Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Sarah Palin: America's Enduring Strength

Via Facebook:

Please click here to view the video of this statement.

Like millions of Americans I learned of the tragic events in Arizona on Saturday, and my heart broke for the innocent victims. No words can fill the hole left by the death of an innocent, but we do mourn for the victims’ families as we express our sympathy.

I agree with the sentiments shared yesterday at the beautiful Catholic mass held in honor of the victims. The mass will hopefully help begin a healing process for the families touched by this tragedy and for our country.

Our exceptional nation, so vibrant with ideas and the passionate exchange and debate of ideas, is a light to the rest of the world. Congresswoman Giffords and her constituents were exercising their right to exchange ideas that day, to celebrate our Republic’s core values and peacefully assemble to petition our government. It’s inexcusable and incomprehensible why a single evil man took the lives of peaceful citizens that day.

There is a bittersweet irony that the strength of the American spirit shines brightest in times of tragedy. We saw that in Arizona. We saw the tenacity of those clinging to life, the compassion of those who kept the victims alive, and the heroism of those who overpowered a deranged gunman.

Like many, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on what happened and praying for guidance. After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event.

President Reagan said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election.

The last election was all about taking responsibility for our country’s future. President Obama and I may not agree on everything, but I know he would join me in affirming the health of our democratic process. Two years ago his party was victorious. Last November, the other party won. In both elections the will of the American people was heard, and the peaceful transition of power proved yet again the enduring strength of our Republic.

Vigorous and spirited public debates during elections are among our most cherished traditions. And after the election, we shake hands and get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in D.C. and elsewhere. If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.

There are those who claim political rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged, apparently apolitical criminal. And they claim political debate has somehow gotten more heated just recently. But when was it less heated? Back in those “calm days” when political figures literally settled their differences with dueling pistols? In an ideal world all discourse would be civil and all disagreements cordial. But our Founding Fathers knew they weren’t designing a system for perfect men and women. If men and women were angels, there would be no need for government. Our Founders’ genius was to design a system that helped settle the inevitable conflicts caused by our imperfect passions in civil ways. So, we must condemn violence if our Republic is to endure.

As I said while campaigning for others last March in Arizona during a very heated primary race, “We know violence isn’t the answer. When we ‘take up our arms’, we’re talking about our vote.” Yes, our debates are full of passion, but we settle our political differences respectfully at the ballot box – as we did just two months ago, and as our Republic enables us to do again in the next election, and the next. That’s who we are as Americans and how we were meant to be. Public discourse and debate isn’t a sign of crisis, but of our enduring strength. It is part of why America is exceptional.

No one should be deterred from speaking up and speaking out in peaceful dissent, and we certainly must not be deterred by those who embrace evil and call it good. And we will not be stopped from celebrating the greatness of our country and our foundational freedoms by those who mock its greatness by being intolerant of differing opinion and seeking to muzzle dissent with shrill cries of imagined insults.

Just days before she was shot, Congresswoman Giffords read the First Amendment on the floor of the House. It was a beautiful moment and more than simply “symbolic,” as some claim, to have the Constitution read by our Congress. I am confident she knew that reading our sacred charter of liberty was more than just “symbolic.” But less than a week after Congresswoman Giffords reaffirmed our protected freedoms, another member of Congress announced that he would propose a law that would criminalize speech he found offensive.

It is in the hour when our values are challenged that we must remain resolved to protect those values. Recall how the events of 9-11 challenged our values and we had to fight the tendency to trade our freedoms for perceived security. And so it is today.

Let us honor those precious lives cut short in Tucson by praying for them and their families and by cherishing their memories. Let us pray for the full recovery of the wounded. And let us pray for our country. In times like this we need God’s guidance and the peace He provides. We need strength to not let the random acts of a criminal turn us against ourselves, or weaken our solid foundation, or provide a pretext to stifle debate.

America must be stronger than the evil we saw displayed last week. We are better than the mindless finger-pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy. We will come out of this stronger and more united in our desire to peacefully engage in the great debates of our time, to respectfully embrace our differences in a positive manner, and to unite in the knowledge that, though our ideas may be different, we must all strive for a better future for our country. May God bless America.

- Sarah Palin

35 comments:

hamaca said...

Great message--very eloquent. Thanks for posting.

OhioJOE said...

Very Presidential. Haha, anyone who disagrees is of course, uncivil.

Seriously, I am glad that Mr. Huckabee and Mrs. Palin took these Jokers head on. hopefully, others will follow suit. Unlike Oklahoma City, this one is beginning to backfire against the Dems and their friends.

Guess Who! said...

Sarah Palin's 'blood libel' comment overshadows a calibrated message

It is not at all clear that Palin intended to use the term "blood libel" in its full historical context. The phrase refers to a centuries-old anti-Semitic slander - the false charge that Jews use the blood of Christian children for rituals - that has been used as an excuse for persecution

Oh Dear!

Noelle said...

Very good statement.

Right Wingnut said...

So, Craig aka Iowa #1 aka Huckabee 2012 aka Guess who shows up to find fault with the statement. There's no better indication that it was spot on.

Why not just pick a name and stick with it, craig?

Right Wingnut said...

From Redstate:

'Obama’s Tucson speech preempted by THAT WOMAN.'

Mister President, here’s the bar that you have to clear.

[...]

It’s a high one. A much higher one than your attendants are telling you that it is. They are almost certainly telling you to concentrate on the ‘blood libel’ comment - which, by the way, will immediately resonate with at least 40% of the population of the country, mostly because it is darned accurate* - but what you really need to do is take note of the fact that she’s saying the things that the President should be saying right now about the need to come together, the glory of this country - and, yes, that the Democratic party is acting like a bunch of [expletive deleted] right now, and that they need to stop.

Call in your speechwriters. Make them watch this speech. Tell them that you need one just like it, only twice as good. Because if you don’t - if you go with your usual scheme where you try to set yourself up as the only rational solution in a world full of the irrationa - you will merely hasten your irrelevance.

[...]


The rest: http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2011/01/12/obamas-tucson-speech-preempted-by-that-woman/

Right Wingnut said...

JewsForSarah statement on Gov. Palin’s use of ‘blood libel’

This is our initial statement, and Jewish Americans for Sarah Palin will be posting a fuller statement here within a few hours.

Gov. Palin got it right, and we Jews, of all people, should know a blood libel when we see one. Falsely accusing someone of shedding blood is a blood libel – whether it’s the medieval Church accusing Jews of baking blood in Passover matzos, or contemporary Muslim extremists accusing Israel of slaughtering Arabs to harvest their organs, or political partisans blaming conservative political figures and talk show hosts for the Tucson massacre.


http://jewsforsarah.com/?p=5720

Right Wingnut said...

Alan Dershowitz Defends Sarah Palin’s Use of Term ‘Blood Libel’

[...]

The term “blood libel” has taken on a broad metaphorical meaning in public discourse. Although its historical origins were in theologically based false accusations against the Jews and the Jewish People,its current usage is far broader. I myself have used it to describe false accusations against the State of Israel by the Goldstone Report. There is nothing improper and certainly nothing anti-Semitic in Sarah Palin using the term to characterize what she reasonably believes are false accusations that her words or images may have caused a mentally disturbed individual to kill and maim. The fact that two of the victims are Jewish is utterly irrelevant to the propriety of using this widely used term.


http://biggovernment.com/publius/2011/01/12/exclusive-alan-dershowitz-defends-sarah-palins-use-of-term-blood-libel/

OhioJOE said...

Craig:

While at least a few camps have disgraced themselves to a degree on this issue. At least your camp has acted like an adult on this particular issue. It is too bad you cannot follow his lead.

CraigRandall1 said...

OJ & RW

I am not Guess Who.

It's someone playing a little joke on you guys.

And no, I don't know who it is but I have a few guesses.

CraigRandall1 said...

I think the "Oh Dear!" part at the end is a clue to who the mystery person is.

Maybe you can do a word search.

CraigRandall1 said...

I stand by everything Huck said in the post that I posted here yesterday.

No need to apologize. : )

OhioJOE said...

Well, whoever guess who is, s/he has just been busted by Drudge for using Left Wing talking point.

Bill589 said...

Oh dear,
Sarah Palin IS very Presidential.
What’s that guy’s name again who’s speaking tonight?
Instead of “The One,” from now on I think I’ll just call him, “The One Termer.”

Bill589 said...

Is ‘Guess Who?’ Martha? I miss her. She hates the air that Palin breathes, but it’s fun to ‘discuss’ things with her. She even makes sense when she’s not angry, as in - not talking about Palin.

Right Wingnut said...

I must confess, I thought it odd for Craig to end his post with "Oh, Dear." And, given Huck's statement yesterday, I found it odd that he would choose this as an opportunity to take a shot.

"Guess Who" has posted the same Huck propaganda that Craig uses.

Anonymous said...

Guess Who is Craig - Both truthfully challenged

CraigRandall1 said...

RW,

It's funny how you threw that shot in at the end of your :38 post and another in the ":49 annonymous" that followed. ;)

So I think I'll simply answer with Huck so-called "propaganda" like this..

January 12, 2011 Poll Watch:

Pennsylvania 2012 GOP Primary

•Mike Huckabee 26% (23%) {19%} [20%] (27%)
•Sarah Palin 21% (16%) {19%} [24%] (27%)
•Mitt Romney 16% (16%) {20%} [16%] (31%)
•Newt Gingrich 15% (15%) {19%} [23%]
•Tim Pawlenty 6% (2%)
•Ron Paul 5%
•Mitch Daniels 2% (2%)
•Someone else/Undecided 9% (22%)

Among Conservatives

•Mike Huckabee 27% (25%) {20%} [22%] (28%)
•Sarah Palin 23% (17%) {18%} [28%] (31%)
•Newt Gingrich 15% (15%) {22%} [24%]
•Mitt Romney 14% (15%) {21%} [14%] (28%)
•Tim Pawlenty 9% (3%)
•Ron Paul 4%
•Mitch Daniels 1% (3%)
•Someone else/Undecided 7% (19%)

Among Moderates

•Mike Huckabee 24% (17%) {16%} [16%] (24%)
•Mitt Romney 22% (16%) {20%} [22%] (39%)
•Sarah Palin 15% (15%) {21%} [15%] (20%)
•Newt Gingrich 14% (17%) {11%} [20%]
•Ron Paul 8%
•Mitch Daniels 3% (0%)
•Tim Pawlenty 1% (1%)
•Someone else/Undecided 14% (31%)

Among Men

•Sarah Palin 24% (14%) {17%} [26%] (30%)
•Mike Huckabee 22% (19%) {15%} [17%] (24%)
•Mitt Romney 18% (18%) {21%} [18%] (33%)
•Newt Gingrich 14% (19%) {27%} [23%]
•Ron Paul 6%
•Tim Pawlenty 6% (2%)
•Mitch Daniels 3% (4%)
•Someone else/Undecided 8% (22%)

Among Women

•Mike Huckabee 30% (28%) {23%} [23%] (30%)
•Sarah Palin 18% (20%) {20%} [22%] (24%)
•Newt Gingrich 17% (12%) {11%} [22%]
•Mitt Romney 15% (14%) {20%} [14%] (28%)
•Tim Pawlenty 6% (3%)
•Ron Paul 4%
•Mitch Daniels 1% (1%)
•Someone else/Undecided 10% (23%)

-Data and crosstabs analysis courtesy of The Argo Journal.

CraigRandall1 said...

As you see Romney is DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!!

Right Wingnut said...

Craig, This is what we mean by spamming. How does that relate to this thread or what was being discussed?

By the way, no thanks on the invitation to the Argo Journal.

CraigRandall1 said...

Take a shot at Huck ("propaganda..?")and you'll get the latest Huck news. Facts only. Period.

That's how I roll. And will till November '12. : )

Right Wingnut said...

That poll is fine, because it's new. I thought it was one of the other ones that you spread all over the place. Based on that poll, I'd say PA is setting up nicely for Palin since Huck is likely to sit it out this time.

Mike Huckabee: "Have a good time. I won't be there." I'm not going to jump in a pool with zero water in it."

CraigRandall1 said...

RW,

Don't take this too hard but Huck not running would be PALIN'S ONLY CHANCE.

Yes, her only chance because she can never ever ever EVER defeat Huckabee for the nomination.

I know it. You know it. C4P knows it. Everyone knows it.

Same goes for Huck over Romney. Mitt loses. Period.

Bill589 said...

I believe that if the Left and their media chose to just leave her alone in Alaska, she’d still just be the governor of Alaska. And us on the Right, would have one less voice nationally, effectively, fighting to restore our country to the conservative principles that made it great in the first place.

Boy, the Left really messed up with that decision.

Bill589 said...

Huck 2012,
You may be right; I may be crazy.
But I know there are millions of people who disagree with you.

And not only that, as a Palinista, I’d vote for Mitt over Huck.

Revolution 2012 said...

Whoever "Guess Who" is, uses an IP address from California.

Bill589 said...

Still wish ‘Guess who’ was Martha. She had a way of insulting me without pissing me off. Always fascinated me.

Revolution 2012 said...

BTW, I thought Palin made an excellent statement.

Doug NYC GOP said...

The Guess Who of today may not be Craig/Iowa, despite the familiar choice of words and writing/snarking style. However, when he discovered this site last week, he commented on a thread and in the chat box, under the name "Guess Who".

I guess with so many aliases, it's hard for this many faced (Note: not facted) individual to keep track.

Doug NYC GOP said...

Rev 10 - Excellent detective work!

Doug NYC GOP said...

Good idea going direct to the people with the FB video. A solid speech and one she should not have had to make. Thank You deranged Left- Wing Media.

Palin supporters have every right to feel pride in their candidate today.

Right Wingnut said...

Check out the quality of the Vimeo video when you go full screen. Does You Tube look that good in full screen in high def mode?

Anonymous said...

Behold. Our very own victim in chief.

CraigRandall1 said...

Gabby opened her eyes!!!

Anonymous said...

I've been saying for awhile now that Palin should do some fireside chats. I hope she continues because theis is a very presidential way to address the nation...especially since we've grown so lazy...it's much more fun to watch than it is to read. I read about the Blood Libel comment on AOL and thought..."Oh dear" but when you heard in context it was completely appropriate and a very powerful meataphor. If she keeps up these addresses I predict her skyrocketing in the polls.

jerseyrepublican