According to an op-ed written by Rich Lowry in today’s New York Post, the reason why there’s been such an outcry from many people about John McCain’s VP pick, Governor Sarah Palin, can be found in the title of his piece: “Blue-Collar Roots Spur Left’s Hatred.” While the Post has been surprisingly balanced in their reporting during the presidential campaign, even publishing many pieces that are pro-Obama, this op-ed went way, way over the top in terms of coming up with a reason why those on the left “hate” Mrs. Palin. Lowry actually argues the hypothesis that left-leaning Americans look down their noses at Palin because she seems “blue collar” and sports a “old-fashioned, frumpy hairdo and librarian glasses…” Huh???
Check out Lowry’s baffling piece here: http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032008/news/columnists/blue_collar_roots_spur_lefts_hatred_127252.htm
Though I try not to get too emotional about statements made by people who affiliate themselves with the GOP and who are clearly out of touch with our diverse American public, Lowry’s piece – combined with the many comments I’ve been reading online written by people who are excited by Palin, and who claim that she has “more executive experience” than Obama – has really gotten under my skin. Watching the Republican National Convention last night, and noting that the only non-white person in the audience was John McCain’s adopted daughter Bridget, and that the average age of the delegation was about 60, I couldn’t help but channel my disgust and dismay with the whole operation into a letter to Mr. Lowry about his “blue collar” theory. Here is an excerpt from that letter:
Dear Mr. Lowry,
I read your piece today in the New York Post on why the left supposedly “hates” Sarah Palin, and feel the need to point out a few facts to you. First, a “frumpy†hairdo and librarian glasses hardly signify anyone’s belonging to the working class -and many, many of us who belong to the so-called left – male and female – know this is a look employed by thousands of women in the workplace who seek to appear professional. Women, especially, recognize this look as an attractive woman’s attempt to mask her overt sexual appeal to men, in the hopes that men will actually pay attention to what they’re saying, not what they look like. We all do this!!! I haven’t heard a single one of my New York City female, left-leaning friends say a word about Mrs. Palin’s appearance.
Secondly, and more important, no one on the left thinks that Mrs. Palin and her husband are, or ever were, “blue collar.†All it takes is 30 seconds on Google to learn that Mrs. Palin, in particular, has never been a blue collar worker, nor were her parents. I’m confused Mr. Lowry: have science teachers and administrative office workers (Mrs. Palin’s parents) and young women with college degrees who go on to become TV sports reporters suddenly become honorary members of the blue collar working force? By what standard? Mrs. Palin makes $125,000 a year, and her husband makes $93,000 as a worker for BP and as the owner of a commercial fishing business. Are you really going to argue that for a heartbeat anyone looks at these people as blue collar?
What you are perpetuating, Mr. Lowry, is a stereotype so off-base I’m surprised it would even appear in a New York City newspaper. If we on the left are upset about McCain’s choosing Sarah Palin as his would-be VP, it’s because we’re insulted by her lack of experience, and McCain’s attempt to build on the momentum of Hillary Clinton, a woman who – love her or hate her – has been slaving away for years to get to where she is today. In Mrs. Palin’s case, being the mayor of a town that had 4,600 residents at the time she was mayor, and Governor of one of the least populated states in the USA is what is making us get riled up. I live in a city with 2,465,326 residents (Brooklyn), and it’s likely my neighborhood has even more residents than Palin’s hometown of Wasilla…. I, like many on the left, do not think that Sarah Palin has yet been educated about and exposed to the type of things a VP of the US would be dealing with. We are also very turned off by her Evangelical Christian values – she tried to get books banned from her local library because they were immoral? – and the fact that the GOP won’t recognize that they call for “smaller government,†yet have no problems attempting to shove their religious beliefs down the throats of the entire nation….
How do you, readers and Bed Stuy neighbors, all feel about Lowry’s assertions? What have been your reactions to the announcement of Palin as McCain’s running mate? Do you think that the emergence of the progressive, diverse political movement that has supported both Hillary and Barack are going to actually prevail in this election, or will, once again, the GOP manage to tangle the truth so drastically that moderates start moving in the direction of the GOP?
As for Lowry’s comments, I expect that from the Right. Just like I expect hatred and lies from Fox News. It still surprises me to hear it though. You’re letter was great!
Sarah Palin represents everything I’ve despised about this country for the last 8 years. I’m insulted as a woman, as an animal rights activist and as a taxpaying citizen. On the other hand, I’m kind of happy with McCain’s decision because I’m hoping this will give Obama the advantage.
Sometimes I think winning this election will be too easy for us and then I realize that there are some really scary people in this country. I’m going to do my best to volunteer in the swing states. We can’t go through another 4 years. We just can’t!
Never underestimate what the GOP will do to win, nor the number of people that believe in them. I have a hard time comprehending anyone that can support the far right agenda as Sarah Palin does. And McCain’s choice was an obvious and irresponsible pander to the far right contingent, which he was losing, and to those women who needed Hillary to tell them to vote for Obama rather than McCain. This is a big country with some very uninformed swaths of people.
By the way, look at today’s Editorial page in the NEw York Times for some really good articles on the subject. And the reader letters are even more insightful than the articles!
The NY Post is not worthy of consideration, and neither is a “pistol packing hockey momma” or whatever it was Cindy McCain mummbled at that diverse gathering of so called Americans that usually is held in the back woods of Georgia or Texas somewhere.
Where do we go to sign up to help Obama in the swing states? We cannot let this happen again. Please advise. Thanks.
Good letter, very well put. I was baffled by the way she had the nerve to belittle Obama’s experience. I guess they know their base is interested only in slogans and not in facts.
Isn’t her motto: “Fire the guns, burn the books”?
Vote for an Individual
NOT A PARTY
be a Leader
NOT A FOLLOWER
! ! !