Politics, Tacos, and Refried Beans

For as long as I can remember, my family has always done three things: farm, fight, and follow politics. Farmers are an independent lot and if pressed will go to battle for what is right. It never occurred to me as a ten-year-old that there was something unique about taking legal, political, or judicial action against an entity that destroyed or defrauded an individual's property or possessions. If there was something amiss in our town, county or state, the Smiths took action. It was something that flowed in our blood like the freedom of farm air. We were Smiths. And Smiths fought.

These "battles" were waged on many fronts. Some of the skirmishes included city council members, school superintendents, and grocery store baggers. All out war was waged against the water, cotton, and land barons of the area. Analysis and discussion of all of the above was lunch-time fare and the subject of long stories, heated discussions, and always much laughter, generally directed towards the foibles of the most current "villain." Inevitably, a farm-fresh side of politics was served with the meal and often as not, was the main dish.

We voted, petitioned, called our senators, and wrote letters to the editor. That was just life. It was what we did. It was who we were. But we weren't political for politic's sake. We were political because it was the only way we knew to protect and defend our normal, everyday sort of life.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones. Last night as I watched the Vice Presidential Debate I realized that Republican VP Candidate Sarah Palin would fit naturally in our family circle. She grew up in a small town, worked her way through college and eventually got married and started a family. She and her husband owned their own business and she shuttled her kids to and from sports practice. Apparently, she decided to take a stand in her community for what she believed was right and became a city council member. All very normal, every day sort of stuff.

From council member, she advanced to mayor. From mayor to governor. From governor to VP candidate. Now she is running for the second most powerful post in our nation. And yet, she could be our neighbor who sometimes drops in for politics, tacos, and refried beans. She's a mom who "wouldn't take nothin' from nobody" in regards to what she thinks is important for her family, her town, her state, and her nation.

Sounds like a lot of women I know and the kind I want to be. Which is why I must make the following confession. Even though I have Smith blood running in my veins, I get weary of politics. I vote and I call and e-mail my senators, but I don't picket or write letters or anything that takes me outside my comfort zone. A sort of passive rebellion I guess you could say.

Watching last night's debate changed that. If Governor Sarah Palin, small town wife and mother of five, who didn't go to an Ivy League School, doesn't have a post-graduate degree, and wasn't born into an independently wealthy family can make a difference in her world, and possibly throughout the world, so can I, and so can we all. Governor Palin's passion, courage, and commitment inspires me and I hope and pray that because of it my relatively laissez-faire approach to politics will be a thing of the past. Her humble, can-do spirit is 100% American and will be a blessing and an empowering force for our nation and our world.

If you didn't get a chance to watch the debate, it's definitely worth your time. You can watch it here.