the design conservative | tdc

on arizona: sarah palin responds

Over the past few days following the mass shooting in Arizona, many in the mainstream media have seen fit to declare open season on Governor Sarah Palin. 

Some blamed Palin and her “rhetoric” for the actions of the lone killer.  Others insisted that her statement of condolences in the hours after the shooting were insufficient and illustrated a lack of leadership on her part.

Well, today, Governor Palin once again proved to be a woman of grace and grounding.  She released a video with her thoughts on the violence in Arizona and the despicable (my word) statements of blame that have flooded the airwaves and newspapers in the days since.

Certainly, those in the media who are accustomed to political figures of old - the kind who don’t fight back against the clique of those who buy ink by the barrel full - were assuming the Sarah Palin would be similarly meek.  They were wrong.

Governor Palin has now weighed in - in her own words and in her own time.  And she did so with the unapologetic language that we have come to expect and, apparently, shocks many in the media:

Vigorous and spirited public debates during elections are among our most cherished traditions.  And after the election, we shake hands and get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in D.C. and elsewhere. If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.

Contrary to most of the drivel that has passed for journalistic thought in recent days, we need more of what Sarah Palin offers.  Not less.  Her unwavering strength in the face of incivility, and her willingness to stand up for her beliefs are, unfortunately, becoming less and less common among leadership in Washington and our local communities.

Open, spirited, honest debate are at the root of our democracy.  Any attempt to silence opposing views - through legislation or innuendo - strikes at the core of who we are as a nation.

- tdc