/9pm EST to hear the author, Ilana Angel, share her story live.

*Photo credit - msn.com.nz