Sarah Palin Commits Political Suicide

Sarah Palin is famous for some of the one line zingers written for her by others, like "How's that Hopey, Changey thing workin' out for ya?" spoken by her while at the first ever National Tea Party Convention. Her response to criticism always seems unapologetic and smarmy, as if meant to diminish points made that question her. Often in the past this seems successful enough to cloud whatever issue is brought up against her.

I don't believe this method of argument will work to fend off accusations that her "call to arms" could incite tragedies like the Tucson Shooting.

In questioning whether Palin's rhetoric incites violence people need to review the facts, beginning with her first call to arms. I, like many, was deeply distressed when I heard her comment after the Health Care Reform Bill passed:

"It's not a time to retreat. It's a time to reload."

The suggestion of violence by calling her supporters to arms against her political opponents seems self evident to most, including Palin it seems, who issued this clarification:

"Palin urged the media not to read any incitement into that other than re-dedication to the upset of the D.C. political establishment that's still celebrating the healthcare bill's first signing." ~LATimes.com

Almost prophetically, Gabrielle Giffords, the Congresswoman who now struggles for her life after falling victim to a crazed gunman had this to say (link is to YouTube video) about Palin's call to reload:

“Sarah Palin has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district and when people do that, they’ve gotta realize there are consequences to that action.”

 Further evidence of just how intimidating Palin's rhetoric can be shows in this map from Palin's website:

Team Palin must have seen the error of posting this map. Although Palin remains unapologetic, this map is no longer part of her website.

In her address of the Tucson Shooting, Palin used the term "Blood Libel", which is a reference to the false accusations made for centuries against Jews, often to malign them as child killers who coveted the blood of Christian children. It is unclear if she was not aware of the historical reference, or if she meant to use it to signify her complaint that she somehow is a victim too. How chilling.

I believe Palin's stick to your guns approach to criticism is going to amount to political suicide now that people have heard what both her and President Obama have had to say in the same matter. People can see for themselves what true leadership looks like in Obama, whose voice at times quaked with emotional intensity. While Palin shamelessly used her time to try and vilify her critics, our president used his speech to bring us together, rallying us around the heroism done by both survivors and fallen alike, calling us to be active participants in the change we wish to see by finding the hero within us all.

We are, after all, the sum of our actions and intentions. If we remain silent about things that matter then we are paving the road to Hell as our path for the future. I am nobody special, but I will speak my mind and defend what I believe. Through my love for God, my country, and my fellow human beings I start each day with an effort to do my small part, hoping that others will do the same.

Sarah Palin, there are times when one should not conduct business as usual; now is such a time. The fact that you did not already know this when responding to the Tucson Shootings proves to me you do not have the wisdom to lead. Please don't divide our great nation further with any more similar mistakes.

UPDATE: Interestingly, the pictures of the Narnia Ice Queen and Sarah Palin's Hit list both vanished from this article without explanation. If this is a matter of censorship from the shadows they will have a tough time keeping them down now that I have noticed! ;)