Over at Legal Insurrection, Prof. Jacobson has the scoop on Wonkette’s escalating a recent PhotoShopped image attack on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s one-year-old son who has Down syndrome, Trig Palin. Gov. Palin and her husband, Todd, knew during her pregnancy that Trig would be born with Down syndrome, but due to their pro-life beliefs, made the choice to embrace their fifth child and bring him to term. He was born in April 2008.
As a Democrat and liberal during the fall presidential campaign, with feminist and lesbian-feminist friends possessed of my e-mail address, I received a number of the poisonous and lie-filled viral e-mails attacking Gov. Palin, which I believe account for the drop in her approval ratings among women. I think the reason that feminists who sent these e-mails and now persist in their attacks are so unhinged in their hatred of Gov. Palin is that her love and acceptance of her Down syndrome child takes away one of the scariest and most persuasive arguments in favor of abortion they have — the Down syndrome baby.
I support the right of a woman to choose whether or not to bring her pregancy to term or have an abortion. I think the right to choose is what keeps women free from being taken over by religions and governments and turned into property that makes babies.
I also think the viciousness of the attacks on Gov. Palin and her son, Trig, are going to backfire on supporters of the right to choose. I think their attacks, and David Letterman’s, on Gov. Palin and her children are going to do for conservatives and Republicans what Pat Buchanan’s speech at the 1992 Republican Convention did for the disorganized factions among Democrats. It so enraged them that they stopped forming their firing squads in a circle because at last they realized they had a common enemy and had to cooperate to defeat him.
What I want is for the right to choose to be preserved, but the attacks on candidates’ children to stop. I think the best way to draw a line in the sand is for everyone outraged by attacks on candidates’ and politicians’ children is to get David Letterman fired for his attacks on Gov. Palin’s daughters.
Oh, and it’s worth noting, that the boogey-fetus in China and India is the perfectly healthy baby girl.
Hi Cynthia,
I was featured on RSMcCain as the Best blog of the day. Anyway I noticed that you mentioned that you couldn’t read darker blogs (background). It’s funny, I was considering changes and want to know what you think, as well as have you as a reader too. Check me out, I mentioned you in my recent post with my ‘changes.’ Thanks!
Left Coast Rebel,
Yes, I like the new theme much better. I have one more suggestion — set your comments so people can comment by just entering their name and URL. It’s much easier than having to login to Blogger or WordPress.
Also, dude — why is A Conservative Lesbian not in your “Heavy Hitters” blogroll? There is a reciprocal link waiting here when you add it.
And, if you comment here again, be sure to enter your blog’s URL correctly and my blog will fetch your last post’s title and link and put it below your comment.
Welcome and good luck in the blogosphere!
Cynthia
Cynthia,
I think you are right about the vicious, white-hot hatred in Democrat/liberal/feminist circles toward Sarah Palin being fueled by her decision not to abort her Down Syndrome baby.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating much to say that abortion has practically become a sacrament to the left and Democratic party. Gov. Palin and her daughter both choose not to abort inconvenient babies, and their courageous, honorable choices are a silent moral rebuke to the many women who have made or would make the opposite decision.
Mike,
Thanks for your comment.
I can’t say I admire the ethics of either side of the choice/abortion debate. Conservative lesbian radio host Tammy Bruce, who is a former liberal feminist who held positions of leadership in NOW, points out in her book The New American Revolution that the reason for the polarization is that it keeps the money flowing in, but the problem never gets solved. Well, I’m all about the problem getting solved.
Also, I want it to be career suicide to go after people’s children. Manipulating people by going after their children is how crime organizations operate. We’ve got to stop it. That is why David Letterman must be fired. He attacked the children of someone he disagrees with i order to bully their parent. That’s not comedy — it’s terrorism.
Cynthia
I would be a lot happier if the country would just recognise the concept of fighting words. As this perez Hilton creature just discovered, there are some things you cannot say. I’m pretty sure that Todd, or Sarah herself would be glad to teach Letterman that. I’m not sure Bristol has developed her left jab and right cross enough yet but I’ll bet she is working on it.
.-= Peter´s last blog ..Karson Has A Birthday Party =-.
It was the media frenzy over Sarah Palin that pushed me over the edge. After being a registered democrat all my voting life, I switched to an Independent. I have always considered myself a liberal but the dems really don’t represent those principles anymore.
And as a lesbian, I’ve become more than disenchanted with the gay and lesbain communities’ wholesale embrace of left-wing dogma and the suppression of open discussion that comes with it.
Although I may not share some of the viewpoints on this or other conservative sites, it is encouraging (and exciting) to see some lesbian free thinkers out here in cyberville who dare to buck the Stepford Dyke mentality.
Thanks, Cynthia.
The downs syndrome problem drives them crazy because they get all conflicted. As egalitarians they must accept the child and advocate for their full rights. But, on the other hand the child should have been aborted–so they hate the Mom for not doing so.
This creates an existential crisis–celebrating the life of the disabled child and all the rights he/she entitled to but hating the fact that he/she exists and condemn (or pity their lack of awareness) the person responsible for ignorantly making the decision, and if that mother has actual affirmative ideological reasons for the decision not to abort ( as does Sarah Palin) then there is nothing but utter contempt.
.-= Becky´s last blog ..Constitutional coup d’état in Honduras =-.
Becky,
What an absolute delight and honor for you to drop by and comment! I enjoy your blog, Just a Girl in Short Shorts Talking about Whatever, and recommend it to my readers! (Note to my readers: Becky is a lesbian libertarian lawyer and mother who always has something worthwhile to say, often with some, uh, frisky illustrations.)
I think you have done an excellent job of sorting out the liberal feminists’ conflicts over Trig.
My first big break with feminism came when they expanded their pro-choice mission to quadriplegics and end-of-life care. My late life partner was quadriplegic the last 10 years of her life. They placed no value on her life. I did. It is not very costly to provide quadriplegics with the equipment, care and wheelchair access they need to have rewarding and useful lives in the community (as opposed to a nursing home).
I do not know why conservatives are so willing to tolerate vicious attacks on Gov. Palin and her children, but they are up in arms to defend Carrie Prejean, who, by accident, may once in her life have told the truth about something, but I very much doubt it was the night of the Miss USA pageant. (Just between you and me, if you look at the interviews with the woman who says she was Prejean’s mother’s lover until the pageant, see if you have the same reactions I did: (1) Mom’s not a beginner in the lesbian world, and (2), the lover’s story sounds true.)
Cynthia
To me, it’s only reasonable that women have the right to an abortion, it’s a non-issue to me. I’m not alone in this. In most developed countries it’s a non-issue. But that’s one thing I love about the USA- its exceptionalism.
I want to move this argument out of the courts and into the legislatures, same as I want to do with gay marriage. I’m pro-choice, but I could live in a state where everybody had voted to ban abortion by referendum, if I had to. Same thing re gay marriage. But these arguments need to be taken to the people, and the people decide. This is also an opportunity to stop the warring between pro-life and the (rather silent, but present) pro-choice contingents of the Republicans.
If you’re pro-life, go make your arguments to the people. I’ll go make my arguments to the people, and we’ll let the people decide. Democracy.
I also think we need to step up a zero-tolerance policy of attacks on Palin. They hit her once, we hit them twice. They hit her children, we hit them and we don’t stop hitting. I would not be adverse to black community tactics like showing up with a bullhorn somewhere and being publicly angry. There’s a lot of things going on against Palin. One of them is misogyny.
.-= Rosita´s last blog ..You know what really grinds my gears (public library rage edition) [Sanford: Marry Maria and don’t resign!] =-.
The reason why I could live in a state where the people of the state had voted against right to an abortion or gay marriage is because there’s always hope you can change people’s minds if it’s going to be done democratically.
Well, I’m kind of glad abortion wasn’t legal back in 1946 when my mom got pregnant while her husband was in Japan on occupation duty. It caused a divorce and a few childhood problems but, on the whole I’m better off alive, even though I’m now old and bald.
I’m not against abortion, totally. I am wondering where all the magic things that were promised during the fight over Roe v Wade. I was told that it would almost end unwed mothers, child abuse, etc. No such luck so far. We won’t solve the abortion question until men and women stop using each other as sex objects.
Funny how a lot of things were better back a ways. I, a stranger, would not know Ms. Yockeys sexual orientation. If her lover were still alive I would have simply thought of two spinster friends sharing a home. When Ms. Yockey’s lover died and I saw her crying at the funeral I would have though the friend she loved was gone. I and my beloved have four children that lived. I’m sure everyone that really cares can figure out our orientations, even though we never started any of those kids in public. Heck we never even gave an Algore tongue down the throat kiss in public.
I dunno. I’m against abortion just for convenience, I don’t know exactly where I’d draw the line. I’m kind of glad I’m not king of the world but I’d kind of like the chance to smite the Lettermans and Sullivans. Maybe elect me King for a week?
I am not sure which ticks me off more. Attacks on children in the public persona (much less disabled), or the military. But, the left seems to have both of those covered masterfully. I find it revolting.
I’ll keep my rant as short as possible.
I just cannot fathom not appreciating the military men and women who have fought to give me what I am doing at this very moment. Speaking freely, in a free country.
And, abortion for an uneducated teen (who is to blame for a 15 year old not knowing where babies come from?), I can tolerate. Once. Not as contraception. But, when my pregnant niece was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she forewent treatment until the baby was viable. That *clump of cells* could have been aborted under partial-birth abortion laws. She is 3 now, and I will attend swimming lessons with her next week.
As respects challenged children, I can only add that my fondest memories were volunteering at Special Olympics. If you can’t see that they add value to our society, then you probably didn’t have a problem with the ovens during the Holocaust.
Thanks for your blog, Cynthia.