In the world of politics mud is flung in all directions and during an election season that mud moves at the speed of light, leaving no participant unsullied.

While this is true for all candidates, we have seen more mud hurled at the women politics in a manner as vicious and immature as the best episodes of Jerry Springer have to offer.

I would point to the ‘mainstream’ media yet again as the foe of these women in their coverage as well as perpetuating falsehoods against them. No one woman has taken more crap from the Left, Dems, Women’s Advocacy groups and the like than Sarah Palin.

Palin evokes a very strong negative reaction from the Left. Equally as strong or even stronger than the positive reaction she brings out in the Right.

Folks in the Center sometimes agree with her, but often find themselves wondering about what they see on tv or read in papers. For example, the Left has chosen to target her for which can be anything from how she talks to her speech at a Tea Party Rally that gave reference to partying like it’s 1773 and was then re-tweeted by the historically challenged.

Misconceptions about Palin run amok with most not being able to articulate exactly why they dislike her so much.  I conducted a little experiment over a few months in asking people who hate Palin exactly why exactly they felt negatively about her. Conversely, when coming across a person who liked Palin, I asked them to tell me why they felt positively about her. The answers from this experiment are incorporated into this blog post as a top Palin ‘myths and/or rumors’.

1. Palin banned books when she was Mayor of Wasilla.

False. A citizen of the township had requested to the library that a book be banned. They were refused and took the case to the Mayor’s office. Palin’s office inquired as to the complaint and also to the procedure how complaints of that nature were handled. At no time was a book banned nor did any such request come from Palin. A good piece listing where the source of this rumor came from is here.

2.  She’s anti-abortion.

True. With the exception being the mother’s life being in jeopardy, Palin is pro-life, however she has not let her personal belief set color her decisions while Governor of Alaska.

Proof of such is her refusal to call a special legislative council when a pro-life amendment was brought forward. She cited it was her personal belief that abortion was not right and would not object if Roe v. Wade was overturned, however it should be for the States to decide.

Her stance on abortion is not a new one on the Republican side of the party line but it has women’s groups up in arms over it. Somehow they feel betrayed by Palin. Whether it be because she is a woman and by default should be pro-choice or because she really lives by that belief as evidenced in continuing her pregnancy of Trig, her youngest son who has Downs Syndrome, is up in the air. It could be a combination of both really. I found that this opinion was held more by women I spoke to than men.

Of those women I spoke to, those with religious inclinations agreed with Palin’s stance on the issue more often than not. Those with little or no religious affiliation were particularly incensed by this position. Perhaps the underlying religious ties to the Pro-Life moment are the issue and not necessarily Palin herself. This was a question I then posed to those who opposed Palin’s stance and was met most often with the response ‘Well, yeah I guess” or “Maybe that’s part of it”.

There was a general disapproval of Palin’s degree of religious devotion overall in their answers.  The hypocrisy that they could hate her for her personal life choices and allow it to color their knowledge of her as a candidate while Palin effectively kept those personal life choices out of her governing was interesting.

3.  She hasn’t got enough experience.

False. The fact is, she has more governing experience than Obama who held a senate seat for one term and was previously a community organizer as the major stand outs of his resume.

Palin was the first woman Mayor of Wasilla as well as the first woman Governor of Alaska. Her victory over the incumbant could be characterized as  a ‘trouncing’.

Prior to Mayor, she was also on the City Council and served on the PTA. Alaska, under her stewardship, managed to squirrel away nearly 6 million dollars to pad the coffers should oil royalties drop.

For those of you unfamiliar with Alaska’s budgeting, the state has no sales or income tax but uses oil  to fund close to 90% of the state budget. That is no easy task, period. Alaska had been struggling in years prior in large part due to lower oil prices. Palin’s move to stash this cash away for potential future rainy days as well as the cuts she made in many divisions of government and in state projects put Alaska back in the black. With surpluses on hand, she was able to work with the legislature to move forward on infrastructure projects as well as issue rebates to the citizens of Alaska while not touching the reserve funding.

4. She’s a quitter. She resigned as Governor.

False and True. She did resign. That is the true part.

The false part is she is a quitter which even a blind man living under a rock for the last two years can see. Palin has proven to be determined and steadfast in her promises to bring America back to its principles and roots.

Her backing of the Tea Party this election cycle has shown just how much drive and mojo this woman really has. Her message of patriotism, smaller government and less spending has reached the ears of many that before shunned and poked fun of her.

She in part has Obama and Pelosi to thank for that as much as her own charisma; of the 64 candidates Palin made endorsements for, 32 won.

She finished her term on City Council, as Mayor and then while Governor she ran for Vice President (the 2nd woman to do so in history) yet she’s a quitter?

Let’s examine this claim. When I probed those touting this opinion they cited her resignation as Governor as proof. I went back and read up on it somewhat to refresh my memory but came away with the same information.

Palin arguably acted responsibly in stepping down and allowing the Lieutenant Governor to assume authority stemming from several factors, one major one being the numerous lawsuits piling up. Both expensive in terms of money and time, Palin recognized them as such and removed the cost of defending her  from the taxpayers of Alaska in resigning.

A closer look at the lawsuits shows they range all over the board and from a multitude of complainants, the latest of which comes from a blogger known as Celtic Diva who alleges the Governor abused her position by wearing a jacket that had the sponsor of her husband’s Iron Dog team on it at the Iron Dog Snow machine race.

Visiting the page of said blogger, it becomes clear where her loyalties lie and it isn’t for the good of Alaska but rather the defamation and defeat of Sarah Palin. One only has to google ‘Alaskan Mafia’ to figure out where the rest of the suits keep cropping up from, but never count out the democrats.

Of course ‘Troopergate‘ was mentioned. The perception out there is still that Palin was found guilty in that charge against her dismissal of her ex-brother-in-law from the Alaska State Troopers.

The reason people believe that might stem from the headlines that read “Troopergate: Palin Power Abuse” or any variety and combination of those words when in reality the charges and allegations pushed by the Dem controlled and directed legislature were overturned by the Alaska State Personnel Board the day before the 2008 election.

None of those I spoke with were aware Palin filed the documentation for the ethics proceedings on herself in keeping with her belief in holding your officials accountable, including herself…but you know, she’s a quitter right? Right.

5. She’s just a stupid beauty queen who is clinging to her guns and religion and the way she talks annoys me.

False, True, True, True and Wow really, so do you?

Holding 3 separate offices and being asked to run for Vice President. Yeah, she must be really stupid.

She is a former Beauty pageant participant and winner. She entered many of them to help pay for college and was also named Miss Congeniality in 1984.

She is a christian and believes in the Bible and how it is important to the founding of our nation. She is non-denominational in her belief and is pro-prayer as evidenced by her  push for a national prayer day in Alaska. Somehow it has become a dirty thing to be a christian?

I asked those who objected to her religious ties why they felt that way and versions of objections about ‘separation of Church and State’ came out. I pointed out that we have freedom of religion and not freedom from religion in this country. Religion is woven into this country but it does not require you follow one to experience its freedoms, only that you respect its roots.

She is an avid hunter and has a great love of the outdoors. She is a registered gun owner with a strong believe and advocacy for gun owner rights.

Those opposed to guns overall have never been mugged or lived with a sketchy neighbor next door probably. Nor have they ever hunted other than in Whole Foods.

Hunting is a choice as is owning a gun. Both of which are freedoms you have to participate in..or not. Disparaging Palin for these lifestyle choices while turning a blind eye to Obama and his cigarettes and golfing during crises flies in the face of the logic for even the biggest Obamaite.

The way she talks is annoying huh? I asked if it was the tone or what she said that was annoying. The reply I got back was a mix of both but the comment, and I paraphrase a bit here, that made me chuckle was that she sounds ‘like a political version of Rachel Ray”.

I kind of understand what they mean. Palin has developed catch phrases and used colloquialisms from her native Alaska in her speeches. However much you dislike them though, one must admit the impression and staying power they have and if one is going to dislike a candidate based on that alone then they deserve the candidate they do approve of…oh ,you betcha!