Lucia

de Vernai

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September 1, 2008

VP or Mother of Special Needs Child? Sarah Palin Can’t Do Both

Before things get better for women in politics, they are going to get worse. For proof, look no further than Sarah Palin.

My home state of Arizona is a long way from Alaska, and so Palin’s vice-presidential nomination acceptance speech was the first time I, along with most of the country, heard of John McCain’s curious choice. The proud hockey mom of five made sure that in the first two minutes the country knew she never wanted to be in politics. But then she joined the PTA . . . and the sound of the world’s smallest violin drowned out the rest of the speech.

In her less-than-two years as governor, the Pat Buchanan presidential campaign supporter and creationism-in-schools enthusiast have given liberals plenty of political fodder. Nevertheless, those who agree with her damn-the-polar-bears-let’s-drill politics will have to deal with the non-partisan issue in this election cycle – gender.

Palin’s youngest child, several months old, has Down Syndrome. Her second-to-youngest is seven years old. While I admire Palin’s commitment to public service, I am confused by where her traditional family values fit in. Children with special needs require extra love and attention, the kind overseeing Senate proceedings likes to cut short.

For years, working women have been made to feel guilty and heartless by conservatives for leaving their children in day care or with family members. Never mind that they had no other choice to make ends meet – they were still selfish, depriving their children of what is rightfully theirs. But Palin doesn’t fit into the category – after all, she’s happily married and relatively well off. If she has to leave an 18-month-old child to tour the Middle East, then that’s an entirely different story.

Maybe instead of making Ms. Vice President go through all the working mom hardships, maybe the federal government can make a few changes – breast-feeding breaks during sessions of Congress, or daycare in the West Wing. The kind of support no conservative would dream of offering other working American mothers.

Palin’s devotion to her family is admirable, and the reported baby swing in her governor’s office is a precious thought. And while it is a nice counter-image to that of Dick Cheney, Palin’s lifelong membership in the National Rifle Association suggests that she is perfectly capable of peppering someone in the face. Once the baby burps, of course.

Before you think “well there goes the sisterhood,” remember that we are choosing a vice president, not a shoe-shopping buddy. Allegiance to other XX chromosomes cannot outweigh the civic duty of choosing the person who can do what is best for our country. More importantly, if traditional family values – the ones gay marriage and other godless acts seek to destroy – are truly a priority for conservative voters, then it is time to respect a woman’s right to choose. Palin made the choice to mother five children, including an infant in need of special care.

The American dream of doing and having it all is merely an illusion. We can have anything we want, but not everything we want. In Palin’s case, her service to the country should come second to the responsibilities of a mother. Not because she is a woman, but because it’s living out the values she promises America.

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