Palin Chairs the Strong Woman's Club
When it comes to politics, I'm not about attacking someone because they are on a Republican ticket or a Democratic ticket. Let’s look at the person, their ideas and what they might represent for us humans. After seeing Sarah Palin's acceptance speech, I came away with several thoughts, one of them that it looks like Palin-speak is going to mean plain-speaking.
Plain speaking is a good thing.
What am I leading up to?
Sarah Palin is being compared to me. I've got four of the quotes right here:
Like this quote:
"Palin is a cross between two archetypes, frontier woman Annie Oakley and muckraker Erin Brockovich. A reformer in a state of cunning politicians, she made her name quitting the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission in outrage over backroom deals and parlayed that into running against a hugely unpopular governor, Frank Murkowski."
Read the complete Bloomberg News article...
and this:
SARAH PALIN IS THE ERIN BROCKOVICH OF ALASKA
Read the complete The Astute Bloggers post...
and this:
Awesome: one part Reagan, one part Erin Brockovich, one part Annie Oakley, one part hockey mom. One part mother of a child with special needs-and soon to be a grandma.
Read the complete The Astute Bloggers post...
Of course, not all of the comparisons are so flattering. This last one one equates Sarah with me (in a negative way) and all the Democrats as Stepford Wives.
Read the complete Abbey-Roads post...
Okay, I know she sniped at Obama a little bit, but she did it with an admirable, graceful semi-scary pit-bull/hockey-mom tenacity that is as natural as breathing; and she stood up to all the media pressure without a semi-casual hair out of place. It doesn't matter whether you are Republican or Democrat, or Independent... (which is about the way I am ready to turn because both parties are acting foolish and judgmental and attacking.) Some of the comments about Sarah Palin have been unfair and I don’t say that because blogs say she is “Sarah Brockovich” or "half Ronald Reagan half Erin Brockovich” or “The Erin Brockovich of Alaska.”
More importantly, beaming with pride, she unapologetically brought out her entire family, including her expecting teenage daughter. (And in the history of the presidency, Republican OR Democrat, I don't think there's been a candidate who had the gonads to do that. ) She was so proud of them it was coming off of her in waves--and rightly so. Frankly, I didn't see a waiver or a weak spine in the whole crew. That's an impressive show of family solidarity. I feel certain the best candidates for office never ran because they kept their secrets in their closets. Sarah Palin seems like her closets are all opened up, and she's right out there saying "Here I am. Let's get to work."
How can you not admire what she has done, and appreciate the position she is in? Sure, she may be loud. So am I. Sometimes you've got to scream to get anyone to hear you. So what if her 17 year old is pregnant? Even though I'm proud she didn't stick her in a closet to hide her away, I realize that girl has got to have true grit to be standing out in front of the spiteful media like that. It’s no one’s business. It happens to young girls all over the WORLD. In history, girls use to have babies much earlier.
None of us should judge Sarah Palin for anything but her own actions. We do our best to raise our kids and when they grow up they develop their OWN minds and their own life and their own way of thinking and I am certainly in favor of that.
Sarah Palin is running a State--and mighty well I should add. She has a successful marriage, 5 kids, which HELLO, is a BIG, BIG, JOB! She takes care of herself, she speaks her mind and her heart. Her son is in the War. I would be scared to death if my son were over there.
I think it is a simple thing really. The fact is that Sarah Palin positively emanates strength. Whether or not we stand on the same side of the fence, she gives off the aura of being a strong woman who doesn't back down, and she does it sporting heels and wearing her family like a badge of well-deserved honor. I am sure there are a million other women out there who are doing the same thing.
And the truth is I am proud to be a member of the same Strong Woman's Club that Sarah Palin is in.
Currently, I am the President of the consulting firm, Brockovich Research & Consulting, where I am involved in numerous major environmental cases 
Comments
Right on Sista! Sarah and Erin make me feel "normal" and legitamizes strong, outspoken women who are not "closet lesbians"! I say sign me up for the club too. Maybe it should be called the Barracuda Club! Shame on Heart for not letting the GOP use their song, Barracuda! Thank God my husband is turned on by barracudas...
Posted by: Robyn Burgess | September 9, 2008 8:55 AM
I was studying for a Chemistry class and had to look up Chromium-VI, and I stumbled across your site. Got a bit off track reading your blog, but I am so glad I did. I totally agree about Sarah Palin and the Strong Woman's Club. What is it about a woman's strength that makes some people lash out, speak mean, and try to defame her? I think part of it may be envy, that it was something they wish they had more of, or perhaps downright fear of not being able to "control" her and keep her "in her place," forgetting that we no longer are in the dark ages and are not dependent on man for our "survival" anymore.
I'm tired of seeing good women just "surviving." I want to see more of us THRIVING!!!! Thank God that there are those Strong Women that are rising to the top and are going after LIFE with GUSTO. We need more role models for our young women to admire and inspire hope and dreams for them. We need less of some pop"tart" played out on the evening news. I want my children, male and female, to see that Strong Women are to be savored and sipped like a fine wine and not gulped down like kool-aid.
I must admit I was on the fence before Sarah Palin came on the scene. I was not really enamored of either front runner and was contemplating casting my vote for a 3rd party candidate. Not anymore. Living here in the heartland, not more than an hour from your old stomping grounds, I had only heard of Sarah Palin once before the announcement of her being picked. I was impressed by her then and am growing more so, the more I find out about her.
Thank you Erin for this post. I had admired what I knew about you from the movie story and your time on Final Justice. Now I have learned about your book, I'm going to have to give it a read.
Posted by: ThirstyBoots | September 11, 2008 2:41 PM
Come on Erin, she does it by lying. She works for the very people you are fighting. You are a truth teller, so am I. She is a fundie nut with all the wrong answers who hate people like you. There are women and then there are women. You make your own decisions. She doesn't.
Posted by: Amanda | September 14, 2008 11:42 AM
It's just a shame she isnt running for president. I wont vote for McCain but I would vote for her. Keep being yourself and dressing as you want. I am a probation officer and I find it limiting when people are judged by their cover. If I judged all people by their cover I wouldnt be able to help anyone. Praise to you girl! You are real and real is what people can comprehend. God bless your family.
Posted by: Mrs. B | September 14, 2008 11:46 AM
Here's our straight-talker on the environment:
Palin recently told the New Yorker magazine that Alaskans "have such a love, a respect for our environment, for our lands, for our wildlife, for our clean water and our clean air ...
And, yet, the lake Sarah Palin lives on is dead.
By promoting runaway development in her hometown, say locals, Palin has "fouled her own nest" -- and that goes for the lake where she lives.
"Lake Lucille is basically a dead lake -- it can't support a fish population," said Michelle Church, a Mat-Su Valley borough assembly member and environmentalist. "It's a runway for floatplanes."
See the Salon article:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/19/palin/
Posted by: Kirsty | September 19, 2008 6:30 AM
Actually here is a strong woman, The author is former US Army Brigadier General (retired) Janis L. Karpinski.
"Palin, however, is a dangerous choice and her style goes against the grain of feminists and women everywhere. We spent years seeking equality, and ask only for a level playing field where we can find credit for our accomplishments and capabilities and the opportunities to compete fairly. Sarah Palin can launch us back in time and remove years of progress, albeit slow and incomplete. She encourages men and women to be drawn first to the sexuality and beauty of a woman before making a decision about her credibility, intelligence and leadership. There is abundant truth in the age-old saying "beauty is only skin deep." We need and deserve a vice-presidential candidate who offers far more than "skin deep" - her absolute lack of substance on the issues; her lack of experience, particularly in the international and foreign affairs environment; her lack of a sound economic policy to regain control of our national treasure; and her insistence on propelling herself as tough and capable because she can murder wildlife when there is virtually no chance of missing, are the issues of substance. The fact she refuses to discuss any of the issues is troubling. Voters need to take a deep breath and return to reality in the aftermath of the hype created by Sarah Palin herself. Pay attention - she does not have international experience or foreign affairs capabilities simply because she can see Russia from her backyard in Alaska."
http://www.truthout.org/article/palin-can-launch-us-back-time
Posted by: Kirsty | September 21, 2008 4:48 AM
Dear readers,
Most people vote their pocket books regardless of what
they may say! The late Tele Savalas who played Kojack
on TV said, "Who loves ya baby" which I think means
"Who pays your bills?".
The late comedian, Jack Benny, famous joke went,
Jack gets mugged...the mugger says,"your money OR
your life...well"...then Jack says, "I'm thinking...I'm
thinking!"...brump bump!
Today...it's "your money AND your life" Jack would
spin in is grave!
I don't like it when "other people" say to kill
and die for greed! I don't feel safe at all with
their foot on my neck!
Posted by: Dennis F. Nester | September 23, 2008 2:12 PM
I want to thank you for your perspective on Sarah Palin. I too have become discouraged by the two party system. Anyway i believe Sarah Palin is just what we need, that's why the liberal side of the media has tried to distort her record, and life. But she's built Alaska tough, and she has done well. Thank you for your work. Take care, Mark
Posted by: Mark E Espin | September 26, 2008 4:33 PM
LOVE this!! You are 100% Right. It will not be easy for her...but it was not easy for you either. She's a tough gal and I have every confidence she will show them all!
Posted by: Carol A | September 28, 2008 8:28 AM