Just Doing My Part…

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Sometimes, Discretion Is The Better Part Of Valor

It’s really hard to express the enthusiasm a lot of us feel for Sarah Palin’s decision to resign her office as Governor. The saddest aspect of the choice that I see is the negative and hateful responses from some of the people on the Right who had formerly supported her. After the initial shock of the announcement wore off, disappointed people on the Right immediately jumped onto the leftists’ bandwagon and began to chant the “Quitter!” mantra right along with her detractors. This, in case they didn’t take the time to notice, is EXACTLY what the left had in mind when it started the chant. By falling for this line of feeling (because liberals don’t THINK, they “feel”), the former supporters are playing the leftists’ game to a “T.” Apparently, none of these people has ever had their family, including the most innocent members, attacked and calumniated by loudmouthed, evil-minded, and prominent “opinion-makers” on the left.

Pretty obviously, the folks on the Right who have joined the chorus haven’t examined the expense to the taxpayers of Alaska that are the consequence of the petty and hateful nuisance suits brought against the Governor for everything she does in public. It doesn’t cost the plaintiffs in these actions a penny to bring the suits, but it costs the State of Alaska taxpayer money every time it has to field lawyers and investigators to probe the veracity of the charges. Two million dollars so far isn’t chicken feed, and it has left the Palins more than half a million dollars in personal debt to defend themselves against these scurrilous charges. It leaves me wondering why the former “supporters” believe Governor Palin should stay in office when it is very doubtful that any of THEM would remain if the situation was happening to them.

A lot of people who joined this group of whiners haven’t examined the facts. All Governor Palin is doing is resigning a high-profile office that has become a costy millstone around the necks of ALASKANS and is costing the Palins more personal money than they can afford (Alaska’s Governor’s paycheck is less than $100,000 a year) and which exposes her family to malicious intent from the mainstream media and leftists in the alternative media.

She is not QUITTING. The word isn’t in her vocabulary. As a champion athlete, Sarah earned the nickname of “Sarahcuda” on the basketball courts for her smart, aggressive prosecution of every game in which she played. I don’t see any evidence that she has given up any of those traits. Remember, we are talking about a hockey mom who took on Alaska’s powerful Good ol’ Boy machine and drove them out of office to gain the position she now holds. But it has become a bitter victory for her in the face of the ridicule and slander that has accrued to her family in the period of her term in office. It’s easy to forget her accomplishment while in office if one is focusing on complaining about her, but the facts remain: She has been incredibly GOOD for all of us here in Alaska, and we are proud to be citizens of a State that can field a politician of such determined integrity.

Another thing that the compaliners appear to have forgotten is that while she is in office, she is unable to make the kind of legal defenses that are called for. Her office ties her hands and prevents her from doing what is necessary to prosecute the slanderers. People in public office don’t have the option to sue for defamation, slander, or libel because of their public positions. When Sarah steps down at the close of business on July 26, she will then be a private citizen and will be free to take the liars to court and force them to prove the allegations they have so glibly and irresponsibly brought against her and her family.

Sarah Palin is not quitting. I don’t believe she has ever quit anything in her life. I do believe that she is making a sacrifice in this case, because she is a natural-born politician, and it is in her blood. But I think that her priorities are straight. She understands that because of her, the taxpayers of Alaska are being asked to fund legal defenses against spurious charges that should never have been brought. Have you seen that kind of integrity in YOUR politicians? (And, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the hand of the Murkowskis in here somewhere, but that’s a speculation for another time.) She also understands that sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. She is not quitting, she is removing the encumbrances that have prevented her from defending herself and her family from the leftists’ attack machine. Sometimes, the defense and protection of one’s family and loved ones is more important than a title, or the power that goes with it. But her detractors don’t understand this, and will continue to peck away at her as long as she remains in office.

She is going to be a very interesting speaker in the near future. If she has any aspirations to Presidential office in the future, the time she spends going around the country and speaking is going to be time well spent. It will give her a lot of information she might never acquire otherwise. It is going to add to her experience as a public figure. It will keep her in the public eye, at the same time it frees her up to earn the kind of money she will need to defend her family against the gossips and backbiters.

Sarah Palin’s friends and supporters are excited for the prospects that are now possible in Sarah’s future. It sure is sad that the bellyachers and whiners who call her a quitter can’t see the possibilities that are now open before her. “It ain’t over till it’s over,” as Yogi Berra was known to announce, so keep supporting her, even if you aren’t sure what she has in mind, because she is a cool, strategic thinker, and politics is her natural element.

I think there are some people on the left and in the media who are going to find out how much fun it ISN’T to take on the Sarahcuda.

A Big Hand For The Little Lady

A Big Hand For The Little Lady was one of the best of the old westerns. Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward starred in this great little caper flick, which centers around a high-stakes poker game. Woodward is the shy frontier wife who must sit in on the game for her ailing husband, played by Fonda. Paul Ford, Jason Robards, and Kevin McCarthy co-star. The ending was such a surprise I laughed right out loud.

Sarah Palin deserves a big hand for her wonderful, sacrificial decision of July 3. We owe her a lot. For some unknown reason, the above movie came to mind as I was thinking about Sarah Palin’s announcement, and the utter frenzy it has created in the punditry. Last year, John McCain tapped her to sit in on the highest-stake poker game in the world. When the time came for her to bow out, she proved she had at least one more ace in her hand, and, although the game isn’t over yet, the pile of voter “chips” in front of Sarah grows by the day, much to the dismay of the other mossback players and the partisan kibitzers.

It’s interesting to observe the behavior of people who swear up and down that Sarah is a “cipher,” a “backwoods nobody,” a “hick,” “quitter,” “dumb,” “ignorant,” “inexperienced,” and “showoff.” So, if she is such an insignificant and unimportant little blip, why is there such a frantic hissy-fit going on around her resignation??

First they assassinate her character. Then they take after her kids, one after another. The only one they haven’t attacked is Piper, and I suspect she is next. Then they accuse her of being a quitter because she chose to leave office before she cost Alaskan taxpayers any more money paying for her legal bills; bills run up from trying to deal with trivial and false “ethics” charges, deliberately brought against her to force her out of office. I hope the leftist bloggers who thought they were doing such a fine stroke of business realize that as soon as she is a private citizen again, she’s likely to sue their ugly underpants off. Eww.

So. Put yourself in her place. Imagine that you are a good mom, a working mom, in a high-pressure career. You have a large, happy family with its own particular problems, but because you have a public-service job, you are a high-profile person. How would you feel if your oldest daughter was made a laughingstock and a byword for getting pregnant out of wedlock, and held up to international ridicule for the very same behavior that the gossipmongers encourage everywhere else?

How would you like it if your newborn son had Down Syndrome and quickly became the butt of elitists’ ridicule and mockery?

I wonder how you would feel if your fourteen-year-old daughter was the butt of rape “jokes” by a national figure who not only wouldn’t apologize, but added more jokes, then insinuated that he MEANT to “joke” aout your older daughter?

If any of these things make you feel uncomfortable, try to imagine the effect they have on Sarah Palin, who is just trying to do her job as well as possible, raise her family, and make a difference. Let’s see YOU run for office and remain true to your principles, stay honest, make a major difference in the world around you, and keep your family safe.

A big hand for the little lady, then. No, I think a standing ovation would be much more appropriate for THIS “Little Lady.”

The Pitbull Takes Wing

Sarah Does It

It’s interesting to see that there are a lot more people supporting Sarah Palin’s decision to resign as Governor than there are those who are upset by it. I found one solitary voice whining, “But they are calling her a QUITTER!” I asked him if he believed it, he said, “No,” so I told him to stop listening to CNNPMSNBCABC and think for himself.

One thing you can be sure of: Sarah Palin did not make this decision on the spur of the moment, and she is NOT finished. Her detractors had better mind their P’s and Q’s from now on, or they might find themselves as defendants in a libel or slander suit that couldn’t be brought while Sarah was in office. It’s interesting how something like this resignation has “set her free.” You know as well as I do that 99.9% of public figures and politicians would never have resigned. They would have clung to the office, to the title, to the perks, and to the fame desperately, as if it was their only identity.

But Sarah has a real identity elsewhere. As a believing Christian, her faith gives her strength and confidence. The title and position of Governor meant less to her than the opportunity for service did. When her service became a liability through the expensive and time-consuming nuisance suits against her, she had no problem with removing herself from the position. A “Servant’s Heart” is so rare in national politics that nobody knows what to think of her decision.

But there is a lot of thought, wisdom, leadership, and perception behind what she has chosen to do. When she realized she might have to leave office before her term expired, she gathered teams of like-minded people who would continue to lead by serving after she was gone. It would not surprise me a bit to find a copy of Sun Tzu’s Art of War on the bedstand beside her Bible. As I told the reporter who interviewed us at the Tea Party rally yesterday, “Sarah is a champion athlete. She is smart, aggressive, competitive, and perceptive. She is a strategic thinker, and she is unafraid of any opponent yet put before her.” The more I learn about her, the more impressed I am with the abilities and the leadership she exhibits in everything she does. One thing she is NOT, and that’s a “quitter.”

Alaska has been BLESSED and has prospered during her time in the Governor’s office, but I know that she is the kind of chess-playing General who can see several moves ahead. She sees the tactical advantage in her resignation and is setting out to make it happen. She has a strong message for the people of America, and even if she doesn’t run for President in 2012, she is going to energize and galvanize the people in this country like no leader before her has done since Ronald Reagan.

We owe Sarah Palin all the support we can provide, and we need to be praying for her and her family diligently, because there are forces out there that would rather see her removed completely than to see her strategy bear fruit.

Watch and pray.

A Perfect Day

We spent the entire afternoon out in the sun today. We attended the Wasilla Tea Party after the little ones made their own signs. The rally was exciting, the crowd was energized and excited. The only problem was the kids, of course, whose threshold for speeches and local talent is much lower than those of the parents. We took our McCain-Palin shirts and used marker to ink out the McCain name, then added “2012″ under Palin’s name, and added stick-on glitter stars. They were interesting enough that the reporter from Time Magazine came and interviewed us, as did another reporter, presumably from the local liberal rag, the ADN. They seemed surprised that we were enthusiastic about Gov. Palin’s resignation.

I guess, from the tone of their questions, they wanted us to whine about her staying home with her family. At the grocery store, a despondent young man sat in a pickup parked near the main entrance. In the manner of most of these kinds of meetings in Alaska, the conversation was struck up without introductions. He asked me what I thought, and I told him the same thing I’d told the reporter: Palin is a champion athlete. She is smart, aggressive, competitive and perceptive, and will use her gifts wisely. It isn’t as if I haven’t talked about these things on here before.

At home, there was the ritual grilling of the steaks, which was carried off without a hitch, and the day came to a perfect end with ice cream. I hope you all had a good day.

My Country ‘Tis Of Thee…

Need I Say More?

Just when you think the left can’t sink any lower, they prove that they are really WORKING on it, trying to reach ever new lows. I am linking this to a discussion thread on Free Republic, because I suspect the offensive post will be quickly removed. And, these are the people who accuse Conservatives of being the “hate” people. And, it’s not as if it was a recent phenomenon. Media Research Center collected these tidbits: Flashback… I’m still shaking my head.

Different. Entirely.

Many people find themselves in unfulfilling marriages, and usually, sex is at the bottom of it. A lot of the blame can be laid to the fact that although everybody knows how to do it, very few people know how to deal with it. Sex is one of those things that appears incredibly simple on the surface. Insert Tab A into Slot A. Wiggle. What’s to learn, right? And, dealing with the opposite sex’s mindset regarding everything surrounding sex is even more difficult. Signals. Thoughts. Opinions. Hangups. The world of sexual conversation is more confusing every day. Teens are taught “safe sex.” Did you know that “safe sex” in the school’s context usually refers only to the transmission of STD’s? But, how many teens think “safe sex” means they get to do it without getting caught in the act?

Life in a sexually unfulfilling marriage doesn’t need to be a dismal defeat for either party. Because the real reasons for loss of libido are legion, it’s probably better for the “offended” party to find another outlet for that energy, and I don’t mean a paramour. You can still enjoy the love and affection of your spouse, and find common interests elsewhere. You might wish to share service in a charity or church-related outreach. Graciously accept the situation for now, and refuse to lay blame until all facts are in. Yield to God in all things, and focus more on the needs of others than on your own. Intensify your prayer life, or start one if it has been non-existent up to now. Probably the best thing you can do is to find the humor in all situations. It won’t kill you to laugh about your situation, even if it’s only to yourself.

And, just in case you think nobody ever had it so bad, let me tell you that you are not alone. There are so many marriages in trouble for sexual reasons that they defy counting. Perhaps we need a whole new designation for such relationships, such as “altruistic celibacy.” Widowed people willingly forego a renewed sex life without detriment, because, as a rule, they have learned how to live with the empty times. Lack of sexual activity is not a fatal disease, and does not cause any medical conditions except perhaps frustration and self-pity.

Men are hardwired to want a lot of sex. It is for this reason that a celibate priesthood defies the ability of most people to comprehend it. It may be hard for them to believe, but it is possible, and, in a religious vein, imagine the kind of sacrifice and determination it requires to remain in this situation for life. Yet, many men do it, and remain masculine, sane, and competent.

Women are hardwired to want a lot of love. Affection for some women is more important than intercourse, and few women respond to sex completely if they are deprived of the social atmosphere that surrounds their instinctual needs. The two sexes could and are easily at cross-purposes because their deepest reasons are almost exactly opposite each other’s needs, but with patient gentleness, kind affection, and sensitive care, it is possible to achieve sexual happiness in marriage. Women’s sexual thoughts and needs are simply different from men’s, and the fact has to be recognized by both partners.

Being married to the person you love adds a deeper dynamic to the relationship. As a rule, the partners are in the marriage because they want to be: because they love their spouses and want to make them happy. Most times, this element is missing in smash-and-grab sexual encounters that seem to be the norm these days, leaving one or both participants disappointed, as if what they got was not what they ordered, and it’s too late to return it
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There are a lot of reasons why marriage is the best milieu for sex, and having the reassurance of commitment is one of the most important.

Frustrated couples in sexually unfulfilled marriages can have happy and satisfying lives without sex if they refuse the temptation to brood about their needs not being met. Changing the focus of one’s thinking in this regard may go far in helping the couples communicate better about what sex means to them.

The image below describes it perfectly. Whoever built this was almost certainly in an unfulfilling relationship. The metaphor is complete, and nothing more needs to be said:

Just Deserts

MINNESOTA!!! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??

From THIS:

To this:

I hope they are really proud of themselves and their crooked leftist politics. CROOKS. CRIMINALS. Well, by 2010, they won’t have W to kick around any more, and there is no sign than any of the butchery of enterprise and freedom will abate by then. They will truly OWN IT ALL. Inside every dark cloud is another dark cloud…

Sure makes a feller wonder WHAT on earth are those old farmers SMOKIN??

Old-Fashioned Mothering

I was thinking yesterday about how often I’ve seen mothers and children together (obviously not a strange thing) and there was nothing going on between the two but yelling. Mom yells at the kid. The kid is sullenly silent, or weeps. Sometimes you see moms touch their kids only to force them to comply with some command. It’s seldom any more we hear a real conversation between a mother and a child, as if there was a chasm neither of them could cross.

Old-fashioned mothering was definitely “hands on.” Mother took her sprout by the hand when they walked together. She put her hands on her child’s to guide them as they learned new things. Hugs for enthusiastic responses, and kisses for all wounds and injuries were frequent. It was common to see a mother with her hand on the head or around the shoulders of her children. Most moms were good at what they did, because they had learned the finer points from their moms, who’d learned them from THEIR moms.

Mothering is more than cooking and washing for children. And it’s been a long time since the child-labor laws went into effect, so children aren’t servants for their parents, either. But sometimes it’s hard to tell. Children with little or no attention or interaction at home become bullies and discipline problems at school. For a child, even negative attention is better than no attention at all, so kids learn to behave in ways that will get them noticed. In the good old days, even mothers who were not thrilled to find themselves in the role of mothers did good jobs; today, women who don’t wish to become mothers find people to kill their unborn babies. With this mindset, it’s not surprising that mothers have no feelings for their children, or the desire to show them any affection.

Grooming kids is an important part of mothering. Combing a child’s hair, wiping a runny nose or a tearful eye is the easiest part of the job. Changing diapers can be a little less enjoyable, but until the child is old enough to take preventive measures, poopy diapers are a fact of life for mothers. Blood, boogers, and barf are the usual seasonings for the mother-child relationship. And, anybody who has smelled a sweaty 9-year-old boy knows that some things stink more than we have the capacity to tolerate, and “bathing” should be very high in the short list.

Mothers who spend minimal time touching, grooming, or loving their children are cheating those children of a normal childhood. A television or video game or computer makes a nice toy. But nothing beats the conversations between mother and child for sheer enjoyment. If kids say the darndest things, lots of moms will never know it, because they don’t spend any time listening to their children. If the majority of verbal communication between parent and child is yelling, accusations, and threats, the kids are going to clam up around their parents. Ignoring a child’s opinions, belittling them and responding with threats is a good way to turn a child into a taciturn, secretive sneak.

“Hit ‘em and hug ‘em,” an experienced old grandmother was heard to comment. What was meant was this: You can spoil a child with permissiveness, but you can’t spoil them with LOVE, and permissiveness does not equal love. It equals laziness and lack of caring. Discipline of young children is so important that the child will take legitimate, commensurate discipline and punishment as signs of real love. When my children were small, we had a little bedtime ritual in which I would turn each child over my knee and with a couple of mild swats say, “Spank them every day, and you make them good!” Then a kiss followed and off to bed for them. At some point the “spankings” stopped, but my daughter came to me one day and asked, “Don’t you love me any more, mama?”

“Of course I do, sweetheart? What makes you think I don’t love you?”

“You never spank me any more,” was her reply.

Being willing to do the dirty jobs should be a requirement for motherhood. And the second one should be a listening ear and an attentive eye. “Mom! Watch this!!” is music to most mothers’ ears. That’s why most good moms have calluses on their knees. All the good moms I know of pray continually for their children, and it doesn’t stop when the child is grown or the mother is old. I’m glad I learned how to be a “hands-on” mom. It has come in very handy as a grandmother.