Posted by Holly at September 2nd, 2008

My friend Nancy, in Stockbridge, MA, usually sends out really interesting group emails that I read because; a) she doesn’t send them out too often, b) we agree politically, c) she’s smart and funny. Today was no exception. She circulated the one allegedly written by a classmate of the newly minted VP candidate, Ms Palin revealing her flaws (as if they hadn’t started emerging for me the moment I heard about the NRA and that she was a brigadier for Pat Buchanan’s anti-American Pitchforkers). A second email from Nancy was an apology for sending the missive based, I gather, on remarks from her friend George that it was too like the Republicans to play in the mud.

While I tend to agree with George and appreciate the higher ground taken by Barack Obama, my chosen candidate (and isn’t he smart to do that?), I’ve got to say, hang on a minute, George, sometimes we have to make a point out of outrageous behavior because, frankly, I think our democracy depends on knowing right from wrong and acting on that. Gosh, a couple of days ago I yelled at Jim for going through a Stop sign not because he went through it – who hasn’t done that on occasion – but because he told me he always goes through that one. Never, ever do that again, I yelled while wagging my finger, this democracy only works because of self-rule.

When I grew up, we were terrified of sex before marriage because we were terrified of babies too soon, babies before marriage or a hasty marriage based on the arrival of the baby and maybe not based on the love, respect, loyalty and trust we looked for in a mate. I’m a little beyond the stricture of the sex before marriage part although I observed it with my fiancé my first time around. I regret that we have given up that stricture, however, and tend to agree with Obama that what we now need to do is reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies.

There’s been a lot of chat this election about how the candidates are or are not like “me”. You know what? I don’t really want them to be like “me”, the collective me. Where is it written that somebody has to be out there drinking beer, chewing on Barbecue, bowling or sitting on the stoop kicking the can? How did “me” get to be the lower denominator anyway? I want a president who expresses the highest principles and ideals of honor, integrity, loyalty, and citizenship and says it eloquently. (Don’t even get me started on poor grammar or pronunciation. And, yes, I believe I have a right to hear the language spoken as it is intended by the rules of grammar and elocution. I love the evolution of language, to be sure, yet I understand it as a tool I can use to express my beliefs and, to that end, I want the tools to be the same and acknowledged by everyone.)

I don’t want a president or vice president who connects with “the people” on every level, thank you very much. Keep the connection zipped up on a number of levels that immediately jump to mind. I want the leader of this country to represent the office we can aspire to because it is something lofty and noble, requiring judgment, clear thinking, high levels of intelligence and education, moral victories over all those temptations that take us off a path of achieving our best potential.

And I want a leader free of hypocrisy and rationalization. Yesterday, Jim and I hosted the annual Labor Day party for our community. It was a gorgeous day and made so by the presence of our wonderful, down-to-earth neighbors. Believe me, we are all different and reflect just about every beam of the spectrum of political thought as far as I can tell from the liberal (guess who?) to the ultra conservative. Okay, so I’m starting to feel a little frenzied as I write this because the one thing I hate more than anything is rationalization. So here was how the conversation went about the about-to-be Palin out-of-wedlock grandchild …Me: So, what do you think about this pregnancy? My Friend: So? She’s not the only one to have sex out of marriage. At least she’s keeping the baby.

What? What? What? What? What? Come on. What kind of value is that? I was so shocked I agreed that, yes, it is a good thing that she’s not having an abortion and I do agree with that because I do believe in the sanctity of life – which is EXACTLY why I support abortion rights – so women’s lives are not jeopardized again with a coat-hangar mentality; I support peace over war – because I don’t understand sending people off to be slaughtered on killing fields; I support the search for alternative energy – so we don’t fry or freeze ourselves to death as we use up our food, water and fuel; I don’t eat meat or fowl ((yes, I eat fish and I might have to stop) because I can’t bear the thought of their inhumane treatment – yet I believe in the food chain.

My friend(s) who believe this is okay because “at least she’s keeping the baby” are guilty of the worst in us, the quick ability we have to justify stupid actions. Please don’t tell me you have Christian values, Jewish values any kind of values at all unless you are willing to call a mistake a mistake. God knows (yes, I believe in God, too) I have my share and, although in many cases it took a long time to understand there is peace and grace in admitting them, correcting them, learning from them, I do it. You are not going to hear me rationalize mine or others.

Ms Palin’s values needed to be vetted carefully by Mr. McCain and crew before they were held up to me as worthy of my vote. That he couldn’t do it does not excuse me from doing it and, since it’s the only way we are going to get the information now, let it flow through media, including the internet.

My vote will be cast for people who are smart and stand a little out of reach for most of us; people whose exemplary lives I can point out to the children I know as something, yes, they can strive for as long as they learn, embrace and practice the highest of ideals.