Power to Palin

Going Rogue: An American Life

I have just finished Sarah Palin's new book, "Going Rogue". Santa brought the book, and somehow I actually managed to read it, one of the few books I didn't just skim through.

I really liked it. I especially liked her take on bringing motherhood into her professional life, as it is a part of any woman, and shouldn't be discarded simply because she works. I like that. Today, it seems to work outside the home you must abandon the idea that you are a mother. It's so contrary to our nature. We can't divide the woman from the mother, or vice versa. We encompass both even if we are away from our children. Many times, Palin remarks that her time managing a family prepared her for a particular moment in her career, where her decisions came from a place of past experience of running a home.

That was interesting to me. How often are we molding our children in the virtues of justice, honestly, integrity and industriousness. From what I read in Palin's book, she used those virtues in order to practice what she preached to her children. She can go home, with her head held high, showing her children, even in the face of political suicide she managed to make the right, moral choices. Lead by example. Gotta love that.

Also, I was impressed with other areas of bringing her motherhood into her career life. Early in her career as she went door to door soliciting votes on her behalf, she was also dragging a sled behind her with a couple of children playing in the snow. She even mentions a time where she assisted a fellow politician by voicing a radio ad. Her little one, just a baby was making so much commotion, they couldn't record the ad. So, Palin, ever the mother, covered herself and her baby, and nursed through the radio spot, even as the fellow politician's face reddened and was clearly uncomfortable. Talk about multi-tasking.

There are other examples in the book, but I'll leave that up to you to enjoy for yourself.

I guess, Palin impresses me because she re-defines what 'feminism' really is. Radical feminists would tell you, motherhood suppresses you, be more like a man, be tough, shrug off what makes you a woman, so you can better compete with a man. Authentic Feminism is embracing what makes us different from men. Palin embraced being a mother. Even though feeling called to public service, and running a state through politics, she showed, and I guess still shows women of the world not to buy into the radical feminist ideals. She shows you can still be successful embracing what makes you feminine.

It's beautiful to see a successful woman who isn't ashamed of her children, her motherhood, her womanhood...she sees a dignity in it all, and stands proud. I can admire that. Now I am always a supporter of moms who choose to stay at home. It's the most important job there is: forming the next generation. However, I do think that woman can have a place in the workforce, they have a great capacity to impact society, and humanity at large. There's delicate balance to ensure that work isn't in the way of great mothering.

Now by reading Palin's book, I am unclear if she actually found that delicate balance. Only time will tell if the choices she made to work in politics sacrificed too much 'mommy time' that her kids truly needed.

I do think many men and woman who are out there in the workforce do HAVE to sacrifice time from the family in order to provide. In Palin's case, her sacrifice from her family did great things for her state, Alaska. How many men and woman have given up so much in order to make our country better, safer, or more prosperous. Countless people.

The question of her running for VP or President in the future: Well, the only reservation I have is the sacrifice this kind of job would demand. Her family would suffer. I recognize that Mom has a special and unique place in the family, that no one can duplicate. After reading the book, I can see, that it works similarly for men. I recognize that Dad has a special and very unique role in the family, and no one can duplicate that either. So my reservation on her running for national office, is a double standard. I only apply it to women: and that's not fair.

Is anyone asking if our current President should be there because his two daughters might not see him as much? Of course not. It's a sacrifice men make to lead. Palin's book reminded me that it's also a sacrifice women make to lead. As long as she continues to embrace her motherhood, her womanhood, her sensitive humanity I see no reason why our next President shouldn't be a woman.

God gave us woman gifts to be shared. If God calls Sarah Palin to run for President, I think she just might have a chance. There is a growing population of women out there, tired of the old radical feminist stereotype. We are ready for a new example. We are ready to follow someone who represents us, the average woman, mother, wife, daughter. We are ready to follow someone who embraces how God made her, someone who doesn't deny who she is, for the sake of the office she holds, but instead uses her gifts to better the nation.

Women have been made to serve. God made us this way. We are most fulfilled when we serve others. In a time when most politicians, even our current President, seem to be self-serving, perhaps we need a change, a reminder that leadership is service. They work for us.

I encourage you, if you haven't read Sarah's Palin's new book, get it, read it with no expectations, only with an open heart to see if she's got what it takes. You just might be surprised at the different directions it takes a reflective mind.