Oh, no! Kylie's Going To Talk Politics!

Well, sort of.

I generally keep my opinions completely to myself. I mean, outside of the Slightly Cracked house (ask my kids and they know I DO have opinions on things, like where your shoes are supposed to go and when bedtime is and that you shouldn't be touching MY stuff!).

My journalism teacher in college said I have a knack for seeing both sides of the issue. Which is wonderful for journalism, not so good for actually living your life.

This is generally why I keep my opinions to myself. I don't have any.

But lately, I have had an opinion and after I read (and left a ridiculously long comment on) Marinka's post, I figured I would share with my loyal readers as well.

Lately, some of the people I know in real life (PIKIRLs we'll call them), have asked me what I think about Sarah Palin. In turn, because of aforementioned ability to see both sides of the damn issue and not make a decision about anything, I usually have to ask for clarification. Do you mean what I think about her governing of Alaska? What I think about her "greenness"? What I think about her stance on abortion?

No. What do I think of her as a mother?

Let me set this straight. I have never met Sarah Palin. As a mother of four children myself, I do not dare to make assumptions about other people's parenting styles. I overhear enough gossip about mothers on the playground that I know I DO NOT want to be THAT gossipy person.

What I do know is that in this day and age in the United States of America, is that we are still making assumptions about women based on their reproductive functions. Would you be asking the same questions if she were a man?

I believe that she should be able to do anything that a man can do. Anything.

A PIKIRL was offended, or perhaps caught off guard by that statement. The PIKIRL said that SP's kids would want for a mother.

I turned to PIKIRL and said, "My mother died when I was a kid. I was raised by a stay at home dad, who was a stay at home dad before my mother died and was able to continue to stay home with us afterward. I DO NOT think that dads are incapable of raising children."

Did I want for a mother? Of course I did. Still do as a matter of fact.

Would it have been different had it been my father that died? Yes. I would have wanted for a father.

Why are fathers less important?

And I do stay home with my four children, because that's what my family considered to be best for us (and my husband has a job that can support us).

Not because someone else said I had to.

Because people like my mother, worked to allow women (and men)* choices. Choices to be doctors and lawyers, secretaries and stay at home moms. Choices like having a family and having a career.

Choices like running for VP.

(Gets down off soapbox and stores soapbox in the attic).

*Ask my dad how many other stay at home dads there were when he first stayed home (early 80s). Yeah, it was just him. Now he's a stay at home grandpa. He made that choice too.