09/08/2008
Sarah Palin Was My Mayor: a Guest Opinion Piece
Ryan Quinn is a writer whose work has appeared in Outsports.com, XC Skier Magazine, and The Anchorage Daily News. He is a former college athlete and NCAA Division I National Champion, and came out to his teammates at the University of Utah during his sophomore year of college. He is often called upon to speak on panels discussing identity and social barriers in sports and culture. He was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives in New York City.
To my fellow Americans:
I’m an Alaskan. I grew up in Wasilla. Sarah Palin was my mayor. She wanted to ban books at the library where my parents taught me how to read. There have been many interesting pieces of journalism introducing my gun toting, mooseburger-eating former neighbors (I now live in Manhattan) to the rest of the country, and most have focused on how proud Alaskans are of their governor making the surprise leap to the big leagues.
Sarah Palin’s story is compelling, but it is one that could happen only in Alaska, where the politics and the economy are simple and where it’s not difficult to spend a lifetime sheltered from the complexities and diversity of the outside world. I love my home state; I wouldn’t trade my childhood there with anyone. And I hope the Palin intrigue will translate into a boost in tourism that will further enrich the state’s $5 billion budget surplus, so that when Gov. Palin returns to Juneau in November she can continue to serve Alaska’s interests with relative ease.
But as reporters roam the streets where I grew up, chatting with my ecstatic neighbors, I feel compelled to offer another view, as an American, by pointing out that John McCain has demonstrated an alarming lapse of judgment by choosing Sarah Palin as his party’s VP candidate. Choosing a running mate was his first and only concrete test of judgment in the campaign process. Here’s why he failed.
Continued, AFTER THE JUMP...
My fellow Alaskans have vouched for Palin as a charming, interesting person. I can add to that that she is perfectly friendly. But now she is running for the highest office and so it must be noted that Sarah Palin the Friendly Neighbor is different from Sarah Palin the Executive. The latter is a woman with intense agendas guided by a narrow set of culturally conservative and extreme religious values. She believes that abstinence should be the only form of sex education taught to teenagers; she believes that creationism should be taught alongside science in our schools; she is against a woman’s right to choose even in the cases of incest and rape; and her church believes gay and lesbian Americans can and, one assumes, should be corrected by prayer (“pray away the gay” is their cheery slogan).
When she was mayor of my hometown, these extreme views came off as petty and irrelevant to people like me who did not share them. There seemed little cause for alarm. Most Alaskans are happy to live and let live; we don’t think of ourselves as Republican or Democrat. Besides, as mayor, it’s not like she had the power to wiretap our phones, amend our constitution, or send us to war.
But she did try to use her power to ban books. Wasilla’s popular public librarian rightly objected, and the community rightly backed the librarian. The books were never banned, though Mrs. Palin did fire the librarian for not agreeing with her political views, then rescinded the firing after it was clear she’d made an unpopular decision. Sarah Palin’s behavior is revealing: in a state as isolated as Alaska, in a town as small as Wasilla, books are vital to the culture and to the education of its residents. The small town values I learned growing up included attending story hour at the public library. Those values most certainly did not include trying to ban books that the mayor’s church friends didn’t think other people should read.
It will be interesting to see what effect Gov. Palin’s penchant for reform will have on the McCain campaign. Will she put one of Cindy McCain’s private jets on eBay? Maybe one of the McCain’s seven houses? It certainly hasn’t meant she’ll answer any questions from voters or the press. Her very first media interview won’t come until later this week. The reason is clear: she’s not ready to answer questions about the housing crisis, foreign policy or healthcare. So far she’s been allowed into public view only to deliver a speech similar to the one she gave at her party’s convention, the one in which, with the sass and smile of a punch line, she ridiculed community organizers who step up to help less fortunate communities whose government has allowed them to fall through the cracks. Her speech made for good television, something the McCain camp felt they desperately needed. And it sure fired up the folks at the Republican National Convention. Who can blame them? They finally have a candidate who can shoot a gun, drink a beer AND speak in complete English sentences. This is real change for them.
In recent days, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin have directed accusations of elitism at the Democratic ticket as well as at the media, suggesting that there is something undesirable about a presidential candidate with extensive knowledge of foreign policy, inner city community struggles, constitutional law, and the complexities of the major domestic crises. This is baffling. Don’t we want an elite leader? Don’t we want a White House made transparent by an elite press? We are a large and complex nation with large and complex problems. Common sense suggests, and the last eight years have shown, that perhaps the president should be something of an elite leader.
Barack Obama studied international relations at Columbia (he also has a law degree and has taught constitutional law) before returning to Chicago to be a community organizer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Palin ran for Miss Alaska (she placed second) and then received a Bachelor’s degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho. She returned to Alaska and became a reporter at a television station’s sports desk.
For just 22 months Sarah Palin has been the governor of a state of just 680,000 people that is “awash” in money (as former Alaska governor Tony Knowles put it) and receives more pork-barrel money per capita than any other state. Alaska has no tricky border or immigration issues with the remote parts of British Columbia and the coast of Siberia. There are no inner cities struggling with poverty and daily violence. There is a lot of drunk driving (Alaska is dark and cold much of the year), though the state police force is well funded and the road system they patrol is startlingly simple; I can’t think of a stretch of highway lasting 15 miles that has more than 4 lanes.
To use a metaphor from track (a sport the Palins are fond of), putting Gov. Palin on a presidential ticket is like Coach McCain sending a promising high school long-jumper to compete for Team USA in the Olympic decathlon. It’s a really bad coaching decision. And by all accounts McCain’s vetting process was hasty and impulsive.
John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin shows that he is moving farther and farther to the right of mainstream America. If he’s doing it for political reasons, he’s no maverick. If he’s doing this for reasons of principle, he is merely out of touch with most Americans. Ninety percent of the delegates to the Republican National Convention were white. That might resemble the America that the Republican party sees, and it certainly resembles the demographics that shaped Gov. Palin over the many years she’s lived in Alaska. But it’s not the America most Americans live in. Not only is Sarah Palin’s executive experience inadequate, her worldview is not possibly diverse or nuanced enough to appreciate either the domestic challenges or international complexities that a VP must grasp at the most basic level. A McCain/Palin administration would be risky at best, and potentially disastrous.
I’m sick of Republicans suggesting I’m unpatriotic while they ruin my reputation around the world. I’m sick of people casting votes of fear because of threats that are mischaracterized and exploited by their own political leaders. I’m sick of distorted television commercials being my country’s primary method of public discourse. And I’m sick of being told that straight, white, Evangelical family values are better for my country than my family’s values. Anyone who has paid lip service to the idea that America’s strength relies upon its diversity, be warned: it’s actually true, and it will be even truer in the future. I think my generation will be known as the diversity generation. We get America. We are ready to be leaders for the world community. We are motivated. We think. We are patriotic.
And if we vote, we cannot be outnumbered.
— Ryan Quinn
***
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 12:58 PM EST by Andy in Alaska, Election 2008, John McCain, News, Sarah Palin | Permalink
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Beautifully written and well said.
Posted by: Rad | Sep 8, 2008 1:09:23 PM
Disappointing...most of the letter is just him touching on all the same points/issues that are already out there.
Could have been stronger with more first-person accounts or opinions as he started to do in the last paragraph.
Posted by: ATLsteve | Sep 8, 2008 1:09:28 PM
Very well said!!
Posted by: Brad | Sep 8, 2008 1:10:47 PM
From the August, 2006 Republican debate in the Alaska governor's race:
Q: In a recent survey you said that you would support abstinence-until-marriage education but that you would not support explicit sex-ed programs. What are explicit sex-ed programs, and does that include talking about condoms in school?
A: No, I don't think that it includes something that is relatively benign. Explicit means explicit. No, I am pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I'm not anti-contraception. But yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don't have a problem with that. That doesn't scare me, so it's something that I would support also.
Posted by: asdf | Sep 8, 2008 1:16:21 PM
Thanks, Ryan:
People need to know what this woman has done in the past (and in some important areas--how little she's done), and what her beliefs are. She is a religious facist. So, was Bush. That's why the US is fighting crusade against Islam right now. And that aint smart.
Onward Christian soldiers.....
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Sep 8, 2008 1:17:19 PM
"Disappointing...most of the letter is just him touching on all the same points/issues that are already out there."
And ALL of which have already been debunked.
Posted by: Robert | Sep 8, 2008 1:20:44 PM
Attacking Palin won't get you the White House and will backfire. Of the two, Obama is actually more politically extreme than Palin. But that's hard to see if your not standing in the center.
Your best bet is to make sure there's a strong third party vote and to use Obama's community organizing skills honed in Chicago to flood the electorate with votes from illegal aliens.
Posted by: Bob | Sep 8, 2008 1:26:14 PM
Cheney's power within the current administration stems largely from his contacts in the defense and oil industries, who bless his name every night. Sarah P. is a bit of a loner and will probably not have much to do in a McCain admin. She's the trophy running mate to match the trophy wife.
Posted by: anon | Sep 8, 2008 1:30:45 PM
Exactly what's been debunked, Robert? She's still under investigation for abusing her power. She's still is a vindictive power-hungry tyrant who will fire civil service people based on political affiliation, not competence (sound familiar?). She's still a member of a radical christian church.
And McCain's still an opportunistic old man who apparently can't be bothered to spend more then a day or two vetting his VP candidate.
Insane. Just insane.
Posted by: Dan | Sep 8, 2008 1:40:57 PM
Robert, Bob - you are the same person, correct?
Right, debunked...all those points/issues that have been backed by numerous media and 1st person sources. Oh, and that slam on Obama about illegal alien votes? SUPER classy. Thanks for upping the quality of political discource in our country. No, seriously, I really appreciate it. You're a really great, clever person, and deserve a medal for your tactfulness.
Posted by: scientitian | Sep 8, 2008 1:45:50 PM
Seems like this post has been overrun by republican trolls. Bold considering Palin doesn't even believe that gays should have the option to even adopt children and raise families.
Posted by: sugarrhill | Sep 8, 2008 1:46:03 PM
Thank you, thank you, thank you for a well written cogent opinion from someone who has experienced her [Palin] Ground Zero so to speak. Now if only we could be assured that some of the automatons who blindly follow would open their eyes and hearts and read some pieces like this!
Posted by: Topher | Sep 8, 2008 1:46:32 PM
This whole thing is pathetic...some better tell the Democrats to get a better game...is anything in this "letter" a surprise? IS there anything here that has not been reported already by every news network and blog site?
In Massachusetts where you can get married there are still people trying every year to ban Heather has Two Mommies...
The only reason we've even heard about Cheney the eight years is because of his business connections and his dyke daughter. How much did Quayle do? Really how much did Gore do while in office...beside invent the internet.
Only a handful of times has the VP actually ascended to the White House and the majority did because someone got a lucky shot.
Congratulations to the Democrats because continuing down this road is most assuredly going to cost you a lot.
BTW Andy, when do I get to write Harry Reid is my Senator..He's the Senate Majority leader but after the next election he'll just be "Pinky from Searchlight Nevada" again?
Posted by: Las Vegas | Sep 8, 2008 1:46:49 PM
Thank you, thank you, thank you for a well written cogent opinion from someone who has experienced her [Palin] Ground Zero so to speak. Now if only we could be assured that some of the automatons who blindly follow would open their eyes and hearts and read some pieces like this!
Posted by: Topher | Sep 8, 2008 1:47:00 PM
Thank you, thank you, thank you for a well written cogent opinion from someone who has experienced her [Palin] Ground Zero so to speak. Now if only we could be assured that some of the automatons who blindly follow would open their eyes and hearts and read some pieces like this!
Posted by: Topher | Sep 8, 2008 1:47:09 PM
Thank you, thank you, thank you for a well written cogent opinion from someone who has experienced her [Palin] Ground Zero so to speak. Now if only we could be assured that some of the automatons who blindly follow would open their eyes and hearts and read some pieces like this!
Posted by: Topher | Sep 8, 2008 1:47:21 PM
I have always been against the death penalty. But I might be willing to make an exception for people that ban books.
Book (or any information) banning is nothing more than end-run propaganda. If they can't distribute 100% of their own misguided falsities, then they try to win out by limiting the information that contradicts their own BELIEFS. Who needs facts when you have neoconservatism?
Posted by: PatrickPatrick | Sep 8, 2008 1:53:04 PM
Banning books, intolerence of gays, and extreme views? She can put on a different party dress all she wants, but this Republican Party Prom Queen is not much different than Adolf's wet dream from 1938.
It wasn't very hard to see between the lines in her acceptence speech. I half expected to see her give a "Seig Heil" salute at the end.
Wake up America, or what Bush started will look like Mary Poppins.
Posted by: Roman | Sep 8, 2008 1:54:48 PM
Andy is cute. I hope those New Yorkers don't eat him alive (unless he likes that). As for Palin, she is a woman. But, as a human being she is no different than Dubya (firings for political reasons, banning books, fearing gays, etc.).
Posted by: Rodney | Sep 8, 2008 1:55:30 PM
Where can we get details on what books she tried to ban and news coverage -- however "local" it may be -- of that story.
Posted by: dan | Sep 8, 2008 1:59:46 PM
Are you lost little troll?
Posted by: Rocco | Sep 8, 2008 2:04:54 PM
"And if we vote, we cannot be outnumbered." And there in lies the problem.
Posted by: BusyTimmy | Sep 8, 2008 2:05:29 PM
Where has it been debunked that she wanted books banned? That Alaska, in comparison to other states, might have somewhat (okay, vastly) easier challenges? That she opposes abortion even in the case of rape or incest? That her husband belonged to a separatist group? Where have her mean-spirited comments about community organizers been taken back? That she believes that fighting the war is God's work (I heard the words come out of her mouth, so good luck with those)? The only thing I've seen debunked is her selling that plane on Ebay. And while she hasn't worked toward implementing creationist programs and I give her credit for talking about contraception, her conservative roots remain.
However many defenders come out of the wood work, I'll still be suspicious of a social conservative, with little national exposure or experience and whose real experience can't be compared as if the challenges facing a mayor of a rural town in Alaska are equal or better just because of the job title, with ties to an extremely conservative church and who tried to ban books. She's not going to get my vote.
Posted by: JT | Sep 8, 2008 2:06:11 PM
Ryan, sweetie, focus those crystal eyes on your past writings for a sec, umKay...
In a 2003 piece you did for *cough* OUTSPORTS, you wrote about how happy you were during those much maligned high school years :
"I did not even say the words “I’m gay” to myself until my first year in college."
So unless you were secretly peaking thru those dirty dirty books Sarah Palin "apparently" banned, you wouldn't even have known they were there. BUSTED.
You can all follow Miss Quinn's violin playing here : http://www.outsports.com/campus/20030414ryanquinn.htm
And according to your chest beating University of Utah sports profile, you aren't from Wasilla Alaska, you are from PALMER Alaska, a totally different jurisdiction...
http://utahutes.cstv.com/sports/c-ski/mtt/quinn_ryan00.html
And FYI, Cyd Zeigler, the founder of Outsports, is possibly the log cabinnest of Log Cabinners out there. Hypocrisy, table of Quinn. Your Humble pie will be served now...
See the democrats aren't so bad after all. Thanks for the fact checking Mr.Gore.
Posted by: Obama is Over | Sep 8, 2008 2:09:51 PM
the Republican trolls are out in full force here.
Posted by: dave | Sep 8, 2008 2:14:17 PM
Palin perjures and or subornes perjury!!!!
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/
2008/09/palin-guilty-of-perjury-or-sub.php
pouring over divorce records for palin's sister, reporters have turned up this tid bit
"In front of Judge Suddock, Molly testified that Wooten never hit her or never physically abused her or ever touched the children. She told the judge she was feeling pressure from her family to file the order."
False acusations to get a restraining order in an emotionally charged divorce (all divorces are emotionaly charged)
Per her sister, Molly palin stated under oath that her husband never abused her or touched the children! That her sister sarah palin and family members (white trash doing jerry springer white trash drama) put pressure on her to falsify such tales.
Troopergate grows from abuse of power to abuse of power + perjury and or suborning perjury = CRIMINAL
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 2:16:01 PM
Ms. Palin scares me far more than Bush or Cheney or McCain because I believe she actually is sincere in her beliefs. Bush did the Rove thing for votes but never went to extremes because he did not want to. This woman who would be next in line to a cancer surivingl 72 year old is maddening. Her inexperience and "faith" will make her easy prey to neocon and other extreme ideology. She might be smart but does not seem wise at all. Despite Dubyas proximity to power hiis whole life he is and has been sway to extremists and look where we are now. How can anyone justify the last 8 years and be sane. We must defeat McCain /Palin. She will be the most openly and strongly anti gay and anti enviromental VP in modern history. This is proven by her record as mayor and governor.
Posted by: ganymeade | Sep 8, 2008 2:17:17 PM
Did they teach math at your elementary school Ryan? Even if you all vote, 10% is easily outnumbered.
Posted by: Jerry | Sep 8, 2008 2:20:52 PM
Gee,Robert. WHAT "points and issues" have all been "debunked"? That Ms. Sarah is a religious extremist? That hasn't been debunked. That she tried to ban library books? That hasn't been debunked. That she supported the "bridge to nowhere" until it was politically inexpedient and then quietly accepted the money when the earmark was changed to "general usage at the discretion of the Alaskan state government"? That hasn't been debunked. That she is against a woman not being forced to bear an unwanted child that is the result of rape or incest? That hasn't been debunked? So just exactly is it about Ms. Sarah and her scant resume and even more scant qualifications for the second-highest office in the land that has been debunked. Girl's a wing-nut extremist, pure and simple. And as cynical a choice for Veep that has ever been made.
Posted by: mike | Sep 8, 2008 2:22:10 PM
Banned Books smear debunked:
Try READING UNTIL THE END and COMPREHENDING.
http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/515512.html
Posted by: Robert | Sep 8, 2008 2:22:15 PM
Gee,Robert. WHAT "points and issues" have all been "debunked"? That Ms. Sarah is a religious extremist? That hasn't been debunked. That she tried to ban library books? That hasn't been debunked. That she supported the "bridge to nowhere" until it was politically inexpedient and then quietly accepted the money when the earmark was changed to "general usage at the discretion of the Alaskan state government"? That hasn't been debunked. That she is against a woman not being forced to bear an unwanted child that is the result of rape or incest? That hasn't been debunked? So just exactly is it about Ms. Sarah and her scant resume and even more scant qualifications for the second-highest office in the land that has been debunked. Girl's a wing-nut extremist, pure and simple. And as cynical a choice for Veep that has ever been made.
Posted by: mike | Sep 8, 2008 2:22:54 PM
Las Vegas:
"In Massachusetts where you can get married there are still people trying every year to ban Heather has Two Mommies..."
- And if I lived there, none running for office would get my vote.
"Lucky shot" - wow. I guess we have different points of view when it comes to "luck" and fortune (as in what might be considered fortunate, like assassinations). But perhaps we want different things out of life. Also, given McCain's age, I don't think concern is at all unreasonable (not that it ever is) that the second in line be qualified. At least, should one of your "lucky shots" reach the Democratic presidential hopeful, his second in line inspires much more confidence.
"Gore inventing the internet" - raising this old canard speaks volumes about you. Do a little more research and a little less listening to Rush.
"The whole thing is pathetic"
From reading your post, I'd guess pathetic is something with which you have an intensely personal relationship.
Posted by: JT | Sep 8, 2008 2:26:39 PM
More than a handful of Vice Presidents have become president. Just in the 20th century, there were Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford. Some were the result of assassinations, not just a "lucky shot." But two of those became president because their predecessors - Harding and FDR -- suffered fatal illness, and one, Ford, because the president resigned under fire. So 3 out of 5 VP's who became president through succession rather than election in the 20th century did so other than through a "lucky shot."
If elected, McCain would be the oldest person to be inaugurated for a first term as president, and he does not have a history of perfect health. Just looking at the history and the odds, it means we need to carefully weigh whether she is somebody who has the capacity to run our national government, possibly on very short notice in an emergency situation (such as happened with Truman, for example, when FDR suddenly died from a stroke in a situation where a decision had to shortly be made about dropping the atom bomb on human populations in an ongoing war). Truman was an experienced politician, with a lengthy career in elective office, both local and national. We lucked out. Would we be so lucky with Palin?
Posted by: Art | Sep 8, 2008 2:32:17 PM
It's as simple as this: McCain may not have another 4 years in him. And Palin is not presidential material.
That should dictate your vote.
Posted by: JMO | Sep 8, 2008 2:34:35 PM
I'm sorry, but this is exactly the reason that this woman currently has taken over this race. What we consider informed opinions, Republicans and conservative independents consider smear tactics, and people will sympathize with her and support her. While we continue to spin our wheels worrying about her, she is out there getting votes and winning over independents.
Put Obama back in the headlines. HE is the Democratic nominee and if he intends on winning this election, he needs all the press and support he can get.
Posted by: David | Sep 8, 2008 2:34:55 PM
Thanks Las Vegas. Thanks to everyone who has written a thoughtful response.
Just as I started to feel a little complacent, you gave me the push I needed to call friends and family, who may be on the fence, and remind them this crazy woman is a total nut job, fascist, creationist, who believes she should censor the information to which we have access.
Some of you may like her. I have family members who do. But nothing they have said or that I have read has convinced me that she's anything but bad, bad news. She may actually be Karl Rove in a dress.
Posted by: rayrayj | Sep 8, 2008 2:35:07 PM
Gore inventing the internet
In fact Gore was the biggest proponent and supporter of legislation financing, supporting, and promoting the internet when it was born and being developed as a creation of the US military (defensive purpose to allow flow of communication and info if US suffered a nuke attack)
So in fact, Gore did have a hand in the creation of the internet
The worse thing for democracy is low info voters like Las vegas
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 2:35:59 PM
To Obama is over -- over --not likely --we have registered so many new voters and have Democratic Secretaries of State in key swing states-something not true in 2004. By the way, I did google Ryan Quinn and he raced for Wasilla when he was in high school. Also, who cares if someone else at Outsports has a different view. He is not writing this as a rep for Outsports he is writing this as a concerned and should be concerned citizen. Join the reality based community for your own good. In my state of Oregon republicans have lost thousands off of their voter rolls and now the main office is in a cheap rent strip mall. Our repub Senator is scrambling with a disapproval of 68%. See you in November misanthropic troll.
Posted by: ganymeade | Sep 8, 2008 2:39:29 PM
Why is it that so many people commenting on Towleroad take such glee in the idea of a McCain/Palin administration? There's a strange excitement about continuing a right-wing political leadership in America that just doesn't make sense. Putting GLBT issues aside for a moment, how have the last eight years been beneficial for our country? We're resented by many allies, bogged down in a horrifically expensive illegal occupation, losing the war against the people who (apparently) actually attacked us on 9/11, and our economy has tanked from a big honking surplus to an enormous deficit. Gas prices skyrocketed, Exxon is making the biggest profits in the history of capitalism, right-wing evangelicals are clamoring to appoint more supreme court justices, and middle class people are really struggling to maintain their standard of living. Why, then, would relatively intelligent GLBT folks clamor for more Republican rule?
I just simply don't understand. I'd hate to think that it's just plain old racism at work. I'd also hate to think that there are so many GLBT folk who are so damaged that they think that voting Republican is the only part of their lives that their families or colleagues would support. But after all these comments, I'm thinking that I'm giving my compatriots too much credit.
I'm done. I've read, listened, debated, and have now chosen who I'm voting for, and that's that. I'm no longer interested in hearing anyone's zinger comments or "gotcha" statement on some arcane bit of biographical data. That seems to be what our political culture has come down to... and it's pathetic.
The damage that identity politics has wrought among our people, gay and straight, will take at least a generation to heal. Let's just vote already, and let it be done.
Posted by: The Milkman | Sep 8, 2008 2:41:15 PM
Electoral college tally based on state by state poll showing Obama with 309 electoral college votes if the election was held today (270 win it)
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 2:45:43 PM
sorry
here is a link about the electoral college tally if the election was held today
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/8/
02758/97279/261/590618
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 2:49:43 PM
Ok..aren't we (gays) the ones who want to ban any books or activities that are "anti-gay?" So if someone tries to ban books big deal. Its free speech on their part as well. The community organized and it was rejected. Its over. As far as her comments about "community organizers"..do any of you know anyone who 8 years ago was a community organizer and THAT gave them experience to be President? And, Why sell Cindy McCain's planes on E-bay? Tax money did not pay for that - Cindy McCain is loaded, as she was prior to being with John McCain. In any case, the only way to sound intelligent with arguments is to focus on the issues we have to deal with as a country. This bickering back and forth doesn't make the case for Obama to be President...only for Palin NOT to be President. Focusing on the other candidates downfalls as opposed to your candidates experience/policies, etc only makes your candidate look weak. (Note: I am using "your candidate" in general terms. I am an independent and as of yet undecided). The beauty of this country is that we vote. So we will see on November 4th what happens. Then we need to quit complaining and live our lives.
Posted by: BC | Sep 8, 2008 2:54:37 PM
I'm with the Milkman. Ryan writes a thoughtful, heartfelt article--and the trolls try to smear him for it. To what end, really? Is it that important to be bitter about everything, and do you really think it's going to get you anywhere?
"Pathetic" doesn't even begin to describe it.
Posted by: WAYNEINKC | Sep 8, 2008 2:58:41 PM
Anyone who thinks that banning books is the same thing as exercising free speech is in need of a psychiatric intervention, pronto.
Posted by: WAYNEINKC | Sep 8, 2008 3:01:34 PM
Let's hear more from Palin herself... it's time that McCain start letting her do more than throw insults and start answering questions. I want to hear more about her positions on the issues!
If you agree, you can sign a petition here:
http://www.interviewsarahpalinnow.com/
Posted by: Michael | Sep 8, 2008 3:01:38 PM
JimmyBoyo -
You are correct - national opinion polls are worthless because our Pres. elections are not national elections, they are state elections.
I've read that Obama is concentrated more on this less-public strategy ... in which case he will look weaker in the national name-calling wars.
Posted by: ATLSteve | Sep 8, 2008 3:25:36 PM
In mid-August, just before Gov,Palin was thrust upon the national stage, I had dinner in Wasilla. My family and I flew to Anchorage, rented an SUV, and headed to Mt.McKinley National Park for a great vacation.
Wasilla was a poor example of the unspoiled wilderness as advertised in the Alaska tourism promotions. It can only be described as unfettered urban blight. Strip malls are scrunched together housing rundown businesses and fast food franchises.
Apparently, this explosion of haphazard development occurred during Mayor Palin's stewardship. Expect this philosophy of allowing unregulated business exploitation to dismantle any protections that government agencies now provide should a McCain-Palin ticket prevail in November.
Posted by: JONNY NYNY2FLFL | Sep 8, 2008 3:29:19 PM
Uncle Bruce, you're back! So toned down this time! I hope you gave our best to folks in St. Paul!
Posted by: Rocco | Sep 8, 2008 3:42:35 PM
your "commentary" didn't offer any unique perspective just a rehash of the some ol' hating palin crap. BORING. sorry, not buying it
Posted by: redhot | Sep 8, 2008 4:25:45 PM
I think I love you. Thanks for such a well written piece on Palin! People from Wasilla need to speak out more.
Posted by: Wow | Sep 8, 2008 4:37:00 PM
Great find ANDY. Mr Quinn you bring it all into a clear perspective of a member of the small town mindset as well as that of a city dweller. Good job, ignore the trolls, they stop feeding on election day and should soon fade away.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Sep 8, 2008 4:42:52 PM
how about if we shift our attention away from everything Palin, and concentrate on McCain... he's a goldmine of faults, lies, and weakness.
the choice is Obama vs. McCain... don't let Palin divert our energy or our direction of aim.
Andy, the more you post about Palin, the more strength you give her.
McCain is the target, and he's easy to hit.
Posted by: A.J. | Sep 8, 2008 4:58:42 PM
"So if someone tries to ban books big deal. Its free speech on their part as well."
Actually, banning books is called censorship, the very opposite of free speech. And it is a big deal.
"This bickering back and forth doesn't make the case for Obama to be President...only for Palin NOT to be President."
Since this thread is about why Palin should not be president, it makes sense that the comments reflect that. Voters have every right to know where she stands, but since she's hiding from the media, we're not going to find out from her. The reasons why Obama should be president have been articulated many times here and will continue to be articulated while we legitimately criticize Palin's extreme right-wing views and McCain's dismal voting record, particularly on gay rights.
What I"m waiting for is for one of the Republican cheerleaders here to actually articulate why they think McCain/Palin is the right choice for people who care about gay rights. We know you hate Obama (talk about boring), but what about the McCain/Palin ticket appeals to you exactly? Waiting . . .
Posted by: Ernie | Sep 8, 2008 5:03:32 PM
Wow, enough with the damn Sarah Palin stories!!!!! What the hell is with this blog?!? I was getting pissed off enough when 5+ posts on this blog every day were about her. Jeeeeeezzzz. She's against gay rights and abortion; that's probably enough to insure 98% of your readers will NOT vote for her, so stop posting all these damn uninteresting stories about her! It's like this blog is obsessed with taking shots at this woman. Amusing since it has been soo pro-Obama for months...
Posted by: DONOVAN | Sep 8, 2008 5:04:50 PM
Would someone please ask the Republican trolls to learn correct English? So far they seem incapable of forming two coherent sentences in a row and love to confuse "your" and "you're" all over the place.
Oh, I forgot -- they prefer to make fun of people who are educated and competent, even while they swear they support education and competence.
Tedious two-faced twits.
Posted by: Kyle Michel Sulliva | Sep 8, 2008 5:07:31 PM
sorry, all of your (mostly valid and well-written) points have been over the liberal blogs for days now. Please do not claim insider knowledge if you obviously have none at all.
BTW she asked the librarian if she would be willing to ban books in principle, but as far as we know she never tried to ban any specific books.
Posted by: xbg | Sep 8, 2008 5:16:16 PM
XBG:
How's Germany this time of year? Bitter that Neo-Nazis presence in the capital is on the decline and that many of your countrymean support Barack?
Posted by: sugarrhill | Sep 8, 2008 5:26:34 PM
Dear Ryan,
PLEASE change your black background to say a grey or something. do you have any idea how hard your letter is to read? anyway, thanks for chiming in. palin is clearly a whacko
Posted by: nm | Sep 8, 2008 5:30:15 PM
Dear Ryan,
PLEASE change your black background to say a grey or something. do you have any idea how hard your letter is to read? anyway, thanks for chiming in. palin is clearly a whacko
Posted by: nm | Sep 8, 2008 5:30:44 PM
Dear Ryan,
PLEASE change your black background to say a grey or something. do you have any idea how hard your letter is to read? anyway, thanks for chiming in. palin is clearly a whacko
Posted by: nm | Sep 8, 2008 5:30:49 PM
Ryan:
Marry me. Seriously.
I'm printing your Guest Piece and distributing it to the younger residents of New Canaan, CT - a demographic of 99% white, good looking, highly intelligent and mostly Republican-parented youth.
Thank you,
Hwsc
Posted by: Hwsc | Sep 8, 2008 5:35:01 PM
Ryan:
Marry me. Seriously.
I'm printing your Guest Piece and distributing it to the younger residents of New Canaan, CT - a demographic of 99% white, good looking, highly intelligent and mostly Republican-parented youth.
Thank you,
Hwsc
Posted by: Hwsc | Sep 8, 2008 5:36:44 PM
First, I'm not uncle bruce (someone said that the other day too). Second, I did not misuse "your." Third, someone WANTING to ban books IS free speech. The actual banning is censorship - however, you want to censor anyone who does not agree with you so I guess you are for censorship. Anyway, I am not a Republican. I'm an American who chooses NOT to vote on one issue. I will be able to legally marry one day, likely sooner than later. I'm worried about my taxes going up. I'm worried about changing from capitalism to socialism. I am not thrilled with McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden. We have bad choices this time AGAIN! I will not cave to voting on one or two issues. AND...there is nothing in Ryan's well written letter that indicates that Palin is a WACKO. I can hear the right wing nuts now "There go those gays again, resulting to childish name calling!!" We need to be BIGGER than that. Prove that we are independently thinking individuals, not sheep.
Posted by: BC | Sep 8, 2008 6:54:51 PM
I was just watching CNN a second ago and they said the book-banning stories were false.
But I'm inclined to believe Ryan, since he's from Wasilla.
We really need to know more about what happened here, Ryan, pretty much everything you can remember and any evidence. The book banning thing is a huge issue if we can pin it on her, but she has teams of people trying to make sure that doesn't happen.
Posted by: Ryan (different ryan) | Sep 8, 2008 7:01:35 PM
I was just watching CNN a second ago and they said the book-banning stories were false.
But I'm inclined to believe Ryan, since he's from Wasilla.
We really need to know more about what happened here, Ryan, pretty much everything you can remember and any evidence. The book banning thing is a huge issue if we can pin it on her, but she has teams of people trying to make sure that doesn't happen.
Posted by: Ryan (different ryan) | Sep 8, 2008 7:01:58 PM
BC, i hear a lot of your criticisms and some of it goes right over my head (when, exactly, did socialism enter the picture?). with regards to the childish name calling as you call it, i think a big reason the democrats have lost the last 2 presidential elections is because they HAVEN'T engaged in childish name calling. rather than fight the republicans with their own weapons, we have simply tried to be "better than that."
well guess what? it ain't working. it didn't work for al gore back in 2000, it didn't work for john kerry in 2004 and it sure as shit won't work for barack obama in 2008.
unfortunately, as pathetic as it sounds, we really do need to go for the throat this time. we need to call sarah palin a liar, because that's what she is. we need to continue to hammer mccain on his chronic flip-flopping of the issues (and his lying) because that's what he does.
there is no room for politeness and mincing words any more in order to sound "nice." we need to use the same type of bludgeon on them that they have been using on us for the last 15 years.
Posted by: alguien | Sep 8, 2008 7:09:42 PM
"Why is it that so many people commenting on Towleroad take such glee in the idea of a McCain/Palin administration? There's a strange excitement about continuing a right-wing political leadership in America that just doesn't make sense."
Obviously, with their record profits, the oil industry said to themselves, "hell! we have enough paid shills we might as well leave comments on gay blogs." The funny thing is they probably outsourced all the work to India, and "Robert" is really "Venkatesan".
Posted by: St. Theresa of Avila | Sep 8, 2008 7:17:39 PM
Ryan
Not exactly true
The CNN report disproved she banned books
BUT, that was never the original accusation.
The accusation is that as Mayor of Wasilla she asked the head librarian about banning books. The Librarian like most librarians was upset by such talk.
The Librarian then found herself being fired later and has claimed it had to do with the book banning talk. the librarian won her lawsuit and was put back in her job.
Palin has admitted that the conversation did in fact take place BUT spins it that it was a hypothetical or some such clap trap.
So...YES she never banned books, but that isn't what has been claimed (though blown into that by typical reteling of the story till it becomes different from the original)
She did discuss banning books with the librarian in Wasilla and spins it that she was talking hypotheticals.
The CNN report was shoty at best for not focusing on original story.
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 7:20:18 PM
st theresa
In fact you need to simply go to the mccain web site
They have been advertising for an army of internet posters of their talking points for months now.
I am not saying that even 1 of the repubs posting here are connected to such, but the mccain campaign does have an army of internet BS agents trying to flood the blog sphere with their talking point memos
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 7:24:34 PM
That this blog is posting about her is probably more relevant than posting about any other politician. She could well become president given McCain's age. It's pretty obvious that Bush was a complete fraud in every way, his "christian piety" constructed to win the votes of the Bible belters. When he said he was talking to "God" the intelligentsia really knew that meant he was talking to Cheney. The neocon power brokers like Rove & Co. think Palin is a dumb broad who will stay a well behaved lapdog to their agenda, but I'd say they are making a big mistake in that assumption. I'm kind of reminded of the opening scenes of The Exorcist! They don't know WHAT they are letting out of the bottle. She really does believe all the fundie garbage and would have no uncertainty about acting on some "vision" no matter what it told her to do. Unlike Baptists, A of G and Pentacostals have more a tradition of pure kookiness. I remember a family in my neighborhood who spoke in tongues. Sometimes the mother would randomly not let the kids go on trips because she'd had a "vision" of there being a terrible car accident. Needless to say we survived the trip to my older brother's soccer tournament on the other side of the county just fine and are still here!
Her election could usher in a era of repressiveness that would at least set the gay community back to the mid 80s hysteria at the height of the AIDS epidemic, if not worse. This is REAL BAD NEWS. Can't wait to see how the shills respond. Haha, not. Let me just do your work for you: "alarmist","obama muslim", "obama communist", "Tony Rezko",blah blah blah.
Posted by: St. Theresa of Avila | Sep 8, 2008 7:37:24 PM
Thank you for writing this concise and clear analysis. I am very concerned that Sarah Palin is a right wing christian fanatic, who may have some intelligence, but who is ignorant in so many ways. She reminds me of so many americans who have no clue about what the wide world is all about, and yet they KNOW they are right in their beliefs and ideas. She is supremely unqualified to be vice-president of the United States.
My hope is that people like you will speak out NOW, so that in the short time between now and the election, Palin will be exposed for the true nutcase she is. PEACE
Posted by: thomas | Sep 8, 2008 7:52:00 PM
"I can hear the right wing nuts now 'There go those gays again, resulting to childish name calling!!'"
To the right wing nuts, anything we say is childish name calling. Why would we choose our words to suit them? And, of course, Republicans, led by Karl Rove, are the masters of it, using lies, code words, and deliberate distortions that ignorant voters eat up. This time, a lot of Democrats are choosing not to take the high road because, frankly, it no longer works. Most of the attacks on Palin have been legitimate and, given the inaccurate nastiness she dished out at the convention, she better be ready to take it. The cries of sexism and name calling are yet another right wing ploy to distract from her record. She may not be wacko, but some of her views teeter towards it.
P.S. Equating Obama with socialism is absurd. It's right up there with Obama is a Muslim.
Posted by: Ernie | Sep 8, 2008 8:08:18 PM
Palin and book banning:
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/06/breaking_news/doc48c1c8a60d6d9379155484.txt
Palin's exact words on sex ed:
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-na-sexed6-2008sep06,0,1923582.story
Palin's exact words and record on creationism:
http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html%5D
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV5jvU52RD3WBflzbmSu5l6zwOqAD92V3VQG0
Posted by: Mitch | Sep 8, 2008 8:22:09 PM
Mitch
Your 1st link = doesn't work
Your 3rd link = article unavailable
-------------
2nd link.
Their isn't an issue about such. The only issue dealing with her abstinence / contraception stands is the falicy about abstinence. Her daughter case in point shows it doesn't work. ALL studies show that abstinence education results in larger numbers of STD transmission and teen pregnancy. 1 study in fact showed the majority of "pledged virgins till marriage" schtick ended up having a higher rate of STDs than the general population while the majority of girls giving blow jobs and having anal sex to "protect their virginity till marriage"
4th link
NO creationism should be taught in school except in a lit class or comparative religion class. The issues with teaching both is that 1 is science and the other is a fairytale. the 2nd issue with teaching both is "WHOSE creationist fairytale" should be taught. Should the Native American version be taught? Should the Norse? Should the Greek?
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 9:25:13 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO6dmBm1SFw
palin for Obama before against him
Palin "I'd vote for Obama"
Andy, please post a thread about this vid.
:-)
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 9:29:31 PM
ALGUIEN: Socialism is when the government spreads the wealth among all its people, leading to an entire culture of lower class with the government being upper class, to which Obama's policies are very similar. The problem with the name calling is that the Democrats have been name-calling themselves for the past 18 months. If you don't vote for Obama, you're a racist, if you don't vote for Hillary you're a sexist. No one in politics have EVER taken the high road. Thats why so many people are apathetic. Obama has flip flopped just like McCain - only McCain's record is longer due to being in senate much longer. All politicians flip-flop.
ERNIE: I found nothing NASTY about Palin's speech. Had Hillary made the EXACT same speech you would be saying it was brilliant. Actually, look back, Hillary made some of the SAME CLAIMS against Obama and people LOVED IT!!!! Talk about flip flop.
Posted by: BC | Sep 8, 2008 10:04:40 PM
Check this out
http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/
wasilla-charged-rape-victims-for-their.html
Wasilla under mayor Palin charged rape victims for the rape test kit ($300-$1200)
----------------------------------
Hillary Clinton today in FL argued that returning Republicans to the White House "is like asking the iceberg to save the Titanic."
Hillary in Fl campaigning vid here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/08/
hillary-clinton-no-palin_n_124927.html
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 8, 2008 10:09:35 PM
Sorry about the bad links Jimmy. The long links don't survive through the comment system very well. Here's a succinct FactCheck.org link, which covers much of this:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html
People may have reasons to be concerned about Palin, but calling her a book banner and lying about her position on creationism is no different than spreading the rumor that Obama is a Muslim. Andy should be ashamed for the fact challenged post above. Let's stick to the truth here.
Posted by: Mitch | Sep 8, 2008 10:10:45 PM
Mitch, you're spinning more violently than a defective tilt-a-whirl.
Bottom line - she wanted to restrict the reading list at a local library. Librarian refused (thank God). Mayor then tries to sack librarian, citing "lack of political support". Undoubtedly, the librarian's refusal to concede to Palin's censorship demands had something to do with this move. Librarian only saved by an outraged community.
This is a very disturbing echo of the Bush administration. They also valued political obedience over aptitude when promoting and retaining civil servants. The result, as we're now seeing, is a completely inept workforce that makes decisions independent of rational thought. If you want a glimpse of what this leads to, check out the way things are run down in Mexico. This is what we're heading towards.
Posted by: Dan | Sep 8, 2008 10:27:47 PM
BC: i believe there's a substantial difference between spreading wealth amongst the populace and having everyone pay their fair share.
many entities of vast wealth in this country are not paying their fair share and i, as a member of the class that is expected to pick up the slack for them, am tired of it.
Posted by: alguien | Sep 8, 2008 11:15:21 PM
Alguien: Is 40% of someones income their "Fair share" of taxes? I just watched an obama interview and he said that 40% will be the tax bracket for those making over 250K. Now, granted 250K is alot, however should they be expected to pay 100K in taxes?? That is absolutely insane. I really do not think that is fair whatsoever.
Posted by: BC | Sep 8, 2008 11:35:34 PM
The incredible daftness of people like BC has never ceased to amaze me. Google "Diminishing Marginal Utility" and then think about it for a few seconds.
Simple? Yes. But the flat tax concept is hardly fair. It's a scam the incredibly well off are trying to sell to the rest of us. The only people buying are probably those same people who get confused by a 1040EZ.
Posted by: Dan | Sep 9, 2008 12:59:11 AM
Wow! What an eloquent, well spoken young man. Maybe we should have run for office in a couple of years
Posted by: Kenny C | Sep 9, 2008 1:23:03 AM
LAS VEGAS: Harry Reid as a Senator from Nevada is the only reason we haven't been inundated with the rest of the country's nuclear waste. He steadily keeps Nevada in the forefront of issues in the Senate. He is actually a very good advocate for Nevada. That's his job and he does it really well.
Andy, I can't hold my tongue anymore. I used to read this site everyday ,but, you were so incredibly rude to me in Denver when I tried to say hi and complement you on your site that I rarely look anymore.
I'm only saying this because maybe you don't realize that in person you come off a bit self important. Sorry to bring it up, but, it was a big letdown and one of the very few negative things that happened to me in Denver.
Posted by: thevegasstyleguy | Sep 9, 2008 1:40:55 AM
Flat tax scam/sham hypothetical example:
You make $8/hour. You are taxed 10%. You work 40 hour/week. You have to pay for my home, insurance, food. Add in a baby or two. Yikes!
You make millions as an executive You retire with a lovely, multi-million umbrella - say, 10 million (and OH how I am underestimating). You are forced to pay 50 % on this umbrella, which leaves you with a mere $5 million. Disregard any other investments or resources. Could it be possible to live comfortably without worry for the rest of one's life without having to ever work again (assuming you haven't a penchant for ridiculously priced designer clothes or jewelry that appeases your vanity)? How about if you only had to pay at 10% I'm thinking that at 10%, your life doesn't suck.
However, nor does it at 50%. Bear in mind, the minions who will perform the chores for you that will make life especially sweet have to make the dirt wages in order for you to maintain your oh so comfortable lifestyle. Add in the flat tax, and I hear Nero fiddling while Marie eats cake.
Posted by: JT | Sep 9, 2008 2:04:45 AM
As a fellow Alaskan and a fellow Mat-Su valley raised gay boy, I wanna say thank you for making this post. Granted I'm from Palmer but my fathers business is in Wasilla and he and many others suffered this womans quest for "Bigger and better" during her tenor as mayor.
My father was appaled during the book banning fiasco. And during the affair where she allocated massive amounts of money to repair roads that were set to be taken care of already at a massive cost to the city. Did I mention when she became mayor of Wasilla the city had a debt of zero, yet when she left Wasilla was 22.5 million in the hole? Or how she pushed for strip malls, useless parking lots and various other senseless projects that cost the little valley town money that it didn't have.
As petty as it seems, I and my very liberal, open and loving family "lost" my younger brother to Palins church. I know that last bit seems trite but consider that in a large family such as mine with several openly gay children one of our siblings being introduced to their religious views and becoming indoctrinated into them, turning a sweet cheerful and loving young man into a little self important beast full of hate nearly over night really wrecked our family.
Top it off with her ideals on hunting (Lets kill moose, bears, wolves hell even polar bears) and her idea that Alaska is going to be one of the last bastions of humanity after the End Times that her church seems so focused on. I cannot in any way support her or John McCain to lead my country.
I, like you, come from a small town Alaskan upbringing. It is as you said very live and let live and I do not believe ths woman represents us as a state, and most certainly not as the America we have come to be in these past decades.
I can only pray (Yes I am a gay Christian father who is engaged to my male fiance) that God will let the American people see the way through to the best choice.
Information is power. Thank you for putting this out there.
Michael-Joseph McGuire
Posted by: M.J. McGuire | Sep 9, 2008 2:16:36 AM
PS. MY partner and I make over 6 figures, with a net worth of over 7. We are in the higher tax bracket. We figure that it is a small price to pay.
Posted by: JT | Sep 9, 2008 2:19:25 AM
sugarrhill: while I live in Germany, my "countrymen" would be Americans, and I'm glad to hear that many of them support Obama, as do I.
Posted by: xbg | Sep 9, 2008 3:11:15 AM
McCain's choice of VP is far less concerning than the choice Barack Obama made. He left 18 million voters (half the democratic electorate) stunned as he put ego before country. He did so only to choose someone who has exactly the kind of record and Washington experience he's so blatantly criticized throughout his campaign. Obama has proven to the world HE cannot make sound judgements when it comes to putting the country's best needs first (securing a Democratic victory in Nov). When are the democrats going to realize that dangling Roe v Wade every four years is not going to win them elections. Ryan how about you stop telling us why McCain/Palin should not be our choice, and start telling us why Obama should be??? This Clinton supporter will not be awarding the DNC with my vote this year. I'll deal with a Republican reformer and a democratic congress for four years.
Posted by: HillDem | Sep 9, 2008 8:03:12 AM
Lots of debunking:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/157986/page/1
Not that even half of the people here even care about the truth.
Posted by: Robert | Sep 9, 2008 9:27:31 AM
Uncle Bruce, did they have political science in the 1950s?
Posted by: Rocco | Sep 9, 2008 9:45:12 AM
HillDem:
How convenient to just wait and see. If you think this is just another election and things won't be much different four years from now then you haven't been paying attention to the last eight years. You shouldn't wait to find out why Obama would be the better choice. You should seek out the evidence yourself. Be proactive instead of being bitter. Go to his website and read the various positions that echo what Senator Clinton was striving for as well. McCain/Plain White House will only lead to more stagnation for this country. Do you really feel that doing nothing would better?
Posted by: sugarrhill | Sep 9, 2008 2:17:43 PM
One false rumor accuses then-Mayor Palin of threatening to fire Wasilla's librarian for refusing to ban books from the town library. Some versions of the rumor come complete with a list of the books that Palin allegedly attempted to ban. The story is false on several fronts: Palin never asked that books be banned; the librarian continued to serve in that position; no books were actually banned; and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication.
It's true that Palin did raise the issue with Mary Ellen Emmons, Wasilla's librarian, on at least two occasions. Emmons flatly stated her opposition both times. But, as the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman (Wasilla's local paper) reported at the time, Palin asked general questions about what Emmons would say if Palin requested that a book be banned. According to Emmons, Palin "was asking me how I would deal with her saying a book can't be in the library." Emmons reported that Palin pressed the issue, asking whether Emmons' position would change if residents were picketing the library. Wasilla resident Anne Kilkenny, who was at the meeting, corroborates Emmons' story, telling the Chicago Tribune that "Sarah said to Mary Ellen, 'What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?' "
Palin characterized the exchange differently, initially volunteering the episode as an example of discussions with city employees about following her administration's agenda. Palin described her questions to Emmons as "rhetorical," noting that her questions "were asked in the context of professionalism regarding the library policy that is in place in our city." Actually, true rhetorical questions have implied answers (e.g., "Who do you think you are?"), so Palin probably meant to describe her questions as hypothetical or theoretical. We can't read minds, so it is impossible for us to know whether or not Palin may actually have wanted to ban books from the library or whether she simply wanted to know how her new employees would respond to an instruction from their boss. It is worth noting that, in an update, the Frontiersman points out that no book was ever banned from the library's shelves.
Moreover, although Palin fired Emmons as part of a "loyalty" purge, she rehired Emmons the next day, and Emmons remained at her job for two-and-a-half more years. Actually, Palin initially requested Emmons' resignation in October 1996, four days before the public discussion of censorship. That was at the same time she requested that all four of Wasilla's department heads resign. Palin described the requests as a loyalty test and allowed all four department heads to retain their positions. But on Jan. 30, 1997, three months after the censorship discussion, Palin informed Emmons and Wasilla's police chief, Irv Stambaugh, that they would be fired. According to the Chicago Tribune, Palin did not list censorship as a reason for Emmons' firing. Palin rehired Emmons the following day. Emmons continued to serve as librarian until August 1999, when the Chicago Tribune reports that she resigned.
So what about that list of books targeted for banning, which according to one widely e-mailed version was taken "from the official minutes of the Wasilla Library Board"? If it was, the library board should take up fortune telling. The list includes the first four Harry Potter books, none of which had been published at the time of the Palin-Emmons conversations. The first wasn't published until 1998. In fact, the list is a simple cut-and-paste job, snatched (complete with typos and the occasional incorrect title) from the Florida Institute of Technology library Web page, which presents the list as "Books banned at one time or another in the United States."
Posted by: Newsweek | Sep 9, 2008 2:45:00 PM
This site is off its rocker, as it continues to push lies that have already been effectively rebutted by actual journalists.
Posted by: Matt | Sep 9, 2008 3:54:14 PM
First let me say thanks to Ryan for sharing his honest perspective. Its something we get so little of these days. So much of the media has given Sarah Palin a pass or a promoted her views as a Cinderella story or worse still a real choice for this country. I can't fathom how anyone with half a brain could support her. I'm a liberal so you conservatives reading this far can just ignore my comments as just being liberal horse manure, besides I wouldn't want to tax your brain with the arguments I'm about to share with the open-minded readers at this site. Let me replace an old Bush term Fuzzy Math with a new one of my own as little buzz phrases seem to be easier for simple folks to remember: Fuzzy Family Values. If Sarah believes that abstinence should be the only form of sex education taught to teenagers why the heck didn't she teach that to her daughter? The notion of personal accountability and individual responsibility sure gets a lot of lip service in conservative circles and republican think tanks, which begs the question, shouldn't we agree that Sarah Palin and her husband Bubba or whatever his name is, shouldn't we agree that they have failed on a moral and parental level? And if you want to preach family values, I've got to give them both failing grades. And if you're failing at home with your own little family, please don't move into the White house and screw up the extended family of America with your Fuzzy Family Values and hypocritical red meat speeches.
Posted by: Jon Walker | Sep 10, 2008 12:46:32 AM
Thanks for the info on palin - she makes me shudder to think of the possibilities - not good! You can always tell when one of the Mc Cain troll people are on your site - they are the ones with the nasty comments and are unable to just discuss issues in a respectful manner
This woman is ill equiped for the VP position, she does not represent women or their interests and she lies. Period. What else is there to say?
Che was not chosen by Mc Cain she was chosen by the extreme right wing of the party at a meeting in Minneapolis just days before the announcement. Mc Cain wanted Lieberman. (which is another nightmare, altogether).
At any rate - she was chosen because of her radical religious views and fits the agenda of the group that met in secret - no reporters allowed - and a list of the names of the participants is not available.
Just make sure you are registered to vote!
Obama certainly isn't perfect but we simply cannot allow another 4 years of Bush or worse. Temember that Mc Cain is ripe to bomb Iran, take on Russia, and continue to meddle in the affairs of other countries. We have an international crisis in the making and if the only solutions that Mc Cain and Palin can come up with is to increase military force and bullying one of these days they will start a war with a country that can actually fight back and their dreams of Armeggedon will be realized while the rest of us are turned into crispy critters and the planet rendered uninhabilable for all time.
Think about what these people represent in the big picture!
Posted by: mimi | Sep 10, 2008 1:29:07 AM
Ok, a few of the things I've read in these response posts just scream out for clarification.
1. Palin DID attempt to ban books. It is a fact that has slowly been brought into the light of day. I'm a member of ALA (American Library Association) and there are quite a few librarian's working on this issue right now.
2. Someone here actually said "so a couple books get banned...big deal" !??! It IS a big deal. As a matter of fact it is a HUGE deal! If it's not such a big deal how about I just tell you what books you can read and which ones you can't? Maybe, since your rights don't matter anyway, I'll just drop a couple of hidden cameras or microphones into your house so that I can be sure that you aren't reading any of those books I told you not to read. Sheesh, apathy like yours is what dictators all through history have relied on to gain & keep control.
3. Someone else said that there were only a handful of VP's that ever became president. The actual number is 9. 4 through assasination, 4 due to natural death and 1 by way of impeachment. Nine doesn't seem like much until you realize that there have only been 43 presidents. So, nearly 25% of the Vice Presidents of the United States transitioned into the Oval Office. McCain's health issues do raise an alarm. He's already had 4 surgeries to remove melanoma from his face & neck and he's 72 years old. Sarah could very likely become VP turned Prez #10. The thought makes me shudder.
Posted by: Jean Marie | Sep 14, 2008 4:57:15 AM
Actualy the CNP(Council of National Policy- ie. Pat Robertson,James Dobson et al- more at: www.sourcewatch.org, and www.publiceye.org)a'annoited' her first!
Posted by: l | Sep 21, 2008 3:51:53 AM