By Meg Jalsevac
JUNEAU, Alaska, September 2, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The McCain campaign’s announcement of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice-President choice has sent the political realm in America nation spinning. Many conservatives reacted quickly, praising McCain’s decision and voicing staunch support for the reinvigorated McCain-Palin ticket. Likewise, McCain opponents were quick to hit the airwaves slamming Palin as “extreme” and “rigid.”
Palin’s record stands for itself. Governor Sarah Palin is a pro-life, pro-family mother of 5 who lives out the beliefs in her own life that she avows in her political career.
Palin was born in Idaho but raised in Alaska. Given the nickname “Sarah Barracuda” because of her ferociously competitive nature, she led her high school basketball team to win the championship title in 1982 – all with a fractured ankle. Even in high school, Palin’s leadership skills were apparent as she led the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In 1984, Palin was first runner-up in the Miss Alaska beauty competition and won the Miss Congeniality award for her personable and endearing manner. Palin graduated from the University of Idaho in 1987 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication-Journalism.
As previously reported on LifeSiteNews, Governor Palin married an Alaska native, Todd Palin and the couple considers themselves “blessed” with 5 children – the youngest of whom was born in April of this year with Down Syndrome. Palin commented after her son’s birth, “[W]e feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives.” Governor Palin and her family attend the Wasilla Bible Church in their hometown and Palin describes herself as a “non-denominational Christian.”
Palin’s first major role in politics came about in 1996 when she won an election to become mayor of her small town of Wasilla, Alaska. According to Time magazine, Palin weathered criticism from the very beginning of her political career for her strong pro-life views, when some locals thought that her campaign should have focused on “roads, not abortion.” But as one blogger stated today, “Sarah created her own story and political career. No family wealth, no father in politics, no husband to bounce a political career off. She did it all on her own.”
When term-limits prevented Palin from running for a third term as mayor, Palin refused to give an endorsement to her reportedly pro-abortion mother-in law, Faye Palin. Faye lost the election to a pro-life woman who had received Palin’s endorsement.
Palin’s moral convictions continued in her gubernatorial race. At the time, Palin informed the Eagle Forum that she would not support explicit sex-education during her tenure. Palin’s campaign platform also focused on anti-corruption and fiscal responsibility to the citizens of Alaska.
As well as championing the unborn, Palin does not back down when it comes to defending traditional family life. According to her campaign website in 2006, Governor Palin stated, “I am pro-life and I believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.” In the same year, the Anchorage Daily News reported that Palin opposed stem-cell research, euthanasia and state-health benefits for homosexual couples. Palin supported the 1998 Marriage amendment which defined marriage as between one man and one woman.
After the surprise announcement of her selection as the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, Palin was quoted in NewsMax as saying, “I’m pro-life. I’ll do all I can to see every baby is created with a future and potential. The legislature should do all it can to protect human life.” Pro-life advocates around the globe have expressed excitement at the Palin candidacy.
As reported in today’s LifeSiteNews, Sarah Palin has handed down her pro-life beliefs to her young daughter, Bristol who, at the age of 17 and unmarried, has decided to give her unborn child the gift of life. In their official statement on the matter, the Palins seemed far from the “rigid” label attributed to Sarah Palin by liberal critics, but instead assured their young daughter that she had their “unconditional love and support.”
Despite her political prowess and now international intrigue, Sarah Palin refers to herself as an “everyday hockey mom.” She is known to like hunting, fishing, running, flying and, fitting for a resident of Alaska, a plentitude of winter sports. She is a card-carrying member of Feminists for Life and the National Rifle Association.
See Governor Palin’s views on a host of issues:
https://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
See Governor Palin’s position on abortion:
https://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Sarah_Palin_Abortion.htm