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Christine Flowers: Palin touches a new nerve in America
The Delaware County Daily Times ^ | January 10, 2015 | Christine Flowers

Posted on 01/10/2015 11:11:02 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

It’s been a while since I’ve thought about Sarah Palin, except for the increasingly rare instances where someone says, “You know, with those glasses and that square jaw you look a lot like ...”

The ex-Alaska governor/GOP veep candidate/Fox News commentator has fallen off of my radar screen, even though I have absolutely nothing against her and am flattered to be mistaken for a woman who can kill and skin a moose.

But every now and then, Sarah re-emerges as a cultural lightning rod, someone whose simple existence still drives feminists to bitter tears and the men who want to date them (there are some) into fits of apoplexy.

One of the things I still very much admire about Sarah is her unapologetic willingness to offend. It’s not that I think she really wakes up in the morning, churns fresh butter for her kids’ toast, rips salmon out of the Alaska waters with her own teeth for Todd’s packed lunch and says, “How many liberals can I send into therapy today?”

I really don’t believe she calculates her moves any more, or at least that she doesn’t do it when her kids are involved. This is a mother bear who truly does have the wilderness instinct to protect, and exposing her colorful progeny to further public abuse (except for the abuse they bring on themselves, Bristol) is about as pleasant as an invitation to go sneaker shopping with Wendy Davis.

But every now and then, the stars align in such a way that Sarah can’t avoid creating controversy with her young’uns. It happened again this past week when Trig’s proud mama posted a photo of the now 6-year-old tyke standing on his black lab in an attempt to reach the spigot.

I looked at the shot, which Sarah innocently intended to be a tribute to ingenuity and toddler perseverance and thought, “This is such a sweet Norman Rockwell moment.” It might be because I doubt that a barefoot little 6-year-old with Down syndrome is capable of any malice. Or it could simply be that any dog that was truly in pain would rear up, and the photo would end up being of a toddler sandwiched between a kitchen floor and a tub of black fur.

Regardless of the reason, I loved that photo (and then “liked” it and commented how it had brought a smile to my face.) That’s when the notifications function on my Facebook page started going haywire and I noticed how many people had “replied” to my comment. It was similar to the way in which Israel “replies” to terrorist attacks, God bless her.

For every “that’s a cute shot” there were 10 “you should be shot.” Most of these came from PETA sympathizers, but some came from otherwise reasonable human beings who’d been bored since Michael Vick faded from public view and were looking for another monster to vilify. Bill Cosby had provided some temporary fun, but it stopped being amusing when you needed a calculator to keep his accusers straight, so Sarah and her dog-abusing little boy fit the bill perfectly.

Unlike some of my fellow conservatives, I really don’t think this is primarily about Palinphobia. A sizeable number of those criticizing the photo don’t really give a dog’s midnight poo about politics. They probably haven’t thought about John McCain’s running mate in years, because she only pops up when it’s a slow news day on Hannity or “The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell” (a show I can’t take too seriously because it keeps having to remind us of who the host is.)

The real reason I think that people are so up in arms about the photo of boy and dog has less to do with the idea of animal cruelty and more to do with our increasingly draconian intolerance for spontaneous, genuine, albeit flawed humanity. We have become “grievance police,” looking for ways to redress the many instances of politically incorrect or socially inconvenient conduct that defines homo-not-so-sapien.

I mean, let’s face it, people make mistakes. Some of us are particularly talented at ruffling other people’s feathers without even meaning to. Others of us (both hands raised here!) do it on purpose and with particular gusto. But it’s become much harder to say and do things without having the grievance police on your case.

Give an interview to a woman’s magazine where you suggest that a wife should want to take care of her husband’s needs? Duck, honey, ‘cause the zombie feminists will be on the warpath and you better apologize or they’ll eat you for breakfast.

Imply that female students need to take some responsibility for their own conduct and not put themselves in situations where they might be susceptible to attack? Please, Mr. University President, sign this resignation letter because we can’t afford to have you around, you caveman.

Tell black youth to stop blaming white society (or at least, only white society) for your problems? Better buy a calculator because there are a bunch of women ready to accuse you of something and not too many ready to give you the benefit of the (beyond a reasonable) doubt.

I’m glad that Sarah lashed back out at the haters, refusing to apologize for something that is neither offensive, criminal or wrong. I bet that, secretly, a lot of others are too.

Wink.


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: christineflowers; dogs; downssyndrome; mentalretardation; palin; sarahpalin
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yet the liberals didn’t complain when Ellen DeGeneres posted a similar picture of a child standing on a dog.


21 posted on 01/11/2015 6:51:01 AM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (Everytime the cash register rings in a gun store, a Founding Father gets his wings.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Leftist women are such a damned embarrassment...


22 posted on 01/11/2015 6:53:00 AM PST by who knows what evil? (Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.com)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sarah upsets all the right people


23 posted on 01/11/2015 6:54:12 AM PST by Steven Tyler
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“You know, with those glasses and that square jaw you look a lot like ...The ex-Alaska governor...I have absolutely nothing against her and am flattered to be mistaken for a woman who can kill and skin a moose."

Yeah, I can kinda see it...


24 posted on 01/11/2015 7:01:33 AM PST by skimbell
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To: knarf

whats even more interesting...Trig is very carefully placing his feet...he is not jumping onto the dog or being careless about his moves


25 posted on 01/11/2015 7:14:05 AM PST by goodnesswins (2015)
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To: knarf

Ok, that shot is an absolute testament to the patience of that particular dog for her little master. Wonderful dog, wonderful temperament.

The only thing I would say negatively, as a dog trainer with decades of experience, is that not every dog will tolerate a child standing on its back. I really hope that someone who has a reactive (read that, likely to lash out at the slightest provocation) dog does not see this and think it would be ok for their child and their dog.


26 posted on 01/11/2015 7:22:37 AM PST by Darnright (No, We Love Yeshua (Jesus).)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; onyx; Abbeville Conservative; abigailsmybaby; afnamvet; alley cat; antceecee; ...
Thanks for the Ping Publius!

Ping to Sarah's Pro-Life List!

Trig has brought out the best in all who love him.

And the worst in all who HATE him, for those people, there is truly darkness in their souls.


27 posted on 01/11/2015 7:50:56 AM PST by KC_Lion (Build the America you want to live in at your address, and keep looking up.- Sarah Palin)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’ know about the rest here but from what I have been seeing on-line Palin’s stock has tripled in the past few weeks.She is stronger and has more of a following than ever.


28 posted on 01/11/2015 7:53:25 AM PST by rodguy911 (FreeRepu ground speedplic:Land of the Free because of the Brave--Sarah Palin our secret weapon)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1173708/thumbs/o-GOAT-STANDING-ON-TURTLE-facebook.jpg


29 posted on 01/11/2015 7:55:28 AM PST by minnesota_bound
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To: minnesota_bound

I guess there will be protesters over the goat


30 posted on 01/11/2015 7:57:50 AM PST by minnesota_bound
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To: knarf

The dog saying right now in his head

OH that good come on Trig LOL! right there oh that hit the spot


31 posted on 01/11/2015 8:13:59 AM PST by SevenofNine (We are Freepers, all your media bases belong to us ,resistance is futile)
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To: KC_Lion
I, too, had a child somewhat "disabled" like Sarah's son.

And I think God's advice whould be ... Love them while you've got them.

32 posted on 01/11/2015 8:27:32 AM PST by OldNavyVet
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To: OldNavyVet
I am so Sorry for your Loss OldNavyVet :(

(((HUGS)))

33 posted on 01/11/2015 8:29:22 AM PST by KC_Lion (Build the America you want to live in at your address, and keep looking up.- Sarah Palin)
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To: lee martell
She, Ted Cruz and Rush have decoded or figured out the Libs; what motivates, what aggravates. We need some on the right ready to ‘give back’ to the media in the same blunt and strident manner the progressives use on us.

Play this little mental game. Instead of Sarah Palin's son, replace him with, say, some youngster from Mitch McConnell's or John Boehner's family. How many seconds would lapse before an abject apology was issued?

34 posted on 01/11/2015 8:38:56 AM PST by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Liberals hate Sarah Palin, the feminists especially, because she’s a strong, independent woman who loves life, her children, and her husband. Feminists are all a bunch of man-hating, abortion loving, and bitter people. They see a vibrant, strong and beautiful woman who is their complete opposite who enjoys sticking it to them and the rest of their liberal cohorts, and that just leaves them seething and angry. You go Sarah! You’re the embodiment of what America is all about. I think you need to go out and shoot another moose or bear and pose with it with gun in hand. That’ll put a bunch of them over the edge! Oh, why not have Trig in the picture too with both of you smiling over a freshly killed animal. The libs will really be bouncing off the walls, lol...


35 posted on 01/11/2015 8:42:30 AM PST by dowcaet
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To: who knows what evil?

Confiscated (Stole) it!

I will erase if you say so.

Thanks,G


36 posted on 01/11/2015 9:01:59 AM PST by GOYAKLA (Leftist women are such a damned embarrassment...)
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To: KC_Lion
Thank you, KC.

Losing a loved one is not easy, especially so ... as one gets older.

Was happy to see your Sarah Palin photos.

37 posted on 01/11/2015 9:07:02 AM PST by OldNavyVet
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To: rodguy911
Governor Sarah Palin has been doing great. 20 of her 22 endorsements in the last campaign were elected.
However, any reading of the rules adopted by the National Republican Party covering the nominating process for the next (2016) Presidential election shows that there is not a chance in hell that Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Lee or Governor Palin will be nominated. It is not in the marked cards of the Mainstream Republican deck.
Organize, Sarah, organize. And I will help.
Then run.
TWB
38 posted on 01/11/2015 9:17:51 AM PST by TWhiteBear (Sarah Palin, the Flame of the North)
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To: COBOL2Java

If the Libs were to insult someone from Mitch McConnell’s family, I would expect no apology, immediate or otherwise. Already, they have made ugly cutting remarks about Mitch’s wife, a Chinese woman. Many want to delegitimize her minority status, because she dares to marry a white republican. They are the ones obsessed with race status and racial separatism. Mitch has come out and boldly defended his wife from the slurs, I’ll give that much to Sir Yertle.


39 posted on 01/11/2015 9:19:07 AM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell
If the Libs were to insult...

Nice strawman. No one said anything about insulting anyone. The context of the comment was PETA's faux condescension and condemnation regarding Trig standing on the family dog. The point being that the lily-livered GOP leadership would bend over backwards to grovel and apologize to PETA for offending their tender sensibilities.

Old turtle-neck can affect being insulted all he wants.

40 posted on 01/11/2015 9:32:28 AM PST by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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