Sarah Palin, You Betcha...

I just finished watching the English Channel 4 documentary on Sarah Palin.

I sort of felt sorry for Sarah. I'm sure if she saw the documentary she would cringe, say that it was biased, untrue, out to get her etc etc. But deep deep down, being honest with herself, she would see some truth. Yet I couldn't help thinking that when we deny that we are less than perfect, we deny our humanity. Maybe its an American political thing to never admit fault, certainly with character. (Except obviously when sexual scandels arise which seem often!)

I couldn't help thinking that the way she treated people stemmed from her Christian culture of her most formative years which she was part of Pentecostal. Dualistic in nature: you are either in our out. Boundaries are very well defined. If you are not with us, on the same page on even the smallest detail you are not with us. People agree, and if they don't they stay quiet or leave.

Certainly it works in Church culture some of the largest denominations and Churches are built on dualism. But bringing it into politics just doesn't work as the documentary shows. It just ends of up causing broken relationships, enemys and distrust. Exactly the opposite to what the Gospels were about.

 

 

Alaska, Sue Saliba

Alaska, Sue Saliba

There were three reason that I picked up this book:

1. Alaska, one of the last of the great wildernesses.
2. A continuation of my reading theme of young adult literature
3. Sue Saliba, a local to Phillip Island, who I've meet a couple of times

At first I struggled with the book, I couldn't get my head around no CAPITALS. It actually made reading difficult. I knew there was some literary reason but it wasn't until I reflected that there was some turmoil for the reader (At least myself) having not capitals; much like the main character, Mia.

Like a good movie a book which keeps you thinking about it after it has finished, is good. There were many themes which got me thinking; the idea of trying to escape a bad situation only to find that there is no escape, even thousands of miles away; compromises and what is worth fighting for and what isn't. It brought up questions in my own life, asking the same questions about what is important and how much I'd fight and how much I'd let pass by.

There where also some great quotes in the book:

"you can't have beauty without danger..."you can't have life and absolute safety"

Its very reminiscent to the quote but Whilliam Shed "A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for. "

Its a good book, like I've written; it had me thinking afterwards. It has that feel of a book where the author was deliberate with every word; a precious commodity in todays literature. Even if at time it seemed a bit flowery.

4/5