Sarah Palin delivered a very uneven speech on leaving the gubernatorial office. Toward the end of the address, Palin gets really good, dropping the ever-present meandering paeans to the military and speaking forcefully, fiercely and naturally to principles. Unfortunately, the lion’s share of the address is packed with non sequiturs and mindless militarism.

No doubt, when Palin talks shop, she’s knowledgeable and smart. Her stupidity and, hence, failure lie in forgetting her strengths, relinquishing the source of her strength (the office), and opting for strategists and theatrics instead. If only Palin were capable of steering clear of these pitfalls and sticking to a set of principles and issues.

Let us deconstruct:

How refreshing it would be for this non-believer if freelancer Sarah Palin, the believer, opened her prolix speeches with a little prayer, instead of the Ode to the military. But like McMussolini, her former running mate, the mighty Military is part of the Palin shtick. The military is not superior to the rest of us, Madam.

After the initial devotional to that false deity, Palin launched into serious gobbledygook. I cannot for the life of me repeat its essence or untangle it, despite having watched the clip (hereunder). Something about the wonders of Alaska’s natural beauty. And who is coaching Palin to speak in that sing-song demented tone? Early in Palin’s run for VP, I heard a strategist mention the need to attenuate the tone of the voice. That was on the heels of a solid performance at the Republican Convention. Since then, her delivery has become completely phony, cacophonous, and positively cringe-making.

Then from the paeans to the rivers and rivulets of Alaska, Palin reverted right back to the military that defends this last, vast frontier. Nutso. Some strategist ditz told her to keep bringing it back to Our Men and Women in the Military. And all the time that voice rising and falling, and the run-on sentences following in quick succession sans commas or full stops.

Oh, here’s one “argument” Palin made that I actually got: A lot of people are indulging in pessimism and “American apologetics,” suggesting our greatest days are behind us. But how can this be, goes Palin’s non sequitur, if we have as proof of our greatness, wait for this… the greatest volunteers in the world: the effing military.

Actually the non sequitur is worse than the fascistic worship of the army, for how is an army proof of greatness? By that logic, any nation with a large volunteer force is great.

Now to something original: Palin tells a tale of a visit to some military do, in honor of three poor youngsters who gave their lives for OUR LIVES. Speak for yourself lady. I owe nothing to the men and women of the US Military. My deepest appreciation belongs to the likes of Ramos and Compean and to this brave young man, who gave his life defending our borders with no backup and no automatic weapons with which to battle real enemies. But to men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan? You gotta be kidding. The day they lay down their arms in mutiny against feeding off me and mine, and for the sake of empire and other fiefdoms—that’ll be the day I thank the military.

Okay, now I am moved to curse as badly as professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. at Sgt. James Crowley. Freedom of speech and the press brought Palin straight back to the military; those paragons of all that is good and fine in the nation, who are willing to die for a press that abuses the privilege it was granted.

Mindless money quote (directed at the media):

“In honor of the American solder, quit making things up.”

(Sure; if you’ll button-up …)

Toward the end, Palin gets good, making stellar points about the oil and gas resource, and the urgent need to commercialize this resource, which, in accordance with the Alaskan constitution, belongs to the people, but is currently controlled by Washington. She links all her policies to a constitutional mandate. About wild-life management Palin says what she ought to have said after being filmed against the backdrop of the poultry “massacre” (speaking of “apologetics”; that was all she mustered at the time).

Real money quote:

“You are going to see anti-hunting, anti-Second Amendment circuses from Hollywood.” (Now I’m cheering. If only this woman could stay on an even keel.)

Another great line:

“Hollywood needs to know: We eat therefore we hunt.”

Bravo!

So far the first part of the address. You are welcome to take over and precis the rest. (As always, top marks for a dazzling smile and beautiful cheekbones.)

Update I (July 28): I appreciate Sean’s sentiments in the Comments section, and apologize if I expressed myself stridently about the military. It was not meant as a personal affront to some very fine men: the best. I believe that because our society is a feminized one, men with qualities I value a great deal, but society doesn’t–men with disciplined, keen minds and bodies and a sense of honor and duty—find a haven in the military. However, by now it must be clear to any thinking individual that American politics are rotten to the core. Volunteer for the border patrol, the POLICE, the minutemen, or your local neighborhood watch—defend your OWN women and children, kith and kin from the wild animals, human and beast, let loose among your loved ones by the Wicked Ones—but do not throw your weight with Uncle Sam’s military.

We all have free will. If any judging is to be rendered in the afterlife, it will encompass those who choose to subserviently serve the wicked and their wicked projects. Voluntary recruits to evil are certainly not exempt from judgment here on earth. Draftees to the armed service are to be consider kidnapped and held against their will. Whether it is done by a conglomerate or a single entity, kidnapping is a crime.

In might interest devout Christians, who claim to have served their country in Iraq, that—as this skeptic of the government’s ability to design a free society has warned—most Christians have fled Iraq.

I do not want to get off topic (and I won’t be posting comments on fractional reserve banking when the topic is Palin), but under Saddam, although, “Christians did not have full rights … there was relative stability in the country. Christians were … often well educated and became doctors or engineers or civil servants and made up a significant portion of Iraq’s middle class.” Now they’re being ethnically cleansed from the land or killed.

Stop serving the state. And if Sarah exacts such servility, support a superior republican: Ron Paul. Tell Sarah that you’re a sovereign being who scrapes and bows to no one, not even to the United States Military.

Update II: A shout-out to my local police. I had a good encounter with one this morning. As I worked, there was a loud knock on the door. I seldom answer. So I continued working. Then I heard a voice from the back of the house. I got up and there was a spiffy young man in a blue uniform. He told me that the 911 dispatch had received a call from my address. I assured him I had not called. He called dispatch, retrieved the number and asked if it was familiar. It was not. He asked how long I had resided here. He then asked for a number where he could reach me in case he discovered anything untoward, but concluded that the caller might have resided here before we did, and that there was no reason for alarm. I was impressed with his manners and with the way he did not just walk away when it was obvious no one was in distress, but dug a bit to satisfy himself I was in no real danger. I’ve written about police brutality, but one must not forget that there are very many fine officers who want simply to serve and protect their communities. (Here I go straying from the topic after admonishing posters for doing the same.)

Update III: Folks, I have to conclude–and the evidence bears me out–that I have a soft spot for Palin. I am simply never as hard on her as are some of the commentators on this blog. Perhaps it’s because, politics aside—as Pat, who has a complete crush on her, once quipped—”she’s A terrific gal.” And I a good judge of character. Yes, the limelight blinded Palin, but she’s still a splendid specimen of a woman (not a politician).

“The evidence” from the Articles Archives:

# The Obama Presidency: Hamiltonian Curse, Marxist Mess, Or Both? (Part II) 11/6/2008
# The Left’s Gallery of Cretins 10/17/2008
# Who’s Stupid? Not Sarah 10/10/2008
# McMussolini 9/12/2008
# Sensational Sarah

Update IV (July 29): Sarah Palin BEAT POET. William Shatner appeared on the “Tonight Show” and set Sarah’s Ode to Alaska to the appropriate beat-poetry rhythm, as it was intended.

Update V: A WOMAN’S WORTH. Palin, as I said, has little value as a national politician who can do what Paul can do for the country. But is she a “worthless” human being? In conflating her life’s achievements with her public persona and lackluster run for national office, individuals show some serious shallowness—almost as though they’ve succumbed to the prevalent notion that there is no life outside the bloody Beltway.

Palin is a terrific specimen of a woman. Would that there were more disciplined, gun-toting, hunting, energetic local leaders like this lady in my state. She’s not a philosopher or a thinker; but she should be the Gold Standard for the all-American archetype of a woman (and not the vacuous California toothy booby bimbo).
I’ve watched her adoring interactions with her husband too (very important). Women can learn from her how to treat good men. Most important: You know a woman’s worth by the good men who love and have loved her.