Although our party affiliations differ, I watched your acceptance speech tonight, Sarah. I thought I'd offer my reactions, since you say you will be coming here to Washington, where I live, to work on my behalf.
I'm a mom. I'm not a hockey mom, I'm a drama mom and a taekwondo mom - not as cute as you and your fellow pit bulls, lipstick notwithstanding. My children don't have special needs, so I guess you're a better mom than me, too. But Cindy McCain would like me - I'm an adoptive mom, just like her. My children are Korean, though - you know, g**ks. It's not my choice of nicknames, it's John's. Actually, now that I think about it, John probably wouldn't like us after all.
I'm a Democrat. I live in the suburbs. By your definition, I look down on folks in small towns - all of us big city Dems do. But many of us city folks came from somewhere else, and if you trace it back, a whole lot of us started in very small towns. I guess that means we look down on ourselves. My family's small town is Calumet, Michigan - population 879 in the 2000 census. Is that small enough for you? Or do you cross us off your list because we had to move south to Cleveland when the copper mines in Calumet gave out? I apologize that we had food on our list of essentials.
I'm a patriot. I love my country and believe the democratic system of government offers the world the best hope of survival. But I think it will take more than military might to do that - it will take diplomacy and humility and the willingness to acknowledge our own faults. Like racism. Or 40,000,000 Americans without health care. I'm interested in hearing your plans for addressing these, I didn't catch them tonight.
You spoke a lot about John McCain's military service today. Since you claimed his patriotism by association, I'm sure you'll approve of me doing the same. My father served this country with honor during World War II. His unit was the most traveled of the war: they fought as far east as Pilsen and went as far west as Japan with the occupation forces. He was with troops that liberated the concentration camp Flossenberg. He watched his best friend give his life for his fellow soldiers in battle, for which his friend received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his bravery in that action, and Dad received the Bronze Star. We were very proud of him, although he never spoke about it, never used it to further himself or his career.
My Mom and Dad taught my brothers and me to be honest, to work hard, and to love our family and friends. They taught us to be grateful for the opportunities we've had, and to appreciate our freedom. Family values, don't you agree? But how is this possible from big city Democrats?
You talked loud tonight, Sarah, but you got it all wrong. So I've got a little news flash for you: I'm taking my country back.
About Third Mom
Mom of two amazing Korean teens, wife of 30+ years. This is where I think out loud about Korean adoption, which has profoundly changed the lives of my children, their families, and my life, too. All points of view are welcome.
About me Profile
Contact
Posts at my other blog KomapseumnidaMy Point of View
More Points of View
Subscribe
Posts
Comments
Naksansa
Followers
Why Third Mom
"Let me tell you about all of my mommies!" said my five-year-old son one day as we sat in our kitchen. He began counting: "There's my first mother in Korea, then Mrs. Cho (his foster mother), and then you - you're my third mom!"
Featured
Categories
Adoptee Rights
Adoptees
Adoption
Adoption Ethics
Adoptive Parenting
Agencies
Books
Culture
Events
Faith
Family
Fathers
Friends
Guilt
Health
Huh?
Humility
Infertility
J-day
Justice
Kids
Korea
Korean Culture
Korean Adoption
Loss
Love
Media
Mothers
Politics
Race
Reunion
School
Search
Statistics
Stuff
Truth
Transracial2996 ProjectPosts Graphic
Archive Graphic
Miscellaneous
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
16 points of view:
I like a strong repsonse! Good work!
Good for you, Margie! I didn't even watch her speech. I didn't want to give her the time or attention. Her views present her as the worst kind of politician: narrow-minded, intolerant, judgmental and self-righteous. She sickens me.
Way to go, Margie!! Your post gave me chills!
Brava, Margie!!!
Good response, I agree there is more to this country than just the republicans. We are Americans and the republicans don't seem to get it. Being a republican doesn't automatically make you one of the chosen few.
Yay Margie!!!
I truly disliked her sarcastic tone. The speech she gave really turned me off, while Rudy Giuliani looked like he was sneering and sitting there feeling superior. Smug and sassy falls way short of what you say you are missy Palin. And you're right, you ARE distancing yourself from Bush...you're WAY MORE to the right. Just what we don't need. Oh! But wait...who was it who wrote your speech? Ah....Bush's speech writer...
Take your lipstick and and come back when you're ready for more than tough words with sharp delivery.
Tina
I hope you don't think that Republicans have the corner on racism...I'm a Korean adoptee and I've had more than my share of racist comments and issues from very liberal people.
Hi, Anon, I definitely don't think that. The white mainstream has a long way to go, no matter how we vote. I may be wrong, but I do believe the Democratic party is more willing acknowledge the problem and put it on the table for discussion.
::::standing ovation and applause:::::
thank you!
We live in a strange country.
I think John McCain is not fit to be president and his record as a maverick should be be with a small 'm'.
Did you know he was a legacy boy, that he got into the Navy Academy because of his father.
He graduated at near the bottom of his class and he had and has a reputation for being a hot head. A man with an awful temper.
Palan is a zealot, she is dangerous and it's disgusting how she uses feminism to forward her conservative right wing agenda.
I listened last night and I can see that the Republican party is the party of hate, fear and indifference.
I'm not very happy with the Democrats as I think they have dropped the ball to much.
Witness the last two years. Nancy Pelosi has been a big disappointment.
Anyway give her hell!
YES! Thanks for putting this into your eloquent as usual words, Margie. My sentiments exactly.
listening to her speech, there were so many things that rubbed me the wrong way. thanks for articulating it so well.
John McCain graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval Acadmey? How do you know? What were Obama's grades like in college? Oh, you don't know because he won't make them public? Hmm, I wonder why?
I bet Americans of European ancestry who don't have "white guilt" really drive you nuts, heh? I can only imagine the rage that people of color who are conservatives incite in you. What do you think about the racism of Jeremiah Wright and Louis FaraCon?
The Republican Party is the party of hate, fear, and indifference? Is that why the most powerful woman in the world is a black woman who is a Republican? Is that why conservatives give more to charity than so-called "liberals" Jeff? I've read one of Obama's books, and I sense a lot of "hate, fear", and kleptocracy by his words and associations.
Go Sarah! You are a great role model for American women and girls.
Kafir, apart from the fact that you chosen ID is appalling in its overtly anti-Muslim tone ("kafir" meaning "infidel" or "unbeliever"), it's pretty clear from your Blogger profile that you are a troll - let's see, a grand total of 4 views at the time I checked about half an hour ago (of which at least two of which were mine, LOL). You're certainly not a regular reader of this ADOPTION blog, either.
But let’s take your points in turn:
“John McCain graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval Acadmey? How do you know? What were Obama's grades like in college? Oh, you don't know because he won't make them public? Hmm, I wonder why?”
The grades, to the extent they have been disclosed by the candidates, are easily found online: McCain graduated 5th from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy; I do not believe he attended graduate school. Obama has not disclosed his grades from Columbia, and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law. You will, of course, draw inferences from Barack Obama’s non-disclosure of his Columbia grades, but you would have to agree that they had to be good enough to get him into Harvard Law, from which he graduated magna cum laude.
“I bet Americans of European ancestry who don't have "white guilt" really drive you nuts, heh? I can only imagine the rage that people of color who are conservatives incite in you.”
Re “white guilt:” Check this post and my blog carefully; you’ll find no references to “white guilt.” When you attempt to retort to someone’s point of view, you might want to stick to the things they’ve said. I don’t buy the notion of “white guilt” or any other kind of collective “guilt.” I do believe in the concept of “white privilege,” and the responsibility of those who enjoy it to ensure that those who have been denied the same privileges are given the opportunity to achieve them. Peggy McIntosh describes white privilege clearly in her 1988 paper, which is here: http://mmcisaac.faculty.asu.edu/emc598ge/Unpacking.html.
As for being “driven nuts” by conservative people of color – er, no, and again I don’t think you will find anything in this post or anywhere in this blog to suggest that they would “drive me nuts.” I frank don’t CARE what anyone’s politics are – but I do care about the way they affect my country.
“What do you think about the racism of Jeremiah Wright and Louis FaraCon?”
I am not sure how you see Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farakhan fitting into this post, but for the record I do not see Jeremiah Wright as a racist, just a loudmouth; I do see Farakhan as a racist and oppose him on pretty much every front. That said, what’s your point?
“The Republican Party is the party of hate, fear, and indifference?” I absolutely stand by my statement that the Republican party is the part of hate, fear and indifference. This party, in the hands of George Bush, has trampled on human and civil rights for eight solid years, here and abroad. McCain and Palin have shown that they will go the extra mile and make overt racism OK again. When these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxzmaXAg9E are the people supporting these candidates, I can draw no other conclusion, particularly in light of the fact that McCain and Palin play directly to them.
“Is that why the most powerful woman in the world is a black woman who is a Republican?” What does the existence of a powerful Black Republican woman have to do with here party being one of hate, fear and indifference? Condoleeza Rice is frankly saying NOTHING about McPalin that tells me she thinks any differently than the two of them, not to mention that she’s been backing Bush’s foreign policy wholeheartedly these eight years. I would also remind you that one of the most powerful Black Republicans just put his support behind Barack Obama. I’d also suggest you take a look at the NPR articles that speak to the lack of diversity at the RNC, which says a whole lot more about your party’s diversity than the presence of Condie Rice in the cabinet – here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94271295 and here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94290398.
“Is that why conservatives give more to charity than so-called "liberals" Jeff?” First, the “Generosity Index” Republicans often use to make this point has a few flaws – another point of view can be found here http://blueworksbetter.com/CharitableGiving. You’ll see that when the “Geography and Generosity” index is used, the picture looks a little different. Apart from that, I would ask: Did conservatives give enough to provide healthcare for every American? Or dependable sources of food for poor families? Or childcare for every single mother who needs it? At the end of the day, charity doesn’t solve problems of poverty, and in the educated opinions of many, may only delay the social justice that will do so.
“I've read one of Obama's books, and I sense a lot of "hate, fear", and kleptocracy by his words and associations.” Since there’s no way for me to confirm that you would have read anything written by Barack Obama, and from your comments I sincerely doubt it, let’s just say that you and I have interpreted him very differently.
“Go Sarah! You are a great role model for American women and girls.”
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion. As the mother of a truly bright young woman, I can say that the last person on the planet I would like my daughter to emulate is Sarah Palin.
Post a Comment