Is Attacking Palin Sexist?

As the presidential race heats up a few more degrees with the addition of Sarah Palin, McCain's unexpected VP pick, of course the media has felt it necessary to address and re-address the obvious fact of her gender. The word "sexism" has been flying all over newspapers, web pages and television screens seemingly nonstop since McCain's announcement. To no surprise whatsoever, I happened upon this headline article on the web page for The Week Daily, curiously titled "Is Attacking Palin Sexist?" In this brief article, the author explores the two aspects of Palin's person-hood that the American people are currently calling into question: her credentials, and her motherhood. Some appear to feel that neither of those aspects are very conducive to effective national governance.

It is my opinion that feminists tend to often request "special treatment" in the ways that they are observed and criticized by the rest of the world. Even the nature of this article suggests this. It is actually asking whether or not it is right for people to criticize Palin at all. Current American culture has long deemed it perfectly acceptable for male politicians to engage in brutal, endless mudslinging battles from beginning to end of the campaign season. However, now that a female has entered the political arena, the slime throwing must stop. She has been deemed untouchable, simply because she is a female. I feel that our current culture is attempting to compensate for the sexist actions taken against women of past generations. Now, rather than truly placing women on equal status with men, we are in fact placing them on a pedestal; a pedestal that even exempts them of even the most relevant political criticism.

The article seemed to conclude that questioning Palin's credentials was allowed, while questioning her motherhood was not. My conclusion is that criticism of Palin should not be restricted in any way. If women are to truly obtain the equal standing that they so eagerly and verbally long for, they should also have to endure the stresses that come with it. To discourage the criticism of any candidate is to remove the ability of the public to question government and to maintain accountability with leaders. The American people need to be aware of any potential hindrances to Palin's ability to perform the job of Vice President. If her motherhood is one of those perceived hindrances, so be it. The job of the American people in an election, is to seek, and find the best possible candidates for the job of president and vice president. The people need to properly perform their job, before Palin should ever be allowed to perform hers.

Link to Article: http://www.theweekdaily.com/article/index/88670/3/3/Is_attacking_Palin_sexist