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Why The Elites Hate Sarah Palin
Nancy Morgan
RightBias.com
June 2, 2011
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The media is in a frenzy and elite pundits are all atwitter. Why? Because Sarah
Palin refuses to let them define her. As Palin puts it, "I don't owe the media anything."
The political and media elites on both left and right are rising up in anger at
former Governor Sarah Palin. Stories abound, all negative, about this American citizen whose message
resonates with ordinary citizens yet doesn't conform to the current political and
media template.
By all rights, Palin should be kowtowing to the media. Doesn't she know that? Instead,
this upstart dares to ignore the unwritten rules governing political behavior. Palin
is playing by her own rules and that just isn't done.
In the elite world of the old media, any contender for public office must give due
deference to the unwritten and ever-changing rules of political correctness. The
sacred cows of diversity, multiculturalism and social justice cannot be ignored.
And the media is the only one allowed to define the issues (thereby winning
the debate by default).
But Sarah Palin has her own agenda. And whatever her agenda is, it most certainly
doesn't fit into the template the media and political elites have insisted upon.
This is not only unacceptable, it is downright dangerous.
When Palin resigned as Governor of Alaska, the media immediately defined her decision
as a failure to fulfill the obligations of her office. That was only explanation
the media allowed the American public to consider. Palin, seeing the writing on
the wall after months of negative and scurrilous attacks by the media, rightly deduced
that her remaining time in office would be spent countering frivolous legal and
media attacks instead
of governing. So she quit.
Palin understood that while in public office, one is constrained by politics and
media. One must play by certain unwritten rules, rules that would have deliberately
silenced or distorted her message. She rightly deduced that she was in a lose-lose
situation. She exited the political arena. She refused to play the game, knowing
the deck was stacked against her. I call her decision courageous and I applaud her.
"Television made Barack Obama. Television supported bigger and bigger government,
from welfare to health care; pushed abortion-on-demand and the radical gay agenda
into the mainstream; it stumped against war and for meaningless buzzwords like diversity
and dangerous buzzwords like multiculturalism. Television has done more to change
the politics of our nation than simple politics has."
Sarah Palin realizes this. The media is not on her side. And she rightly refuses
to give them the ability to define her. She is more than capable of defining herself,
through her own words and actions. She has the courage of her convictions and, thanks
to social media, the ability to convey them, unfiltered by a hostile press. No wonder
the press hates her.
The media, like myself, has no idea what Sarah Palin's agenda is. Lacking concrete
facts, the media automatically assumes her motives include gaining political power.
They have completely overlooked the fact that Palin already has more than enough
influence and political power to participate in (and possibly prevail) in our national
debate. That this influence is not subject to constraints from either politicians
or the media is unprecedented. And dangerous.
I believe Palin realizes that real change is almost impossible within the existing
political system. It could be argued that right now, Sarah Palin has more ability
to influence political outcomes than does the president of the United States. So
why should she play by rules that have been set up by those already in power, rules
that are designed to keep them in power? Rules that place her at a great dis-advantage.
Palin is like millions of Americans. Americans who are tired of the futile attempts
to change the system from within. I believe Palin's goal is the goal of millions
- to bring about positive change. And she has found that one does not have to be an elected
official in order to do this. She directly threatens the status quo and
the good old boy system. If she continues to prevail, she will prove it is possible
to be effective working outside the system. And this can not be allowed.
Palin has rightly decided not to kowtow to the media and political elites. Her tactics
and message resonate with a large segment of America. The segment that still
believes in the greatness of America and the ability of individuals to accomplish
the impossible.
Palin proves it is possible to change the system from without. She proves it is
possible for one un-elected American to effect real change. Just think what would
happen if others decided to follow her example. No wonder the elites hate her.
Nancy Morgan is a columnist and
news editor for conservative news site RightBias.com
She lives in South Carolina.
This article was first published by
American Thinker on June 1, 2011
Article may be reprinted, with attribution
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