Barack Obama and Sarah Palin: A Contrast in Freedom

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:00 pm

This 4th of July long weekend provides us with a chance to examine our freedom, and how our leaders view freedom, specifically Barack Obama and self styled shadow president Sarah Palin. Examining Palin and Obama side by side paints an interesting contrast. In 2010, Obama put out a statement praising the, “enduring spirit of America,” while in 2009 Palin took to Twitter to and threatened to sue the entire Internet.

Here is what Obama said, in a statement released on Friday, about Independence Day, “Today we celebrate the 234th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of a great experiment, American democracy. In every corner of our country, we recall the valor and vision of patriots from Thirteen Colonies who declared independence from a powerful empire and gave birth to a new Nation. We gather in town centers and wave flags in parades not only to recall this history we share, but also to honor the vibrant and enduring spirit of America established on this day.”

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The President paid tribute to the Founding Fathers, “For those gallant first Americans, such a Nation as ours may have seemed like an unattainable dream. Their concept was revolutionary: a government of, by, and for the people. Yet, our Founders’ tenacity, resolve, and courage in the face of seemingly impossible odds became the bedrock of our country. That essence has permeated our land and inspired generations of Americans to explore, discover, and redefine the outer reaches of our infinite potential. It has become the foundation of the American dream.”

Obama didn’t leave out the current Americans who are bravely defending our freedom, “This dream has not come without tremendous cost. From the farmers and tradesmen who served in militias during our American Revolution to the present day women and men protecting our Nation around the world, the sacrifices of our Armed Forces have been extraordinary. Today we pay tribute to our service members, many of whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We also acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of their loving families. It is their heroism that has paved the remarkable path of freedom’s march.”

Meanwhile, the woman who fancies herself queen, Sarah Palin, has been oddly silent over this weekend. There has not been a single statement either wrapping herself in the flag or Ronald Reagan. She has also managed to go days without lying about Barack Obama. Lucky for us, we have her 2009 Independence Day jihad on free speech to look back on. Sarah spent Independence Day 2009 first attacking a Twitter parody of her, and then threatening to sue the entire Internet.

As Bus Your Own Tray pointed out, the fake Twitter account “hasn’t posted since March 24th, has only three updates (the other two are from before the election), and only 55 followers.” Oh but Palin was just getting warmed up. As Wonkette detailed, Palin essentially threatened to sue the media. Palin’s hit list was seven pages long, and included The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, MSNBC, and various Alaska bloggers, because no critical media outlet can be left unsilenced, no matter how big or small.

While Barack Obama sent an Independence Day message about what makes America great, and the sacrifice of those who came before us, Sarah Palin spent the last Independence Day — when she dared to show her face, unlike in 2010 — trying to suppress free speech and take away the fundamental freedoms from her fellow American citizens. This is the kind of real America that Palin yearns for. It is an America that has China like control over the media, where dissent is squashed, and her cult of personality is enabled.

In this picture Barack Obama is the true defender of freedom, while Sarah Palin is the Hitleresque dictator in waiting who is looking to game our democratic system in order to place herself in power. Every time you hear Sarah Palin attack President Obama’s patriotism, think back to the 4th of July 2009 and her definition of freedom. When Obama and Palin are compared side by side only one “real American” stands out, and it is not the former half term governor of Alaska.



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