My column, "An Army of Sarahs," has triggered quite few moving e-mails, none more so than this one:
Hugh
I want to tell you why your column touched me, and one reason why I both support Sarah Palin and positively detest those who use Trig against her.
About 35 years ago, a very scared young woman gave birth to a profoundly birth-defective child. He had hydrocepahic problems and doctors said he couldn't hope to live more than six weeks.
However, this woman - one of the bravest persons I've ever met - would not give up on her hopeless son. I wish the story had a happier ending, but that boy lived for nearly four years because of his mother's unbroken will.
During all that time, however, "well-meaning" friends and family let her know that the child's birth defects were somehow her fault (if only as a judgment by an Angry God). That was a grief-born guilt she could never release.
We were married nearly a decade after her son died; we had our own son, who tragically was killed in a one-car accident (he was driving, had only had a license for 8 days, and I taught him to drive - so I know something of pain and guilt). But that original guilt was compounded by the death of our son - and years later, after "celebrating" the death of her first son and facing - in a couple of weeks - the anniversary of our son (and dealing with a depth of depression and delusion that her doctor completely missed - as did I), she sent me out to the grocery store then ended her life. I know that a loving God understands and forgives her - that gives me the strength I need to carry on.
But this is about Sarah Palin. Like my late wife, she is being blamed and judged by those - mostly people who don't know her and almost always by those who want to destroy her politically - who have no care about the crushing guilt they're trying to place on Sarah and Todd - but especially Sarah.
Ignorance is no excuse - it is only Sarah's inherent strength (and the special love that Down Syndrome kids seem to evoke and invoke) that will save her from the kind of crushing guilt that my Karol couldn't, ultimately, survive.
I KNOW what they are doing, and I KNOW what it could do to Sarah Palin. And I will neither condone nor ever forgive (let alone forget) what they are doing - and not for high moral principle gone awry, but for mean and cheap and petty political gain.
Will they in their evil hearts get the forgiveness I know my Karol received? I am in no position to second-guess God, but if He was to ask me, I'd ask him to create a special circle of Hell for all who heap the coals of guilt (for any reason) on the grieving mothers who give birth to children with live-threatening or life-altering special needs.
Thank you for what you've said - you are right, and you are right to keep saying it.
|