Why Sarah Palin Will Never Lead the Religious Right

[marmar]

AlterNet / By Sarah Posner

Why Sarah Palin Will Never Lead the Religious Right
Despite her claim to a conservative form of feminism, Sarah Palin will never lead the religious right for one simple reason: She's a woman.

June 24, 2010 |


To the Republican base, Sarah Palin represents many things: a trailblazer for female candidates, a "pro-life" stalwart, a devoted mother, an athletic superstar, a moose hunter extraordinaire and a stylish crowd-pleaser unafraid to speak her conservative mind.

But for a segment of the Republican base -- the religious right -- Palin represents something more divine: a heaven-sent, conservative answer to the sort of feminism claimed by liberal women. But while Palin's call for the "Mama Grizzlies" of the conservative movement to roar their version of feminism does get that part of the base riled up, Palin will never rise to be more than a motivational leader of the religious right.

In her Newsweek cover story, "Saint Sarah," Lisa Miller wrote, "The Christian right is now poised to become a women's movement -- and Sarah Palin is its earthy Jerry Falwell."

That's a major prediction, and not one that is suggested either by the past or the present.

Palin, it's true, has a certain star power that other religious right women lack. To her fellow Pentecostals and charismatics, especially, Palin is "anointed" -- a figure sent by God to perform his will. But that's very different from being the organizational leader of a movement. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/news/147289/why_sarah_palin_will_never_lead_the_religious_right/

[Scuba]

1. Anyone claiming to be 'Christian' while also ....

...adhering to right-wing doctrine is a hypocrite.

[cap]

2. If we do not get some Real Feminists out there

these dips--- will define it for us. We don't have mediagenic women out there defining feminism... nobody's talking about equal pay, subsidized day care, comparable worth, promotions, ambition.

No one is outing these so-called mama grizzlies as promoting a life where you toil for a pittance for the rest of your life supporting men in the work place. Where busting public unions and charters schools means a return to the days when teachers and nurses were paid like babysitters and had no health care and retirement. How about being paid a living wage so you can make it on one job and be home for the kids? How about a little stability in the workplace that might ease the strain on marriages. These mama grizzlies aren't such strong individualists as they claim to be... They are relying on their female relatives to pick up the slack. I don't want their life where I am expected to be the stopgap for everyone's health issues...

[Jefferson23]

3. Very interesting piece, recommend. n/t

[Alcibiades]

4. She's a politician, not a preacher

She's perfectly suited to lead the political wing of the religious right.