I’ve formed a hypothesis that political damage-control is really about managing the stages of grief. Rumors of a Palin divorce are only interesting to me as a study in deconstruction; I am testing my theory. To wit: the Sarah Palin Express whistled right past Denial Station Saturday and shot straight towards Anger City in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The conservative blogosphere outed the pseudonymous blogger yesterday evening with lots of self-congratulations. His Facebook page was reproduced online. Yes, it is shoot-the-messenger time as they dehumanize and demonize him:
During the day, the mysterious beast is a major influence on young minds in an Anchorage kindergarten. At night, he spews hatred, venom and lies — mostly directed at former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, her husband Todd and their five children. No wonder so many Alaskans are home schooling their kids. Were we in the 49th State,we wouldn’t want such a creature shaping the minds of our precious offspring, either. (Emphasis mine)
Palin’s lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, publicly vowed to sue the blogger if the offending post was not removed by 3 pm Saturday. But so far, he has taken no action. This is the fourth time in three weeks he has made such empty threats.
Why no follow-through? My gut tells me that it’s a simple fact about American law: truth is a defense against libel. Gryphen remains adamant that his sources are solid, saying:
Van Flein is forcing me to make an admission that I have resisted addressing for the four plus years I have had this blog.Yes I DO work in a Kindergarten class during the school year. My main job affords me some time during the day and I have chosen to use it teaching children to read, and helping them to become more independent. I do it because it brings me joy to work with these children and I believe, and have been told, that I am very good at it.Hopefully that does not diminish me in the eyes of my visitors.I NEVER discuss politics with my children and they have no idea, nor do most of the adult staff, that I am a blogger. Because to be honest that might diminish me in THEIR eyes.So thanks to Van Flein you now know my dirty little secret. I am an assistant teacher in a room full of five year old children.Understanding my love for my job and my desire to protect my children from a potentially frightening encounter, Van Flein threatened to serve my summons “at the kindergarten where you assist”. He did not say the “school where you work”, he specifically mentioned my classroom in order to frighten me into compliance. Why else would he have said that?
Gryphen’s entire post is worth reading.
Next stop for Teh Train Wreck™: bargaining. This promises to be the most entertaining portion, as some details become self-evidently true and the Palins are forced to redraw the limits of their narrative.
More as this story develops.
