Oct 08 2008
Is Sarah Palin the Voice of America’s Heartland?
Is Sarah Palin the voice of America’s heartland? Is she the voice of Main Street Moms everywhere? In the recent vice presidential debate she went on and on about being straight with the America people and tried to lull them to sleep with feel good platitudes that she thought soccer and hockey moms everywhere would appreciate. But the opposite is likely the reality.
Many American moms would say that she is not their voice. She doesn’t understand the struggles the average mom faces in today’s financial climate. Sure she was the mayor of Wasilla, but does that one obscure small town in Alaska represent the everyday environment of America’s true Main Street Moms? Some would say no, most would give a resounding NO! Neither Wasilla, nor Sarah Palin represent Main Street Moms.
What does the mom whose husband has just lost his job in the recent economic downturn do? She may carry the burden of being the sole provider until her husband gets another job. What does the single mom who is doing it all have in common with Sarah Palin’s Wasilla soccer and hockey moms? It’s certainly not empty-headed rhetoric and simple hokey slogans that puts food on the table.
American moms are a diverse group of women with many different qualities which makes them distinct, different than the usual suspects. Women from different races, cultural backgrounds, education, and interest make up Main Street Moms. Not all mothers have kids that play hockey and soccer. Not all moms are interested in those sports either. Many moms have children who play the cello, drums, basketball, chess, and numerous other activities. So sorry Sarah Palin, they can’t relate and you don’t equate.
American moms are concerned about making ends meet and meeting their children’s needs. They are concerned about adequate schools, nutritious meals, their aging parents, and spending quality time with their loved ones. Safety in school, at the mall, on the plane is in the forefront of their minds because they live in a time where terrorist issues are very real.
American moms are corporate executives, stay at home, blue collar, and work at home moms who are concerned about their jobs, retirement fund, and gas prices. They often don’t have the luxury of having a nanny, maid, or driver to take care of all their extraneous needs.
American moms, the main street women – who Sarah Palin wants to relate – too are incredibly intelligent, educated, and capable of juggling many tasks because they have to do it to sustain their families. Many moms are dealing with illnesses, disabilities, and mental challenges all while managing the housework, childcare, and homework because they are going back to school. They want a better life and better paying job because their job just got cut and shipped overseas.
Does Sarah Palin really understand what it means to be a Main Street Mom? Maybe she did at one time, but the times and circumstances have change considerably since she was just a regular mom. Her small world of Wasilla is vastly different from where most moms come from. Has she had to fight with rush hour traffic each day in cites like Los Angeles and Atlanta? Has she been affected by drive-by shootings because she lives in a high-crime neighborhood in cities like Philly and St. Louis? Has she been scared to death that her children might be shot because her they sit next to unstable kids in schools like Colombine in Colorado?
The issues on the minds of American moms are healthcare, the economy, education, and national security. Being a soccer or hockey mom is not the description of every mom in America. Main Street Moms care about the issues which affect their lives every day. They aren’t willing to be pacified and lulled into thinking that a few feel good slogans and platitudes are enough to be fit to lead this country we call America, where every major city has a “Main Street” and there’s probably a mom on it right now!
(c) 2008 Samantha Gregory
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