Open Letter on "A Vote for Sarah Palin"

The following is a response to this inquiry:

A Vote for Sarah Palin
Posted by Joseph Bottum on September 3, 2008, 12:27 PM

Has everyone read “A Vote for Sarah Palin,” the Daily Article here at First Things this morning? I’m not sure what to make of the nomination and would be interested in your thoughts. Email us here [ft@firstthings.com].

The response is here:

The nomination of Sarah Palin brings one word to mind: courage. No wonder you and other people are “not sure what to make of the nomination” since the observation of apparent courage prompts the observer to interpret the action as real courage or real stupidity. The interpretation may take a short term or long term to develop. In the nomination of Sarah Palin, it will probably take the outcome of the election to tell if it was a courageous or stupid act.

I suggest that the nomination was a truly courageous act for two main reasons. First, it showed that if Senator McCain becomes President, he will be able to make decisions with courage, determination, and with the nation’s interest at heart. He showed that even though safe choices can be made without the threat of reprisals, such as picking an obvious person such as Governor Romney or Mayor Giuliani to be Vice President, there are better choices to be made that will probably be looked upon as foolish by the self-labeled experts.

Second, he chose a running mate that personifies courage. Governor Palin carried to term a down-syndrome baby who, statistically, most other people would kill by abortion. She showed her courage by bucking most of society in making the right decision not to destroy her son. She demonstrated courage by supporting her daughter in making the right decision to bring her child and grandson to term. How many other woman and mothers would give in to fear and abort all their unexpected children?

It will only be a short few weeks before all of us know if President or Senator McCain made a courageous or stupid decision in choosing Governor Sarah Palin for the next Vice President of the United States of America.